I was then given an outline for my summer internship and was told that I was to support the HR manager and director with any special projects they needed. My first task was to sort through the huge pile of applications and pick out the ones we wanted to hold for possible positions for the future. I was amazed at the number of applications a corporation like the Marriott receives every day. When I was done sorting out the current applications and logging them into the application flow log, another 15 applications would already be in the box! While scanning applications I looked for things such as longevity in past jobs, reasons for leaving, gaps in employment history, and qualifications that would benefit a certain department in the hotel. Another job that goes hand in hand with the applications is updating the job postings in the hotel and on the job hotline. Each week the job listing may change or alter so it was my job to make sure the applicant knew what jobs were open. I had to check the job hotline daily and call back applicants to let them know the status of their application.
Another important part of my internship was to be in charge of the guest satisfaction incentives. We have an Above and Beyond the Call of duty board (ABC) and also a WOW board. Any associate is able to nominate another associate for the ABC board when they see the person do something that is above and beyond their normal job description. I then typed out a label and placed the name of the associate and the action they did near the time clocks. The WOW board is places in the associate cafeteria where positive guest comments are placed. The guests could have pin pointed a certain associate or a department in general and it is important for those people to see the positive impacts they have on the guests.
At the end of each quarter, we have a Town Hall meeting that all associates may attend. In this meeting we discuss things such as hotel awards, welcome new associates, ways to improve customer satisfaction, and announce the associate of the month as well as the manager of the quarter to the rest of the staff. I was in charge of setting up and decorating each Town Hall meeting as well as putting together a PowerPoint that the GM of the hotel could read off of while he was talking to the staff. The things I have described so far are some of the more important projects I helped out with when I was an intern, but I was also in charge of daily functions such as filing, setting up new files, giving out and logging bus passes, giving out locker assignments, creating and designing the cafeteria menu, as well as mailing out and posting monthly hotel anniversary and birthday cards.
Before starting my internship I had just switched over to a Geography/Tourism student and had no idea where I was going with my degree. Luckily, with perseverance and assistance from the Tourism and Hospitality Studies program's internship advisor, I got an interview at the Marriott Hartford Downtown. Amazingly, this internship turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me because I fell in love with Human Resources. I found out that I love helping people with their problems and meeting new people daily.
During my internship I realized that listening was going to be a huge part in learning what Human Resources was about. I kept my ears open to how my mangers handled situations and how they spoke towards other people. It was also important to be independent in my role as an intern. I did not come in every day and wait to be told what to do. Once I got comfortable and knew the daily responsibilities that had to be done in the morning, I took charge and did them. Being independent was essential, but it was also vital to know when to ask questions. I did not know everything there is to do in an HR office, nor do I now, so when I had significant questions I asked one of my mangers to make sure I carried out the responsibility correctly. By watching and listening to both Karin and Margarita I understood the importance of being attentive to people and greeting them with a smile.
By realizing all of these central ideas and actions, I got offered a part time position in the Human Resources office during the final year of my school with the Marriott Hartford Downtown. I am still currently listening and watching my mangers so that I can learn all I have to before setting off to start my own career in the Human Resources field.
Picture of Hotel
Location of marriott on a map of Hartford
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