INTRODUCTION :

In May 2013, Vincent Ascarat graduated as the Valedictorian in his Postgraduate Degree in International Hotel Management from Vatel Bordeaux. He’ll tell us more about his projects in this Valedictorian’s Interview: “I had the opportunity of doing a one-year internship in the HR department of the  Grand Hotel de Bordeaux & Spa which confirmed that I was cut out for this type of job. So my short-term projects are finding a job in this field.”

No sooner said than done! Since September, 2013, Vincent has been working in the Human Resources department of the four-star Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte in Monaco. After an interview with a Valedictorian, here’s one with a Vatelien who loves his job! 

INTERVIEW :

Vincent, can you tell us about the hotel where you are working?

The Riviera Marriott Hotel La Porte in Monaco is located right when you enter the Principality of Monaco. In a nutshell, this is a four-star hotel with 186 rooms and suites, eight seminar and special events rooms, a restaurant, bar and a fitness center.

The hotel has four large departments which are accommodations, restaurant and catering services, sales and administration/management. On average, we have 100 employees year round and up to 120 during the tourist season. We also employ people for special events, and we host students who are training.

What do you do? What does your job consist in?

I’m currently the HR Assistant in the hotel. My job consists in following the lives and careers of our hotel employees, from the day they start in the company, until the day that they leave.

- I’m in charge of recruitment and sourcing and also do the job interviews.
- I also take care of the induction process for new employees, with integration days and “discovery stays” in our hotel.
- I also am in charge of setting up training programs for all our employees, including those on a fixed term contract and interns, either with external training companies or internal Marriott training.
- I manage our company’s social relationships, with occupational medical services, labor inspection, the works council, employee representatives, members of the Health and Safety in the Workplace and union representatives, etc.
- I set up many internal events for our employees: our Christmas celebrations, the employees’ evenings, celebrating everyone’s birthday, our Associate Week, which is a week of different activities, meals, and events, etc.
- For my daily work there is also employee administration tasks, payroll and sometimes sanctions to take care of.

Why did you decide to study at Vatel?

I worked at a hotel in Biarritz as a summer job, and I think that was what led me to want to work in this field. So as I was finishing my bachelor’s degree, I wanted to continue in the hotel management field.

What led me to choose Vatel is the fact that theoretical training is mixed with concrete practical training in a company. Today, to get a job right after you graduate, you have to have had some previous experience in the field.

I think that companies now think that this is just as important, or even more important, than a college degree. So when put that way, one of Vatel’s key advantages is to propose both.

What really impacted you during your years at school? Any special memory you’d like to tell us

When I decided to enroll in a business school, my greatest fear was attending a school where the dictatorship of competition would be the guiding principle. On the contrary though, what really impressed me was that Vatel Bordeaux was a very human school. I had the opportunity of meeting incredible people, both faculty members and senior staff members. I’ve got great memories of my classmates too.

Can you remember a particular fact or experience when you were attending Vatel, either in one of the courses, or during your practical application work or internships that still impacts you today?

Well if I can only quote one, I think it would be the graduation ceremony, at the end of my Postgraduate Degree. At that time, most of us suddenly realized that school was over for us, that we were going to look for a job, each person in his or her field, someplace in France, someplace in the world. So when we left, we left with extraordinary memories, but also with the promise of making sure we would get to see each other again one day.