Hotel schools, business schools and liberal arts programs produce thousands of graduates each year with all sorts of skillsets.

Hotel school students are taught from day one that their career will be to serve their guests, their employees, their employers, and their other stakeholders. Most business school graduates go into services such as banking, accounting, sales, marketing and law, but they are often not even aware that serving others is what their jobs are all about. Hotel school students do not reject service - they embrace it.

Question is whether you think that hospitality schools and universities still deliver talent with the sorts of competencies and skills you are looking for today, or whether graduates from generic business schools stand an equal chance during the hiring process.

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Bill  Walshe
Bill Walshe
CEO at Viceroy Hotel Group

We no longer focus on recruitment from only hospitality schools. We did years ago, but it has become an open and even field for applicants with all backgrounds. We hire candidates for their cultural fit over the hotel education and experience they may or may not have. Someone with a business school or other degree has the same chance of success with Viceroy as someone from a hospitality program.

Hotel school students are taught to embrace service, but we've seen a growing number of graduates from traditional top schools with less interest in the operation and execution of that service. Instead they are focused on jobs in revenue, finance and asset management, which have direct competition from business schools.

Generations entering the work force are seeking companies they believe in and who they are proud to work for over the industry they work in. Finding candidates who identify with and embrace our Ideology are a large factor in our hiring decisions. It's not to say that hotel schools are not still delivering talented candidates, but it's not the primary focus of our hiring decisions.

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