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FAQs
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| Q: |
What
are the aspects of life at OCLD that have the greatest impact on the newcomers
each year? |
| A: |
The meaning of the word 'professionalism'.
- OCLD is not a finishing
school or a graduate college. It is a place where you are groomed personally
and professionally to become an effective executive with the Oberoi
Group.
- There is a lot of
individual attention. The faculty and staff KNOW you.
- The teaching-learning
process is very interactive.
- Regular, planned
professional experience in the hotels provides a context for the ready
comprehension of the principles and concepts.
- " Theory is
not learned unless it can be applied
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| Q: |
I am
a commerce student, in my final year at university. If I get into OCLD,
will I be able to keep up with the people who have already completed three
years at a hotel school? |
| A: |
It might
reassure you to know that many top managers in the Oberoi Group are graduates
with degrees in other fields. We can't pretend that things are easy for
graduates: they have a steep hill to climb, but nothing worthwhile is easy.
The faculty, some of whom are graduates themselves, appreciate the challenges
that will face you, and have planned each module so you can build your technical
skills and knowledge step-by-step. The lessons are supported by printed
summaries, reading and exercises to facilitate your understanding. |
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| Q: |
It does
not seem fair that graduates are considered for OCLD. We made the decision
to work in hotels three years ago, and have been preparing ourselves through
the IHM diploma ever since. Why isn't our commitment recognised? |
| A: |
For the
Kitchen Management (KM) programme, we only recruit people who have a passion
for food and who have spent some years developing their technical skills
and knowledge. It would be impossible for a non-hotel graduate to have reached
the level where we start the KM programme. However, there is no reason why
college graduates should not compete for places in Guest Service Management
(GSM) and Housekeeping Management (HM). The OCLD system is effective for
people from all kinds of backgrounds. |
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| Q: |
I am
working for one of the hotels in the Oberoi Group. If I apply for OCLD,
it seems only fair that I should get preferential treatment because of my
prior commitment to the company. |
| A: |
Everyone
walks into OCLD on his or her own merits. However, the selection process
we use for internal candidates does differ from what we use for other candidates.
Since they have already been found suitable for employment, there is no
need for them to repeat the same preliminary rounds of OCER. Each year,
a qualifying examination for internal candidates will be held at the same
date and time at every hotel in the company. If the internal candidates
are able to qualify, they will be able to compete directly with external
candidates during the semi-final and final rounds, with the same chance
as everyone else: no more, no less. We are looking for people who fit a
certain profile. Working in our company, or any other company for that matter,
might help improve one's experience, brush up one's image, or become more
mature, but a fresh IHM or college graduate could still take precedence
if his or her profile is closer to our ideal. |
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| Q: |
I have
been working with the Oberoi Group for two years. My performance has consistently
been 'Above Target'. Will that help me to get into OCLD? |
| A: |
Your record
of good performance as an Operations Assistant will always be an asset,
since it means you have already built up a favourable impression amongst
the people around you, with whom you will continue to interact throughout
your career. However, at OCLD the emphasis will be on your potential as
an effective executive. Your technical abilities and guest-contact skills
will continue to be important, but OCLD will be looking for something more:
organising ability, problem-solving and decision-making skills, creativity,
initiative, and a passion for your profession. |
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| Q: |
Will
having college graduates in the same class at OCLD, hold back those of us
who already know a lot about the hotel business because of our IHM background
and prior experience? |
| A: |
The Foundation
Stage enables associates from different backgrounds to come up to the same
level prior to starting the next stage. Some modules, languages for example,
are new for everyone. OCLD is not just about professional development. It
is also about personal development. It doesn't matter whether you come from
a college or an IHM, everyone will have strengths on which to build and
weaknesses on which to improve. |
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| Q: |
How will
two years at OCLD add value to what I learned in my three-year IHM diploma? |
| A: |
Most of
the faculty have been through OCLD and worked in the operations of our hotels
for some years. They are therefore well qualified to teach you how things
are done in the hotels of the Oberoi Group. Your previous learning would
have been quite general, since it had to prepare you for a career in any
and all sectors of the industry, with any and all employers. Our faculty
can ensure that everything you learn is directly relevant to your career
as an Oberoi Executive. They can go deeper into the subjects they know are
important; focus on the professional skills they know you will need; ensure
that you only learn the theory that directly applies in our hotel operations;
and help you develop the right personal qualities. |
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| Q: |
If I
am not working in the operational departments, can I still apply as an internal
candidate? |
| A: |
Sure. We
have associates at OCLD who have worked in HR, in sales, even the gift shop.
The main challenge is that you will still need to pass the National Qualifying
Examination, which includes 50 questions with a bias on one of the technical
specialisations: F&B, Front Office, Housekeeping or Kitchen. If you
have absolutely no background in hotels, you may be better discussing an
application as a private candidate with your training manager. If you do
have a hotel background, then choose your favourite speciality and hit the
books! |
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| Q: |
Do internal
candidates have a great advantage when they are studying at OCLD? |
| A: |
Internal
candidates will obviously know at least one hotel well, together with its
culture and expectations (especially its grooming standards, behaviour and
attitudes). As an internal candidate, you must keep an open mind. After
only 14 weeks, everyone will get 18 weeks experience working in a hotel.
They will continue to work in three more hotels over a total of 48 weeks
out of the two-years. So any advantage of being an internal candidate will
quickly disappear! |
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| Q: |
What
are the evaluation systems at OCLD? |
| A: |
We take
evaluations and appraisals seriously. You will get feedback on your performance,
your attitudes and behaviour, all the time. We will encourage you to appraise
yourself, to be willing to listen to feedback from fellow associates, from
the faculty, and from mentors and supervisors when you are on professional
experience. During the orientation programme at the beginning of the course,
you will be given a copy of our Standard Academic Regulations, which will
explain the evaluation system, clarify what you have to do to pass out of
OCLD with the best possible results, and describe the penalties for poor
performance. |
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| Q: |
How will
the approach to learning at OCLD differ from my previous experiences of
learning? |
| A: |
Like most
of us, your previous learning habits probably involved cramming for an examination,
and as soon as it was over, forgetting what you had just learned. At OCLD,
everything you learn will be needed for your career, so you can't afford
to forget anything. You do this by learning through understanding, application
and analysis. In the Foundation Stage, you will progress through a series
of well-planned and integrated modules, which you will then apply during
your first block of professional experience. This is 'learning by doing'.
The next level represents a step up. Building on the Foundation, we will
expose you to a higher level of knowledge, skills and attitudes, which you
will consolidate during the next period of professional experience. The
process continues, challenging you to reach greater heights of performance
than you would have thought possible. At all stages, we will revisit, review,
revise and repeat, to ensure that you never forget what is important. |
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| Q: |
I work
for another hotel group. Will I be at any disadvantage if I apply for OCER
or OCLD? |
| A: |
It is not
our practice to 'poach' from other companies. Whilst they may be competitors
in some senses, in other ways they are our collaborators and colleagues.
However, if you have decided to leave your current employer, we would be
pleased to consider you for selection through either OCER, or possibly OCLD.
You would not be at any disadvantage. To repeat what we have said elsewhere
in these pages, everyone walks into OCLD on his or her own merits. We welcome
candidates from many different kinds of background. |
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| Q: |
If I
don't make it through OCLD, will I be able to try again next year? |
| A: |
The doors
never close. Some people come back a second or third time, and eventually
get accepted. On the other hand, some people come back again and again,
but never make it. Paradoxically, this might be the best thing that could
happen. If they do not fit the profile, they would be unhappy at OCLD and
never fit in. If you don't make it through OCLD, you should consider joining
our company through OCER. |
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| Q: |
If I
fail to get into OCLD, will I be at a disadvantage next year? |
| A: |
First, if
you don't get selected, you should not see this as a 'failure'. The chances
are that you did not make any mistakes. It is just that we are looking for
square pegs to fit square holes in our company. You might be an excellent
round peg, but we are only looking for square pegs. If you pretend to be
something you are not, you would simply become an uncomfortable round peg
in a square hole. On the other hand, you might almost fit our ideal profile.
You might almost be a square peg; just not quite square enough. In time,
you might have acquired more experience, more focus, more confidence, and
have become perfectly square. So you would definitely not be at any disadvantage.
Of course, you could also still be a round peg - a brilliant fit for some
other company, but still not what we are looking for in an Oberoi Executive. |
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| Q: |
What
are the salaries through OCER? |
| A: |
The only
answer we can give is that we 'benchmark against the best'. The cost of
living in various cities is quite different, and these differences have
to be reflected in the pay. If we quote a take-home pay for one city, it
might not be the same for another city. So rather than setting up incorrect
expectations, let's just say that our pay and benefit packages are highly
competitive. |
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| Q: |
What
are the fees at OCLD? |
| A: |
Since you
are asking this question, it shows that you don't understand what OCLD is
about. It is not a graduate college. It is not a finishing school. It is
simply a unit of the Oberoi Group that manages the development and grooming
of young people who have the potential to become executives with our company.
There are no fees. They pay nothing. We pay them a monthly stipend. |
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| Q: |
Is there
a bond at OCLD? |
| A: |
We do not
have a bond in the sense you mean. Taking only the stipend over two years,
our investment in you is already over two lakhs of rupees. The total investment
is about four times that. We are investing in our future by investing in
your future. We expect a return on our investment, and so should you. Please
do not accept a place at OCLD unless you are serious about your future as
an executive with our company. Sometimes people need to move on at a certain
point in their careers, but you should not start out with that intention.
The only bond we have is a moral obligation between you and your conscience.
If you join OCLD, it should only be because you are serious about becoming
an executive with the Oberoi Group, and are willing to provide us with a
dividend on our investment with your loyalty, commitment and contribution.
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| Q: |
Why can't
I specialise if I join the Oberoi Group? |
| A: |
You might
be a little confused here. One route to a career with the Oberoi Group is
to start as a specialist in a support function such as accounting or engineering,
but for these positions we only consider people who have a relevant degree
or professional qualification. By contrast, both OCER and OCLD recruit young
people for positions in the operations (F&B, kitchen, housekeeping,
front office). Through OCER, you could start out as an operations assistant
and build a career from there. OCLD recruits people with the potential to
become executives. Later, when you are in one of the operations departments,
further specialisation is possible, but we recommend a general approach
first. Take the kitchen as an example. First, you need a general grounding
to make you flexible and versatile. Later you may decide to specialise in
Indian cuisine or pâtisserie, but as your career develops, you will
always be able to switch back to a more general role if the need arises.
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| Q: |
Will
I ever become an executive if I start as an operations assistant through
OCER? |
| A: |
Everyone
can become an executive, but we won't pretend that everyone will
become an executive. The higher up the hierarchy one goes, the fewer positions
are available. Beside, not everyone is capable of being an executive. However,
many people have risen from the ranks and become senior executives with
the Oberoi Group. You could choose to appear at a Recruitment Day a year
or so later and try-out for a place at OCLD. |
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| Q: |
What
are the possibilities of getting a transfer to another hotel during my career? |
| A: |
The Oberoi
Group is keen to retain high performers and facilitate their career development.
Once you have shown your value, and if your circumstances are such that
relocation is the only alternative, we will do everything we can to help.
We may be able to hold a position in another hotel, and arrange a transfer
for you. At executive level, transfers become a certainty, rather than a
possibility. After two years or so, it is normal to be transferred to another
hotel in a different position. |
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| Q: |
What
are the chances of working for one of the Oberoi Group's overseas hotels? |
| A: |
When we
open a new hotel overseas, the opening team may include executives who will
stay for between 6 months and two years to get the systems up and running.
Our expectation is that they will also train the local people to take their
places in due course. So, from time to time, there may be a possibility
of working overseas, but you should not base your decision to join us purely
on this relatively rare opportunity.
Before leaving this question, you should know that when people show great
promise, we might send them overseas for various programmes. Some could
last a few days, others a few months. Such programmes could involve experiential
learning in an overseas hotel or restaurant, a course of higher education,
attendance at a conference, or a familiarisation visit. We are serious about
developing our young talent. |
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| Q: |
On what
basis are candidates eliminated or chosen from Self Introduction Round? |
| A: |
We look
for people with good verbal and listening skills, confident body language,
and the ability to interact with the rest of the group. People who say nothing
or who cannot assert themselves, will not be able to show their potential,
and so will not be chosen. |
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| Q: |
How fast
can I grow through OCLD? |
| A: |
The answer
to this question will be quite personal. Promotion is driven by performance.
Some people reach their top speed quickly and find themselves on the fast
track. Others may need more time. Getting to the top, and finding you are
ill-equipped to cope is not going to be in your best interests. So your
mentors will counsel you to be patient, and to realise that every day brings
a new learning experience. When you are completely ready, and the opportunity
opens up, then you will be offered a new challenge. |
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| Q: |
What
are you looking for in the trade test? Will it be too difficult? How can
I prepare? |
| A: |
Let us take
the kitchen trade test as an example. We are not going to ask you to do
anything advanced or showy. We just want to see if you know your basics.
Can you work safely, cleanly and neatly? Are your skills of using knives,
tools and equipment acceptable? Do you know the basic methods of cookery?
Can you sequence your work so that everything is ready for presentation
at the right time? You cannot really do much to prepare or revise, except
maybe to practice. If you have what it takes, you will be able to do what
is asked of you. |
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| Q: |
Why is
OCLD seen as being so difficult and stressful? Why are people so afraid
of OCLD that they do not even appear for the selection? Why is OCLD considered
to be so 'out of reach'? |
| A: |
We are sorry
to hear that people are afraid of OCLD, but we also understand that some
people instinctively know they are not ready for the challenge. We want
to recruit the brightest and the best. Some people realise they are not
the best. They may not have worked hard enough. They may not have the confidence
or competence they need to become an Oberoi executive. We make no apology
if some people think OCLD is out of their reach. Every year, we see thousands
of candidates for only 24 places on each of our three courses. To help us
identify the best out of so many good people means that we have to use increasingly
challenging selection procedures. Some people may perceive that process
as being difficult and stressful, but the people we are looking for will
take it all in their stride. To some people, what they hear about life at
OCLD might also sound difficult and stressful. Again, we make no apology.
Nothing worth having is easy. Our associates are already self-motivated
and ambitious. We only provide a supportive environment within which they
can stretch themselves, challenge themselves to reach ever-higher standards,
and be the best they can be. That can sometimes appear difficult and stressful
to outsiders. Our associates gladly accept the pressure because they know
that they are being groomed for a great future with the Oberoi Group. |
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| Q: |
Is it
true that the people who graduate from OCLD have to lose their own personality
and character to become 'carbon copies' of the Oberoi profile? |
| A: |
We select
our associates because they have great personalities and strong characters.
It would be foolish to destroy the very qualities we prize. Talk to any
two executives in our company, and you will see that their personalities,
styles and interests are quite different. However, all Oberoi executives
do have a few things in common. When we are at work, we are very serious
about our guests, our company, our jobs, our grooming and our exemplary
standards of behaviour. We share the Oberoi Mission, Vision and Dharma.
We are proud to be a part of the Oberoi Group, and are comfortable with
its culture. We are obsessed with quality. We continually try to exceed
the expectations of our guests: we want to 'wow' them. We strive to improve
the standards of our products and services every day. The company would
never ask us to sacrifice those qualities that make us individuals, so rest
assured that outside of our working lives, we also have a Life! |
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