Package deals
"What's the salary like?" is often the first question on many candidates' minds, even if they don't actually ask it at an interview. However, as most of the exhibitors at the show will tell you, the packages they have to offer are equally important.
Some of the benefits don't kick in until you've been there for a few months, and others are related to length of service and your position: the more senior you are, the more benefits you expect.
If you're starting out, remember that training is vital for you to progress in your career, so make sure there's a solid training programme in place. Other perks include discounts at the company's restaurants or hotels.
Check out these companies and their benefits - it may be the package that sways your final decision.
City Inn
City Inn offers the benefit of a small chain growing quickly, so there's plenty of opportunity to learn and progress quickly. From day one you can expect four weeks' holiday, free meals, uniforms provided and dry-cleaned and stakeholder pensions. After six months' service you'll get to stay at other City Inn Hotels from £7.50 a night and get a 25% discount off meals at the City Café. Department members may receive group bonuses if targets are achieved and, if you work your way up the ladder, department managers get individual bonuses. General managers and group managers get healthcare and company pensions.
The company promotes from within, so there's the chance to transfer across hotels and see a bit of the country, too. There are many training courses, from in-house programmes to formal qualifications.
Jurys Doyle From day one, there's a BUPA healthcare scheme, pension schemes, sharesave options, reductions on British Midland flights and staff discounts on room bookings. Staff breaks, group annual awards and training and development are also part of the package. The company has Investor in People status.
There's a strong ethos to promote from within and NVQs are on offer for different departments at all levels.
Greene King Pub Company
Make it to house manager and there's a bonus paid every month and every quarter based on sales and profit targets.
Employees with a year's service at the end of the company's financial year can join the profit share scheme, with efforts rewarded in Greene King shares.
Other benefits include 30 days' annual leave, free accommodation, discounted hotel breaks, life assurance, private medical insurance and a personal pension plan.
There's plenty of diversity in the business, affording the opportunity to travel around the UK and through the various hospitality businesses. Career paths are provided to help house managers move into functional roles or progress into area management.
Greene King has a foundation modern apprenticeship programme offering an NVQ level 2; a deputy manager programme, including an advanced modern apprenticeship and an NVQ level 3 qualification; a fast-track "Manager in Training" scheme; and a management development programme.
Le Méridien As well as free meals on duty and your uniform provided and cleaned, expect "employee of the month" awards, recruitment bonus (if you get a friend to join, too), a first-aiders' bonus (if you take the appropriate training) and, if you're interested in politics, there's even a bonus for being the staff consultative committee representative.
The more standard, but still useful perks include life assurance, contributory pension scheme (after six months' service) and healthcare, depending on your position.
Your 20 days of holiday increase to 23 days after five years' service and to 25 days after 10 years' service.
If you're joining the industry to travel, Le M‚ridien is a good bet. After six months with the company, employees are eligible to apply for internal transfers and there are hotels worldwide. If you're in the sales side of the company, you can expect to travel on business when you get to sales manager level.
Like most five-star hotel chains, Le Méridien offers considerable training opportunities.
Moat House Hotels
All employees are entitled to discounts on rates at the company's hotels and food and beverage outlets and are allowed to use the leisure clubs when off duty. There are discounts for car breakdown services and private healthcare insurance. There's also a financial incentive to introduce people to the company.
Internal promotion is encouraged and, with hotels abroad, there is an opportunity to travel. As with most hotel companies, there's a wealth of training schemes including NVQ qualifications, and managers have personnel development programmes mapped out for them. The only thing you have to wait for is the pension scheme, which you can apply for after three months.
Red Carnation Hotels It's worth joining Red Carnation and sticking around, because after six months of employment there are discounts at the hotel's eight properties. In addition, there's 25% off food, 30% off drinks and a further 50% off room phone calls/movies. And it's not just the employee but his/her direct family who benefit. There are heavily subsidised discount rates at US hotels, too.
If running around the hotel doesn't keep you fit, joining LA Fitness will. There's a discounted rate that applies to the gyms around London and any new ones that open in the future. Red Carnation also gives a discount on annual membership of your vehicle recovery scheme. Heads of department and general managers are eligible for the company pension scheme and private healthcare and, once you've done three months, you can join the stakeholder pension scheme.
The company believes in practical application of training, and the training offered has the kudos of earning qualifications, which are recognized both nationally and internationally.
Scottish & Newcastle
This year, bar staff with six months' service received a percentage of their salary in shares thanks to the company's share incentive plan. There's also a savings-related share option scheme for staff with at least one year's service. After a year, bar staff get the company sickness benefit and all employees are provided with free life assurance. Discounts are offered on company products and services and the company has negotiated discounts on external goods and services.
Last year 45% of unit managers were promoted from within the company. Make it to management and there's access to the company's contributory final salary pension scheme. This also provides enhanced free life assurance cover of three times your salary.
Bonus schemes provide management staff with rewards for the contribution to unit and company sales and profit. It is possible to earn up to an additional 56% of salary as bonus.
In some cases, accommodation is provided with the job, and most unit managers live in. Other staff may get accommodation, especially in London.
Scottish & Newcastle provides training and development to match each stage of an individual's career and this includes NVQ and Modern Apprenticeships.
Thistle Hotels
Thistle offers discounts at its restaurants and on functions, as well as staff accommodation, discounts on car hire and on computer hardware. Depending on location, there's also a discount on health club memberships. After three months, you can join the stakeholder pension scheme.
Thistle encourages staff to transfer to other properties within the company, and the accepted minimum period after which an employee can apply for a transfer is six months in any single role. Thistle is primarily a UK group, so the travel opportunity is domestic only.
Thistle offers plenty of hotel training, from job skills for all new employees to a six-part customer service training package, called Be My Guest. Higher up the ladder, corporate training includes people management courses, advanced job skills, trainer training, and a senior management development programme.
