Just made a fool of myself at interview...I'm so upset

[doodlisaxx]

Had a interview today
Well if you can call it that
It was at Hilton hotel
For a room attendant /housekeeper

I got there and the receptionist told me I was too early (15 mins early ) so I just sat in reception whilst they gave me daggers
Then one came over and said "housekeeping interview isn't it ? " I said yes and she rolled her eyes (no idea why )

Then head of housekeeping comes over
She was nice enough but asked me nothing
I mean nothing
No previous job history
She said okay go to a room and make a bed.

Bare in mind I have no experience (ad said training will be given )
Got to the room
It was red hot
Head of housekeeping
Supervisor and 2 room attendants all there.

I had to try and guess how they like the bed being made
I had no experience of making a hotel bed

Whilst I was was busy making it they were whispering "she hasn't folded that properly "
At this point I was panicking and sweating
Shaking the works
Anyway I made the bed (in a fashion )
The head of housekeeping just said
"Sorry we won't be offering you this role "
Then I left
I'm so embarrassed

Wow, they sound awful, good job you didn’t get it, imagine working with them!

Totally agree you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I would email HR and leave a glass door review of your experience.

Sounds like you dodged a bullet there. It's a shame about not getting the job, but crikey, what a way to conduct an interview!

What a relief - dodged a right bullet there!

I once went to a shocking interview with Benefit ( I might add, it was Round 4 and supposed to be pretty senior level)

I actually said to the 'interviewer', I"m sorry this is ridiculously unprofessional, I'm going. And I walked out. Her face was a picture! She actually said something along the lines of how dare you walk away, this is Benefit. Hilarious. We were second floor Selfridges with an audience!

No way should you feel embarrassed. They sound awful.

Sounds like a lucky escape there! They don’t sound nice people at all. I used to work in housekeeping for a well known chain and I shadowed/worked with a more experienced lady until I was competent to work alone. All the team were lovely and friendly. If you feel up to it, I would email the company about the way you were treated today and point out that it said training would be given. I’m sorry you had to go through that horrible experience.

They've done this as a way of weeding people out without actually refusing to interview...

They have a criteria in their minds that is NOT the written criteria for the job, likely because it'd be illegal.

So they set people they know don't fit that criteria, an impossible task that you'll fail because you have no way of knowing what to do to pass - I would bet you could have made that bed in any number of different, perfectly correct and time-efficient ways, and you'd still have failed.

I would suspect they a/ want to hire someone known to them, related to someone already employed there or b/ hire someone they are certain will be easy to bully/treat like shit (probably someone who isn't fluent in English and is desperate for a job so can be pushed around and won't be able to complain easily).

It may even be both.

This has absolutely nothing to do with you, and everything to do with them. I would complain to the company head office that the interview did NOT match the job description/criteria stated and was hugely unprofessional. I'd be surprised if head office have a clue whats going on there and the people running the interview are banking on you blaming yourself and not speaking out.

You’ve doing nothing wrong that’s cruel & bizarre interview process
Write to area manager and complain, directly name those involved. Give neutral factual account of events

Finally, take a deep breath you've done nothing wrong. Unfortunately you encountered some bizzare bullying overbearing behaviour

Its a hideous job.

I used to work in housekeeping and it's very hard work and you find all sorts in the rooms . You would probably earn more staying in admin.

If you especially want to work in a hotel I would email the Hilton and say you were disappointed that you didn't get the job and ask if there any other vacancies available.

If not there will be other hotels where you would probably get more training for a housekeeping post
I am

Honestly? I’d complain to Hilton head office.

They sound utterly hideous.

They sound insane. You're supposed to show up early to an interview and with training anyone can learn how to make the bed properly. You dodged a bullet.

I am very glad you shared this. Let everyone knows now. Please, don't be thinking all hotels are like that. There are wonderful places who teach you everything. Try hotelcare, country wide company, they will ask you for a trial, not you to show them, but they will show you and ask you do you want the job.

Try other local hotels, Premier Inn, country estates ones etc.....there are amazing individuals out there in this field.

head up, you havent done anything wrong

Tbh,seeing how you make a bed is more pertinent to the job than star answers. It is the job.

That is not how interviews work in any professional place. Lucky escape.

don’t be embarrassed, you did the best you could x

This is bollocks. If it says no experience necessary you can't ask someone to do it on the spot and expect them to somehow know how to do it perfectly. Under instruction, yes. Just letting them at it, no.

Good luck at hays travel

I agree they sound hideous, and not at all professional (despite what some on here might say). You definitely dodged a bullet!
Best of luck with your next interview 🍀🙏

Might be. But some like it, depending where you are

I honestly think I would be able to make a bed to their standards if I actually had a chance to learn.
Even 1 day of shadowing I can pick it up
Them all stood watching me was extremely intimidating and I honestly panicked.
A trial shift for no pay would of been better than that

I'm hoping I have better luck with hays travel
I have a GNVQ in travel and tourism so hopefully that helps

How are you supposed to pass a test when you have no experience of doing what you have been asked to do, and they KNEW that before they called you in.

By the way @doodlisaxx you dodged a bullet there. Imagine working for people like that.

I would bet money on the fact one of their friends/relative has also applied for the position. They didn’t want anyone else to get the job, they weren’t even going to consider anyone else for the job, so purposely made it awful.

Don’t feel bad about yourself, they sound awful people who you don’t want to work with anyway.

I will look at it that way. Amazing advice. You need to be happy in a physically demanding job like this one and have clear headspace, not second guessing everyone - the money is not worth any emotional hassle

Thought probably Hilton pays what for that one, 13 or 15 Pounds ????

My DD is a housekeeper at a very smart five star hotel, she didnt have to make a bed when she applied for the job and has been given training as well as support from others on the team (they usually work in pairs).

This is appalling behaviour from the hotel.