This is the tale of the three hunters. Job hunters, to be precise. It’s a perilous tale of promise and disappointment, of naivety and mistrust, and of choice. Carefully considered choice.

All three of our hunters were striding through the promised lands of Hospo Hills, in search of hospitality’s revered prize… a job at The Castle of Dreams. 

Why was this job so revered by our hardy hospitality managers? The reason was simple – it offered everything our ambitious trio could ever wish for. The most beautiful workspace, guidance from industry gods who would mentor them along their journey, and a very handsome sum of gold every month in return for their graft and commitment. 

Tom is our first fair hunter. Desperate to work in The Castle of Dreams, he drove up to the castle and saw a notice pinned to the wall: ‘Managers wanted. Apply Within’. With great excitement he delivered his carefully worded covering letter and resumé through the letter box at the gate. Confident that his experience and skills would be recognised in these trusty documents, he strode off into the sunset to await his destiny (and a call from the Hiring Wizard).

However, I’m afraid this is where poor Tom’s part in our story ends. It’s with a heavy heart that I tell you he did not hear back from the Castle of Dreams. He did not get a call from the Hiring Wizard. And his carefully typed document remained on the cold stone floor of the castle’s gatehouse.

Annie is our next hope in this tale. She was riding through the town one day when she came across a sign in a window reading ‘Jobs Available at the Castle of Dreams’. Bingo! She thought. Annie knocked on the door to be greeted by a man who said he was a recruiter, the best in the land no less, and that HE would be the person to land Annie her dream job. She handed over her CV and covering letter, before watching optimistically as the recruiter rode to the Castle of Dreams to deliver Annie’s papers.

Back in the town she awaited his return. But the recruiter did not return. Not with feedback, nor a name, nor an interview time. For what Annie did not see was that, upon approaching the gate at the Castle of Dreams, the gatekeeper had slammed the gates firmly in the recruiter’s face. He was never to be seen again. And that, my friends, is where Annie’s story ends. A sorry tale, I’m sure you will agree.

William is the final hunter in our tale. Upon his travels through the Hospo Hills, he came across a door with ‘Sixty Eight’ etched in gold. Who were these Sixty Eight People, and what did they do? He knew he had to find out for himself and so he made an appointment to see them at their hallowed House of Hospitality. 

He was invited in and offered a strong cup of (Yorkshire) tea. They showed great interest in his past and his future. They asked him about who he was, where he was going and what his dreams looked like. William dared to ask them about the job at the Castle of Dreams. To his amazement, they knew every detail – what it looked like, who worked there, what the food tasted like, even who the top industry gods were that ran it.

Then they uttered the words he’d been desperate to hear: “Would you like me to introduce you to them?”. William was overjoyed. They offered advice on how to present his experience, what to wear for the journey and how to prepare for the meeting. They took him on their horse, right up to the castle, and with bated breath he waited as they knocked. The gates opened in an instant, and unto the gatekeeper they said: “This is the person I was telling you about. This is the man you should meet”. 

The pair entered the Castle of Dreams together and William was warmly welcomed by everyone there. Later that day, he was crowned their new Manager. His dreams had finally come true, and he lived happily ever after.

The moral of our story? 

Be more William. Choose your path wisely. 

#THINK68