How to source and shortlist {role_name}

Where can you find qualified {role_name}?

To find qualified Banquet Manager candidates, you can explore various sources, including professional networks, educational institutions, company career pages, role-specific job boards, and geography-specific job boards. Below are some suggestions for each:

Professional Networks:

  • LinkedIn – A great platform for finding experienced Banquet Managers. You can search for candidates using keywords like "Banquet Manager," "Event Manager," or "Catering Manager." You can also use LinkedIn Recruiter to filter by location, skills, and experience.

Educational Institutions:

  • Many colleges and universities offer hospitality and event management programs. These institutions often have career services that can connect you with graduates who are well-prepared for roles like Banquet Manager. Examples include:
    • Cornell University (USA) – Offers a highly regarded hospitality program.
    • Welcome Group Graduate School of Hotel Administration (India) – Provides event management and hospitality courses.
    • Les Roches (UAE) – Known for hospitality management programs.

Company Career Pages:

  • Check out the career pages of hospitality groups or hotels, as many of them list open Banquet Manager positions directly. Some examples include:
    • Hilton Hilton Careers
    • Marriott – Marriott Careers
    • Accor Hotels – Accor Careers

Role-Specific Job Boards:

  • Hospitality Jobs – A site that lists jobs in the hospitality industry. Hospitality Jobs
  • Catering Jobs – Focuses specifically on catering and event-related roles. Catering Jobs

Geography-Specific Job Boards:

  • United States:
    • Hcareers Hcareers (specializes in hospitality and event-related jobs)
    • Indeed Indeed (widely used in the U.S. for various roles, including hospitality)
    • Glassdoor Glassdoor (used for job searching and company reviews)
  • India:
    • Naukri Naukri (large job portal used in India, good for event management roles)
    • Shine.com Shine (offers a variety of jobs including in hospitality)
    • TimesJobs TimesJobs (used for sourcing hospitality staff in India)
  • UAE & KSA:
    • GulfTalent GulfTalent (popular job board for hospitality roles in the GCC region)
    • Bayt Bayt (widely used across the UAE and KSA for event and hospitality jobs)
    • Naukrigulf Naukrigulf (focused on job opportunities in the Gulf region)
  • Remote Positions:
    • We Work Remotely We Work Remotely (popular job board for remote work across industries)
    • Remote OK Remote OK (features remote job opportunities globally)

What are the best practices for headhunting {role_name}?

  • Targeting Passive Candidates: Instead of just focusing on active job seekers, search for candidates who are not actively looking but are open to new opportunities. LinkedIn, for example, allows you to identify candidates with the desired experience and skills.
  • Networking: Attend hospitality and event management conferences or job fairs. Connecting directly with people in the industry can help you source talent that is not actively looking but is open to new roles.
  • Referral Programs: Leverage your current employees’ networks to find top candidates. Many companies have referral programs that reward employees for recommending qualified candidates.
  • Industry Specific Groups: Join industry groups (both online and offline) dedicated to event management and hospitality. These platforms can be great for finding specialized candidates.

"Find Talent Quickly" – Leverage Headhunting and Referrals

How to shortlist candidates?

Once you have started to get applications from applicants, a thorough screening process and shortlisting of prospects will help you make the most of your time spent with the most qualified ones. 

Automated shortlisting tools :

Automated screening quickly filters out unqualified candidates, saving time for manual review. This allows the manual process to focus on the most promising candidates, ensuring the best ones are considered for further evaluation.

Screening questions to auto-shortlist based on predefined criteria

like qualifications, location, experience, and skills. Either use job board or use an ATS such as whitecarrot. Here are some questions for {role_name}

  • How many years of experience do you have with Banquet Management?
    • Auto-reject criteria: Less than 3 years of relevant experience.
  • How many years of experience do you have in event planning or coordination?
    • Auto-reject criteria: Less than 2 years of experience in event-related roles.
  • Are you located within [specified location] or willing to work remotely?
    • Auto-reject criteria: Candidate is unwilling to work in the specified location or remotely

Skill based question to auto shortlist candidate

Analyze the skill test data to automatically shortlist top-performing applicants. (recommended screening test time - 15 minutes). Here are some skill test questions for {role_name}

Event Planning

Question 1: What steps would you take to ensure a seamless event from start to finish, from planning to execution?

  • A) Define the event objectives, create a timeline, and assign roles to team members.
  • B) Focus only on vendor coordination and leave the staff preparation to team leads.
  • C) Rely on last-minute preparations to save time and costs.
  • D) Only ensure the catering is on time and overlook other event aspects.

Correct Answer: A) Define the event objectives, create a timeline, and assign roles to team members.

Question 2: How do you prioritize tasks and ensure deadlines are met when managing multiple events simultaneously?

  • A) I manage one event at a time and avoid multitasking.
  • B) I create a detailed project plan with clear deadlines and assign tasks to the team.
  • C) I rely on my team to figure out the schedule and monitor progress.
  • D) I focus on high-priority tasks, ignoring less urgent ones.

Correct Answer: B) I create a detailed project plan with clear deadlines and assign tasks to the team.

Question 3: Can you provide an example of a time when you had to manage an unexpected change or emergency during an event? How did you handle it?

  • A) I did nothing and let the event unfold naturally.
  • B) I adapted quickly by finding a solution, notifying all stakeholders, and making adjustments on the fly.
  • C) I relied on my team to resolve the issue without involving other stakeholders.
  • D) I rescheduled the event for another day.

Correct Answer: B) I adapted quickly by finding a solution, notifying all stakeholders, and making adjustments on the fly.

Staff Coordination

Question 1: How do you ensure that all staff are aligned and prepared for an event? Can you give an example of a briefing session you’ve conducted?

  • A) I assume staff will figure it out on their own once the event starts.
  • B) I provide a detailed briefing before the event and clearly communicate roles and expectations.
  • C) I give the staff minimal information and trust them to act as needed.
  • D) I focus on training the team only when the event is happening.

Correct Answer: B) I provide a detailed briefing before the event and clearly communicate roles and expectations.

Question 2: How do you handle conflicts or disagreements between staff members during an event? Can you share a real-life example?

  • A) I ignore conflicts and assume they will resolve themselves.
  • B) I address conflicts immediately by listening to both sides and finding a fair solution.
  • C) I delegate the issue to someone else to handle.
  • D) I let the team members handle it among themselves without intervention.

Correct Answer: B) I address conflicts immediately by listening to both sides and finding a fair solution.

Question 3: What strategies do you use to motivate and manage staff during a high-pressure event?

  • A) I give instructions and let the team handle everything without further involvement.
  • B) I provide positive reinforcement and check in with staff to make sure they feel supported.
  • C) I ignore stress levels and focus only on the tasks at hand.
  • D) I delegate everything to the senior team and stay in the background.

Correct Answer: B) I provide positive reinforcement and check in with staff to make sure they feel supported.

Budget Management

Question 1: How do you ensure an event stays within budget while still delivering an excellent experience? Can you share a specific example?

  • A) I only focus on reducing costs and avoid quality improvements.
  • B) I manage the budget by negotiating with vendors and carefully tracking expenses, ensuring the event is both cost-effective and high-quality.
  • C) I spend freely on decorations and catering, assuming the overall budget will be enough.
  • D) I skip some planned services to stay within the budget and don’t discuss it with clients.

Correct Answer: B) I manage the budget by negotiating with vendors and carefully tracking expenses, ensuring the event is both cost-effective and high-quality.

Question 2: What steps do you take to negotiate with vendors and suppliers to ensure the best value for the event budget?

  • A) I accept the first quote I receive and avoid further negotiations.
  • B) I research multiple vendors, compare prices, and negotiate terms to ensure the best value without compromising quality.
  • C) I only work with vendors who provide the lowest price, regardless of quality.
  • D) I focus on getting the best deal from one vendor and don’t compare with others.

Correct Answer: B) I research multiple vendors, compare prices, and negotiate terms to ensure the best value without compromising quality.

Question 3: How do you track and report on event spending to ensure the budget is adhered to? Can you describe the tools or methods you use?

  • A) I rely on memory and track spending manually without using any tools.
  • B) I use event planning software and maintain detailed records of every expense to track against the budget.
  • C) I only report spending after the event is over to avoid interrupting the flow.
  • D) I do not track the budget closely and leave that to the finance department.

Correct Answer: B) I use event planning software and maintain detailed records of every expense to track against the budget.

Note - Auto reject candidates if scores less than 70% in this section

One way video interview

Recruitment Bullet

Use tools like hirevue, whitecarrot.io to ask candidates pre-recorded questions about their experience and skills.

Recruitment Bullet

Use sample question given in scorecard.

Collect other information 

Recruitment Bullet

Collect data from shortlisted candidates, such as salary expectations and visa status.

"Shortlist in Seconds" – Use our CV scoring feature to get top candidate recommendation

Manual candidate profile shortlisting:

Recruitment Bullet

Thoroughly review the CVs of the top scoring candidates from the automated process

Recruitment Bullet

Look for evidence of the required skills, experience, and achievements

Recruitment Bullet

Review the candidate’s portfolio or GitHub repositories to see examples of their work.

Schedule recruiter calls with the candidate

Recruitment Bullet

Use a tool like calendly or whitecarrot to allow candidates to self-schedule calls based on your availability

Recruitment Bullet

Confirm the call details (date, time, dial-in info) with the candidate via email

What questions to ask in the recruiter phone screen?

Recruitment Bullet

 Use scorecard for rating candidates for recruiter

Recruitment Bullet

Sample scorecard : 

Criteria Sample Question Rating Scale (1-5)
Communication Skills How would you handle a situation where the client requests last-minute changes to the event? 1-5
Leadership Skills Can you describe how you motivate a team during an event? 1-5
Problem Solving Ability What steps would you take if an event runs behind schedule? 1-5
Experience in Event Planning How many years of experience do you have managing large scale events? 1-5
Cultural Fit What type of company culture do you thrive in? 1-5
Recruitment Bullet

Check for consistency in responses from the candidates.

Recruitment Bullet

Record such scorecards in an ATS like whitecarrot or use google doc

Frequently Asked Questions?

What are the most common skills to look for in a Banquet Manager?

Key Skills: Leadership, communication, event planning, budget management, staff coordination, problem-solving, and customer service.

How do I keep Banquet Manager candidates engaged during the sourcing and shortlisting phase?

Engagement Tips: Keep communication consistent, provide insights into the company culture, and make the application process clear and transparent. Encourage candidates to ask questions and involve them in an ongoing conversation about their career goals.

How can I assess cultural fit during the shortlisting process for Banquet Manager?

Cultural Fit Assessment: Ask situational questions related to teamwork, customer service, and adaptability in a fast-paced environment. Observe how the candidate’s values align with your company’s focus on hospitality, service excellence, and teamwork.