On The Job: International Guide Academy

Lynette Hinings-Marshall of the International Guide Academy boasts thirty-five years in the tour industry as an international tour operator, president of the International Guide Academy, and management consultant to companies involved in international touring. She has also hired and trained tour staff for international touring and offers the following advice for anyone embarking on a tour-related job search. (The following is reprinted with permission of the author. Copyright 1992 International Guide Academy, Inc.)

Following Up

Don't let direct mail of resumes be all that you do. An important additional step is the follow-up phone call.

The key to the follow-up call is to ensure you are not too passive-they are looking for leaders. This doesn't mean that you should be aggressive. You simply need to be persistent. It is unusual to get through to a person with just one phone call, so if they say they are busy, don't be passive. Instead, ask "when is a good time to call you back?" This is persistent, not aggressive. Remember, hiring managers have important operational responsibilities within their companies, and their busy schedule can make them appear brusque or rude, so don't take rejection personally. Also, keep in mind that the best time to connect with business people is between 9-11AM and 2-4PM.

Presenting an Image

Leave an impression of yourself with the interviewer. This is a people business and you will be hired because of who you are. Therefore, you need to give them a strong feeling for how you interact with people.

Don't be afraid to ask what is important to them in their hiring. If they say they don't have any positions available right now, make a note to yourself about what are important factors to them for hiring someone. Then the next time you call you can use examples to illustrate that you do indeed have the qualities that are important to them.

Try to tell a short story about yourself that paints an image of you; it's preferable to listing your attributes and gives companies a better feeling for you as a person. They will know you are new to the field and won't be looking for experience as much as the "personal" qualities they consider important.

Interviewing

Interviews, whether by phone or in person, have three basic stages:

The interviewer will put the onus on you to tell them about yourself.
Critical stage. If they are interested they will talk about their own company and what they are looking for. If you are cut short in this stage, it could be a signal that you haven't captured their interest.
Close. This is a sales call and you must close. It is up to you to ask for the job. The way you do this is to tell them why you would be the best choice for them. Ask "when do you anticipate making a decision?"

Other Hints

Chemistry: Chemistry is the important element in getting hired in our people-oriented industry. Don't be afraid to ask the hiring company "Do you think I am the type of person you are looking for?" LISTEN to the response, they may give you pointers that will help you with the next company you approach.

Call tracking: Every time you hang up, make notes to yourself on a tracking sheet. If you have a computer you can use the tracking sheet to also print labels for envelopes and names and addresses for your cover letters.

Salary: Don't talk about salary unless they do. It will usually be in Stage 2 if they are going to talk about it.

More and more, companies don't talk about money until they have made their hiring decision. Salary and benefits are not negotiable for entry-level tour managers.

Persistence: Remember that if you had decided to become a nuclear physicist and just completed your studies in that field, it would still be the same process to getting hired. It is difficult, frustrating, and takes time-but there's no other way in today's business environment.

Follow-up: Follow-up phone calls do work and the easiest way of doing this is to be genuinely interested in a group of companies and track their developments in the trade press. You can then call to say something like "I noticed you have added a new tour to the Southeast, it looks wonderful. Does this mean you will be needing extra tour managers?"

So, stay in touch with companies. Stay calm. Stay enthusiastic. Stay gracious in your manner. All these qualities will get you hired.

Remember, for more about job search strategies, visit the JobMonkey Job Hunting section.

Tour Guide Jobs - Before You Go >>>