Nowadays, luxury accommodation is experiencing many developments, whether at geographical, technical, technological or other levels, and is presenting ever-increasing requirements in recruitment. Despite shining as a model of quality and excellence in the industry, luxury accommodation still has to face numberless difficulties of attractiveness related to mobility, and in particular the increasing importance given to the candidates’ qualification. With a legacy of values and expertise, luxury accommodation turns today to a few visionary entrepreneurs in order to keep perpetuating its exceptional nature. Laetitia Girard-Mouline, our CEO, exposes what makes THE VENDOM COMPANY a privileged interlocutor of high-end hospitality and gastronomy actors, mainly through the sharing of a common language and collective desires.
Vendom. jobs- What is THE VENDOM COMPANY’s DNA?
Laetitia Girard - Mouline - Humanity, passion! THE VENDOM COMPANY was born from my own observation as a hotelier devoted to her profession. As a manager, I encountered a lot of difficulties in finding the right candidate; as a candidate, I found myself lost in the volume of opportunities coming from multiple and very diverse media.
The vision of THE VENDOM COMPANY is simple: to bring together the best professionals of all accommodation and catering disciplines for the most beautiful establishments of the planet. We are convinced that there is strength in unity. We all have a taste for excellence and the desire to share, to serve and to succeed together. Being an exclusive network, controlled and qualified in luxury accommodation is VENDOM’s mainspring and uniqueness.
How does THE VENDOM COMPANY compare to the offer in luxury accommodation and starred gastronomy? What are its assets, its networks etc.?
A market research was performed before launching THE VENDOM COMPANY. The analysis that was drawn from it was the following: all the existing supports and services had, naturally, their own benefits. So it was obvious from the start that we had to develop a position way beyond that existing quality level and that we needed to distinguish ourselves from it by creating a unique and specialized network, respectful of the luxury codes, of the employer brand and of the candidates.
Currently, we are developing along two major axes:
- An online quality network, www.vendom.jobs, which presents a selection of all the key actors of our activity sector: candidates, recruiters, suppliers, but also teaching centres. These all have the same requirements and a common goal: meeting and finding the best opportunities in the best interest of each party.
- The second axis is our tailored employment agency, Vendom Premium. This is a placement service that can be described as a dynamic “manager for hoteliers”. Let me explain this concept. We guide, we coach, we encourage reflection between the two parties – candidates and recruiters – for a common success. We accompany personalities along their professional path with the help of our HR team, composed of hospitality professionals. This is precisely the cornerstone of Vendom Premium: our collaborators are people in the field, who know and master the specific features and issues of our profession and therefore understand the expectations of every party.
From a technical point of view, VENDOM innovates and invests on digital supports. Vendom.jobs is a powerful tool, constantly evolving towards greater effectiveness. Alongside this recreational and easily accessible recruiters/candidates section, our technical team works on complementary projects with the aim of effectively meeting our members’ needs. Digital media are becoming increasingly familiar to us, this is why we needed a tool that could stand out by offering high-end quality: accurateness, performance of research, as well as intuitiveness and ease of use. Of course, a platform like ours, however performing, must be showcased in an equally performing way. This is the reason we are extremely present and active on social networks with a community of several tens of thousands of people.
It should also be emphasized that one of the main problems in recruitment is sourcing. We made a point of creating a team dedicated to this specific issue, supporting the recruitment department, with the aim of giving more accurateness in the fulfilment of the assignments entrusted to us.
Consequently, if I must summarize VENDOM’s main characteristic, that would be first and foremost humanity. We use digital tools as a support. The priority of our range of services is to render an effective work, complying to the wishes of all professionals.
V. J. What are the development axes of THE VENDOM COMPANY?
L. G. - M. VENDOM is installed in Europe. Its registered office is in Luxembourg. We wish to continue to grow as we do today, with very distinct markets: the Benelux countries, Switzerland and other countries, with the support of our various licences, like Vendom Premium. The main idea is to be able to offer more opportunities to each and every one of our members, but also to present more talents to the establishments. We have the advantage to evolve in a marvellous sector which improves our skills through experiences and interlocking cultures. Our purpose is to open up new possibilities by expanding internationally in other areas and by featuring professionals and venues (palaces, boutique-hotels, resorts, etc)
We also continue to work on other specific axes of the recruitment issue. We make it a point of honour to physically meet our future members and collaborators and the other way around, to offer them the possibility to hear and understand their network. In that respect, we are proud to announce that we will organize later this month the second edition of our « rencontres des recruteurs de l’excellence en France » (“meetings with the recruiters of excellence in France”). The first edition was a real success and, it seems, offered an effective set of opportunities to its participants. To gather, to share and to shake the assets for a better impetus remains VENDOM’s leitmotif!
We also wish to call upon coaches in companies to intervene in the structures. It seems to me that the future lies in positive management and optimal listening. We want to be a kind of machine able to reshape recruitment and its methods. This is what we aim to do with the assistance and the expertise of hoteliers.
I would like to keep silent about a few exclusive developments which we are currently carrying out as part of our members’ qualification… It is important to bear in mind that hoteliers of excellence still have a lot of work ahead. We play a leading role in quality and VENDOM has the unique scope of re-establishing the prestige of our sublime environment.
V. J. - What are your own keywords for luxury?
L. G. - M. - Time: because it is invaluable, volatile, light and present. It gives me energy, but also takes some from me as well. I measure time like an opportunity of every moment and I try to control it, because I know that it is ever-moving.
One other key element pertaining our sector is, naturally, humanity. Humanity is an limitless luxury. I admire its developments and capacities. I think that we tend to forget that an individual is nature’s greatest luxury. Dare I say that we should set eyes on others and appreciate them?
V. J. - What would be the magic formula for discovering talents?
L. G. - M. - I love personalities that dare stand out, assume their difference and carry their singularity. We all have the skills, on all levels. What makes the force of a talent, is precisely his or her nature, the way he or she is intrinsically. Today, we receive requests for ultra-rare birds – plain rare birds have become common these days! Yet, the parameter that seems to me incredibly interesting is accuracy, and it may also appear in our imperfections. Authenticity always conveys innovation, creation, surpassing oneself.
This is what I say to all recruiters: “Let the candidates express themselves!” They have the skills. Let us avoid to standardize them, put them in boxes. What makes the force of an establishment is the plurality of the individuals. In any case, I do believe in this. To counter the talent shortage we are facing, we must all do.
I am open, as we say, to people that stand “out of the box”.
V. J. - What would be, in your view, the ideal candidate?
L. G. - M. - The ideal candidate does not exist, and that's just as well! We all are imperfect in a way and today, I have said it before and I will say it again, we have to accept that fact! Each establishment has its own corporate vision and philosophy, as each candidate has his/her own identity. Skills are a different concept. Ultimately, I think that what matters is the alliance between the candidate’s commitment to a company’s philosophy and what is reflected in his/her values and engagement. Also, the working affinity with the managers is important. According to this pattern, a profile appears. The ideal candidate is a subtle mix of the respect you owe yourself and the winning combination with the establishment you are applying to, but also with the people you will be working with.
V.J. - Is there a personality that inspired you?
L. G. - M. - I would say my father. He recently passed away, too early, and I learned a lot from him: uprightness, intellectual honesty and respect for others. He taught me that nothing is impossible and that a human being is a unparalleled source of value. I have retained the essence of this. In our industry, hoteliers inspire me every day: they are daring, versatile, committed to sharing and dedicated to a service of quality. I am always filled with admiration by the people I meet every day. VENDOM is an answer to all these beautiful and inspiring people.
Humanity, passion and luxury.
(Photo credit: Kathleen Minerve)
