my new job! crazy story

What a crazy week I have had.

Sunday I had to pack for my three week trip. After a goodbye lunch with Alex and don I came home to no power!

Went to my folks place, then went home to pack then went back to their place.

Monday I worked from 8-12, and had a goodbye lunch with matt and some other people I worked with. It was so strange. I have never said bye to people I actually liked and cared about.

So I get to the airport and there was no line. Thank god I was there 2 hours before my flight! They booked me on southwest because its an open ended job, no return flight scheduled just yet…

I enjoy southwest. Its so funny, laid back, non professional. It’s a nice change of pace.

Not only do they board you in group order, they do it by number now. I was A1, first on the plane. My company booked it business class and I got 2 free drink coupons! What could go wrong?

I flew from Detroit to Midway and the flight was good and on time. 2 hour layover and on to philly. Except my flight was delayed 1.5 hours. I was so bummed! At the original take off time they lined us up saying we could board. Then they realized there was no flight crew and they said “hold up yall”

The flight in was good. Bumpy towards the end. I didn’t get to the airport til 11, and then sat on the runway for 45minutes because there was no gate for us to go to. At 1215a I finally got my luggage and went to find my shuttle company. It took 40 minutes for that and another 45-1hr to get to the hotel.

At 230a finally getting settled I reviewed some of the hotel issues and I was beat. I fell asleep at 4a and was up at 7a to get ready for my big day!

The place is crazy. Total chaos, disorganization, a mess, I don’t even know where to begin. I worked a crazy 13 hours finally eating food for lunch at 3p. at 9p I came up to my room and got ready for bed. Took my lunesta and made some phone calls.

At 1050 the front desk called to say the night auditor called off…so on lunesta, on no sleep, I worked from 11p-7a.

The hotel had been expecting their Quality Audit and I told the front desk not to wake me unless the building was on fire, or the QA showed up. I took half a lunesta and went to bed at 730, and at 830a, the front desk called saying the QA was there…

The lady was nice, boston accent, felt bad I had been up for 24+hours and was really kind hearted. It was weird touring a hotel and getting inspected when I knew where nothing was, who anyone was…I took care of some thing immediately on Tuesday morning and the hotel thankfully passes the audit.

I went to bed and slept for a long while.

I have worked non stop since tue, and then Thursday and Friday I had crazy days. This place is only 95 rooms but in total disarray that the small staff they have cant run it…I have already worked on hiring replacements and additional staff. My old hotel had my GM, myself, director of sales, account manager, executive housekeeper and chief engineer….this hotel has me as the GM, no AGM, no DOS, no sales manager, a unqualified (nut nice) housekeeping supervisor and 2 guys that don’t speak any English (but nice) engineers. The hotel is expected to run like a normal hotel with no support staff. Its interesting.

Accounts receivable usually goes from current -30days, 30-60days, 60-120, 120+.

My hotel in Livonia had everything current and we would go crazy if things hit the 30 day mark, here they have stuff from 2007! Which is well over the 120 day mark. MY GOD!!

Their petty cash safe had no money in it. What the hell!

The tons of work I have put in, have left a little dent on the hotel, but I think I am starting to make a difference. I have a ton of people coming out to fix broken things so the hotel can look better and run smoother. Hopefully I will start some change and make the hotel successful and look good! Or I might end up back at home. Whatever, I am working hard, and kind of having fun. Thankfully everyone has been pleasant to work with, and thankfully I know my stuff.

I am here, chillin, so give me a call, shoot me a text, whatever. And when I am back home…I want to see everyone!

New Job, starts June 16, 2008

At the beginning of may i flew to Chicago to meet with a regional manager in regards to a Bench GM posistion with my company. A bench's job is 100% travel, going from hotel to hotel, most likely when someone is laid off, but also could be a long term absence of a GM, someone quit, or more as a consultant to under-preforming hotels.
The interview went well, and i knew i was going to recieve an offer after i spoke with my companys VP of Operations.
That interview the following week went well. the company than had me talk with one other reginonal manager.
I waited 3 weeks and the job mysteriously dissapaered from our companys job listings and i received an email from the original regional manager saying she would call monday...that never happened.
The following day i got a call from the regional who said i had the job!
i got a phone call friday saying they need me this monday 6/16 in Philidelphia PA.
i will be gone for probably 3 weeks...i will update more as i find out more.

PROMTION

i was promoted today to a bench GM job with my company.
i will be the "substitute teacher" for my hotels when a GM is fired or off for an extended period of time!
great pay increase, and 100% travel, so i can bank up some money.