1,669 applicants attend Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo’s job fair

Western Visayas’ first fivestar hotel under the Marriott International’s brand portfolio opens 300 jobs for all Illongos and other interested individuals. All vacancies cover positions ranging across different departments from sales and marketing, to housekeeping, food and beverage, kitchen, front office, engineering and other positions.

Iloilo Convention Center, the hotel’s official job fair venue, opened its doors bright and early at 6 a.m. last Nov. 26 to a line of exactly 1,669 applicants. Right away, all hopefuls went straight to their designated registration tables at the foyer where they were given their priority numbers. After this, everyone was led to Hall C to wait for their interviews at the adjacent Hall D.

Before calling in the first applicant for an interview, general manager Cleofe Albiso spoke in front of the eager crowd to rally everyone’s excitement to become part of Iloilo’s newest hotel that will open during the first quarter of 2018. All the rest of the interviewers each representing specific disciplines also introduced themselves with high spirits and motivated everyone to do their best.

The entire wait for the rest of the applicants was also never short of fun as the hotel’s marketing officer Nico Velasquez devised a variety of games and activities with prizes to make sure everyone was comfortable and having a great time all throughout the day. He also explained that “as early as now we would like them to get to know our brand’s unique and innate personality that’s captured in its tag line: ‘Make room for a little fun.’”

After each interview, everyone was encouraged to take his photos standing against the event’s official event backdrop. Lucky photos posted online with the hashtags #MarriottCareers and #CourtyardMarriottIloilo will soon be chosen and their posters awarded the opportunity to be among the very first people to experience an overnight stay or dinner for two in the new hotel.

The entire event ran according to schedule finishing minutes after 5 p.m. with objectives met and everyone in full smiles. According to Albiso, “We feel quite overwhelmed with the community’s positive response apparent in its fruitful turnout.” She also adds that “the success of the hotel will rely on the best talents we’ll find” and continues to agree that the people of Iloilo indeed has it.