Hilton Hotels Interview

For Hilton interview questions, you’re in the right place.

One can assume interviews are stressful and competition is intense.

However, you can ace the Hilton Hotels job interview with a small amount of preparation.

Here we will discuss how to successfully answer Hilton Hotels Interview Questions. 

Please note these are practice interview questions and we are not affiliated with the company mentioned in this post.

Hilton Interview Questions and Answers

1. Can you tell us about yourself?

  • It’s okay to discuss your hobbies and interests; but, keep it brief. Try to focus on relevant work experience. Remember that having relevant work experience will put you ahead of the competition.

2. Why do you want to work for Hilton Hotels?

  • Say that you would like to grow your career in the hospitality industry and Hilton is the place to do it.  With awards ranging from top diversity employer to being the #2 Best Company to Work in 2023, say you feel you could learn a lot by working at Hilton.
  • State you would be proud to work for a company that sponsors so many charities through The Hilton HHonors Giving Back program.
  • Explain how Hilton is better than its competitors.
  • Say that you would like to work for a company that is so committed to the environment. Mention that you read Hilton has reduced energy, carbon, waste, and water usage by significant percentages since 2009.

3. What is your greatest strength?

This question is an invitation to explain why you are the best-qualified candidate for this job!

The answer should be broken down into three parts

  1. The Strength – state the strength
  2. Proof of the strength – an example of how you have used this strength.
  3. The strength’s relevance to THIS job.

4. What is your greatest weakness?

  • It would help if you did not deny you have a weakness or state strengths as a weakness. For example, do not say “I am a perfectionist” or “I work too hard and neglect my friends and family”. State a fault required for the role but not a dealbreaker if you don’t have it.
  • When you state your weakness, make sure you say what you are doing to overcome that weakness. For example, I have a fear of public speaking and enrolled in a public speaking class to overcome my fear.

Company Information

5. What can you tell us about Hilton Hotels?

About Hilton

  • Hilton Hotels & Resorts is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts.
  • Conrad Hilton founded Hilton Hotels in 1919.
  • In 1947, The Roosevelt Hilton in New York became the first hotel in the world to install televisions in guest rooms.
  • In 1959, Hilton developed the first airport hotel and pioneered the airport hotel concept.
  • Hilton HHonors is their loyalty program.
  • In 2008 Hilton Vancouver Washington made history as the first hotel to be both Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Green Seal Certified.
  • The head office is in McLean Virginia.
  • The mission statement is to be the preeminent global hospitality company – the first choice of guests, team members, and owners alike.

Conrad Hilton’s Vision

In 1954, Conrad Hilton declared his vision To fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time.

Waldorf Astoria New York
Waldorf Astoria is considered a flagship brand within Hilton’s portfolio,

6. Who are Hilton’s competitors?

7. What are Hilton’s Values?

  • Hospitality – We’re passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences
  • Integrity – We do the right thing all the time
  • Leadership – We’re the leader in our industry and our communities
  • Teamwork – We’re team players in everything we do
  • Ownership- We’re the owners of our actions and decisions
  • Now – We operate with a sense of urgency and discipline

Customer Service Interview Questions

8. How would you deal with an upset customer?

  • Listen and let the customer vent.
  • Show the customer you care.
  • Don’t blame the customer or the company.
  • Try to solve the problem or find someone who can.
  • Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
  • Finally, one must not take it personally.  If you get upset, you will take it out on future customers.

9. How do you define great customer service?

  • The reservation is kept, the room is clean, and the customer is greeted in a friendly manner.

10. Why do you believe customer service is so important?

Great customer service can

  • Increase customer loyalty.
  • Grow the amount of money each customer spends per visit.
  • Increase how often a customer buys from you.
  • Generate positive word-of-mouth about your business.

Questions about Previous Work Experience

11. Why did you leave your last job?

Let’s first discuss what not to say!

  • Do not say anything negative about your previous employer
  • Do not say for money.
  • The commute was too long.
Example

“I enjoyed my time at my last job, but, I have outgrown my current role and I am looking for new challenges.”

12. How was your attendance at your last job?

  • Be honest when answering this question as the interviewer may check references.
  • Emphasize that you understand the importance of starting your shift on time.

13. What did you like most about your current or last job?

  • Unfortunately, this could be a trick question where they ask about things you didn’t like in your previous job.
  • The best answer is to say that you enjoyed everything about your last job; however, you feel that you have learned all you could in that role and are now looking for new challenges.

14. Why is there a gap in your resume?

  • The best approach when answering this question is to be honest because being truthful about your situation gives the employer a sense of your integrity and confidence.

Behavioral Interview Questions

15. Name a time you disagreed with a coworker or manager and what was the outcome?

It is only natural to have conflict at work.  What is important is how you and your colleague come up with a positive outcome.  

For example, in my last job, I worked in retail. I was presenting inventory in the store differently than my manager told me as I felt my way was better for the customer.  My manager told me that the head office requires all stores to display inventory in a specific way.  I didn’t agree with him, however, he told me that a lot of studies are done to maximize sales.  I understand my mistake and now follow the layout as required by the head office.

16. Have you ever been in a situation where you had a big workload and felt overwhelmed? How did you deal with that?

  • Everyone gets overwhelmed from time to time.  What is important is how you deal with being overwhelmed. 
  • Try and state an example of when you were overwhelmed at work and then state how you prioritize your tasks.  If you could not finish your tasks state how you asked your colleagues or managers for help.

17. Can you tell me about a time when you received negative feedback from your manager? How did you handle it?

  • Review your resume and find a situation when you reviewed negative feedback and state what it was and what you learned from it.

18. Could you tell me about a time your punctuality or attendance impacted your work?

  • Everyone misses work from time to time but make sure you have a good reason. Also, explain what you did to reduce the impact of your absence.
  • For example, I worked at a popular fast-food chain and I was unable to attend my shift due to an illness. I did phone several team members and I was able to find someone to cover my shift.

Additional Interview Questions

19. Where do you see yourself in five years?

  • This question is designed to see if you are a good fit for the hotel industry, so pick a career that is within the hospitality industry. For example, if you are interviewing for a front desk position and you say you would like to get into hotel management, then it will sound like you are a good fit for Hilton.
  • Why not find a job on Hilton’s website you could see yourself doing in five years? This would make you sound like a good fit for the hotel.

20. Why should I hire you?

  • For this question, you need to have a second look at the job description and look for key skills they are looking for and restate those skills.

21. What hours can you work?

  • The more flexible you are with your hours, the better your chance of getting hired, so be flexible!
  • Let the interviewer know you can work on weekends and/or holidays if possible.

22. If you could be one animal what would it be?

Possible Answers are

  • Dogs show loyalty.
  • Ants are hard workers and team players.
  • Dolphins are smart.
  • Elephants are strong.
  • Gorilla is gentle but powerful, a good parent, and a good leader.

23. How do you feel about standing for long periods?

  • Most jobs in hospitality will require you to work on your feet for long periods. If possible tell the interviewer you do not have a problem with this. Try to wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes with low heels, maintain good posture, and stay hydrated.

24. What motivates you?

Possible answers are:

Do Say

  • Meeting deadlines, targets, or goals
  • Mentoring and coaching others
  • Learning new things
  • Coming up with creative ideas to improve something, or make something new
  • Working well as part of a team
  • Finding a way to solve a problem, or overcome a challenge

Don’t Say

  • Money 
  • Employee Discounts

25. What are your salary expectations?

  • This is a stressful question because if you ask for too much, you will not get the job, and if you ask for too little, they will happily underpay you.
  • Be sure to research salary expectations for your role before you go into the interview. There are plenty of sites that discuss salary ranges.
  • Ask about the salary range if you don’t know what to say.  You can then counter with the high end of the range.
  • Note most entry-level jobs will pay minimum wage.

26. We have a lot of people interviewing for this position. What sets you apart from others?

  • Odds are the more related experience you have will set you apart from others. Also, try and think of anything unique that would benefit Hilton in the role you are interviewing for.

Questions to ask at the End of your interview

27. Questions to ask on a Hilton Hotels Interview?

Tip! Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the interview. Asking questions is important because it builds rapport between you and the interviewer.

  • What do you like best about working here?
  • How do you describe your ideal candidate for this position?
  • What about this position is the most important?
  • How do you measure my success, and what could I do to meet your expectations?
  • Which part of the position has the steepest learning curve? What can I do to get up to speed quickly?
  • What opportunities will I have to learn and grow?

Hilton Interview Process

  • Interviews may be on the phone, by video, or in person. To prepare review your resume and try to come up with specific examples of how you demonstrated Hiltons Values – Hospitality, Integrity, Leadership, Teamwork, Ownership, and Now.

Hilton Internship Interview Questions

Why are you interested in pursuing an internship in the hospitality industry?

  • Let the interviewer know exactly it is you like about the hospitality industry.  Is it meeting new people, providing excellent service, and providing a memorable experience for guests or is it the challenge of working under pressure? 
  • Discuss how your skills, and experience match the role for which you are applying.

Why do you want to do your internship at Hilton?
 

  • State that you love the brand, but also mention that you get a feeling that Hilton wants to see its employees succeed. Bring up the Elevator Program at Hilton, where employees are trained in a variety of departments to become a General Manager. With programs like the Elevator Program, you feel that you could work hard and grow your career here.

What 3 skills do you think are the most important skills to have in the hotel industry?

Possible answer is

  • Communication skills – The ability to communicate effectively is critical in the hotel industry, as you will need to interact with guests, and colleagues regularly.
  • Customer service skills – The hotel industry is all about providing excellent customer service, so it’s important to anticipate and fulfill guests’ needs and expectations.
  • Attention to detail – Attention to detail is important in any job, but it is especially critical in the hotel industry where even small mistakes can have a big impact on guests’ experiences. Having a keen eye for detail can help you ensure that rooms are clean and well-maintained and that guests’ needs are met efficiently and effectively.

Are you comfortable working in a fast-paced environment? Can you give an example of a time when you worked under pressure?

  • Review your past work experience and try to discuss a time when you worked under pressure in a fast-paced environment. It is always good to state that you prioritize your more critical tasks followed by quick wins.

How would you handle a situation where a guest is unhappy with their experience at the hotel?

  • The customer is always right, and you must do whatever you can to ensure their satisfaction. State that you would always follow the hotel’s policy on refunds, but in certain cases, you could offer the customer a refund or a free night’s stay. Today, a poor review can quickly damage a hotel’s reputation due to the presence of online reviews.

Top Hilton Housekeeping Interview Questions

  1. What is your availability like?
  2. What cleaning chemicals have you used?
  3. What experience do you have in housekeeping?
  4. Tell us about a time you dealt with an unhappy customer about cleanliness.
  5. Give an example in your last job of how you used your interpersonal skills, and organizational skills, and performed attention to detail.

Remember to tuck the shower curtain inside the bathtub

Conrad Hilton

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