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PowerShift - Reading Materials Chapter 03: PowerShift for Employers

Table of Contents

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Introduction

There are 3 key common functions that are shared between the tourism and hospitality and electricity industries.

As the economy continues to shift in new directions, all industries and sectors are competing for top talent. To remain competitive, HR managers need to hone their abilities to recognize transferable skills and knowledge (i.e., competencies) to attract, recruit and retain top performers in all aspects of their businesses.

A key to successful attraction, recruitment and retention in a competitive labour market is recognizing potential and thinking critically about candidates’ experiences and past roles in new and innovative ways. The approach of using educational credentials or judging experience by past job titles will no longer work in this new reality. Potential lies in Competency-Based HR Management.

Smiling manager shaking hands with an applicant after an interview

Resources

What is Competency-Based HR Management?

Competency-based HR planning serves as a link between human resources management and the overall strategic plan of an organization. Competencies are the observable skills and knowledge required for a job.

Competency-based HR management supports the integration of human resources planning with business planning by allowing organizations to assess their current HR capacity against the capacity needed to achieve the vision, mission, and business goals of the organization. Targeted human resource strategies, plans and programs to address gaps (e.g., hiring and staffing, learning, career development, succession management) are then designed, developed, and implemented.

 

The Power of Competencies

Competencies are the skills and knowledge that an individual brings to a job. These competencies can be attained in many ways – through formal or informal training, life or work experiences, professors or mentors, and professional or personal roles and responsibilities. When focusing on competencies, we focus on proficiency – the individual’s ability to perform their tasks safely, efficiently, and effectively. The skills become the focus, rather than where the skills were attained, from whom, when and even how. Focusing on competencies greatly expands the talent pool for employers, but also greatly enhances the opportunities available to talent looking for new challenges.

Working in the Tourism and Hospitality industry requires key skills that are beneficial for the electricity industry including:

Common Functional Areas

There are 3 key common functions that are shared between the tourism and hospitality and electricity industries.

Outreach and Client Relations

Including direct networking, collaborating and communication with stakeholders, customers, and clients. Common Tourism and Hospitality occupations in outreach and communications include:

  • Event Coordinator
  • Event Manager
  • Tour Director/Guide
  • Front Desk Agent
  • Reservation Sales Agent
  • Brand Ambassador
  • Sales and Marketing Representative
Two professional women sitting and chatting near a window

Sales and Business Development

Including developing their business strategies, forming partnerships, and working to educate and engage potential clientele. Common Tourism and Hospitality occupations in sales and business development include:

  • (Reservation) Sales Agent
  • Sales Manager
  • Travel Manager
  • Hotel General Manager
  • Director of Sales and Marketing
  • Group Sales Representative
Man taking a meeting over zoom on a laptop

Marketing and Communications

Including developing engaging digital and print media marketing and communications campaigns, public relations initiatives and engagement campaigns to support buy-in. Common Tourism and Hospitality occupations in marketing and communications include:

  • Marketing Manager
  • Director of Marketing
Person sitting with their laptop, a notebook, and a cellphone

Tourism and Hospitality Career Profiles

These tourism and hospitality career profiles have been developed through the lens of transferable skills. By moving past a person’s past job title and focusing on the competencies that the individual is bringing to the table, it becomes much easier to identify and recognize the range of skills that will also benefit your organization.

  1. Outreach & Client Relations
  2. Sales & Business Development
  3. Marketing & Communications
image of a desktop with travel items spread out

Tips for Hiring Talent from Other Industries/Sectors

  1. Think about where the talent is networking/seeking opportunities. Focus on more than just the typical ‘electricity’ avenues (consider all job posting platforms)
  2. Keep an open mind beyond the past job titles/positions on a resume. At first glance, two occupations may seem completely unrelated, but it is not until you analyze actual competencies that transferability exists.
  3. Establish which competencies are critically important and hard to train (often times these are the professional skills) and which skills (often industry specific skills) can be developed/taught. Recognize what the threshold should be for ‘foot in the door’ qualifications and what you are willing to invest in training for the role once hired. Often, the upskilling is less of a burden than assumed.
two smiling women having a meeting with notesbooks

EHRC PowerShift Video

The switch from hospitality to electricity is simpler than you think!

Video

Transcript

practices when hiring ralph thinks

outside the box meet amy a hotel front

desk agent meet muhammad an event

manager at a conference center meet

jesse a tour guide all three are looking

to discover their potential in another

sector and most importantly all three

have developed highly valuable

transferable skills and their respective

professions amy is an upbeat problem

solver who is an expert in communicating

with any and all demographics muhammad

is a patient and resourceful people

person who is able to quickly absorb new

information and relay it with efficiency

and clarity jesse is a dynamic and

engaging presenter who can distill

complicated information in a

straightforward and captivating manner

although they might lack experience in

the electricity sector ralph sees that

each of these candidates possess skills

and knowledge that would be invaluable

to the position he’s hiring and in turn

bring diversity and strength to the

electricity industry for more tips on

how to recognize the power of

transferable skills make sure to visit

our website

Next Steps

Executives talking business together in an office boardroom

Download the PowerShift Employer Resource for more tips and strategies for hiring talent from other industries and sectors.

Download the PowerShift Employer Resource