How to prepare for your country club interview

Being interviewed can be daunting and intimidating however, there are several steps you can take to prepare yourself accordingly. Here are a few tips to keep in mind…

Do your research

Researching the country club and your potential role will only count in your favour. It will help you understand the country club you could potentially be working at and equip you to answer questions effectively.

Doing the relevant research also creates a great first impression. It shows the country club representative that you took the initiative to learn more about the company.  It will also help you prepare thoughtful question to ask the interviewer.

Be punctual

Being late immediately creates a negative impression which may result in employers thinking that you are unprofessional and unreliable.

Plan accordingly and ensure that you leave home earlier than usual so that you can be on time. Remember to allow yourself an extra 15 – 30 minutes for unexpected traffic or in case you get lost. 

Dress to impress

When you look your best, you perform your best. So, take the time to plan what you are going to wear. A professional appearance is important in making a good first impression. Here are a few of our guidelines:

For ladies:

·                     No heavy makeup. Cosmetics should be tastefully applied

·                     Dress code is strictly formal and not too revealing

·                     Make sure your hair is clean and neat

For men:

·         Dress code is strictly formal

·         Make sure your hair is neatly cut and that your beard is cleanly shaven

Have a mock interview

Having a mock interview will help you practice your speaking and perfect your body language. You can research common interview questions and practice answering them. Doing this allows you to enter the interview with confidence.

  

Sell yourself!

The country club interview is your last opportunity to make sure you land the job. So, do not be shy to mention your strengths and showcase your personality. This is what the representatives want to see!

Good luck to all the participants who are entering the next phase of the recruitment process. You would not have made it this far if we did not think you have what it takes! Believe in yourself and watch how things fall into place 😊.

Living the American Dream

By Leigh Septoo 

As cliché as it might sound, leaving your home country and traveling to a different part of the world is truly a life changing experience.

I moved to Florida in 2017 with my bags packed and nerves running wild, eager to experience what many people call ‘The American Dream’. 

I do not regret joining the Workaway International programme. I received the opportunity to live and work in the USA and the past two years have been such an amazing experience. 

From travelling to different parts of the country, vacationing on a cruise to the Bahamas, experiencing Miami nights and the gorgeous Florida beaches, not to mention having the opportunity to meet new and exciting people from all over the world. Your co-workers are from different places in the world and to meet and experience their cultures and languages is so exciting.

Although hard work and long hours are a part of your daily routine while working at the country club, it pays off. You are set with references from an international place of employment that will truly help you in the future. You also gain a lot of experience in different areas of the hospitality industry, and in between all the work, you get to have fun with new friends. 

I was also fortunate enough to live and work in Chicago. I have never been more in love with a city. I loved showing my family in South Africa pictures and videos of Lake Michigan, Millennium Park and the city. 

Moving away from home, may seem scary at first but the possibilities are endless. You get the opportunity to see the world and travel to beautiful and exciting places. I am eager to return to Florida for my 4th season and make new amazing memories.

Meeting and interviewing potential Port Elizabeth applicants!

By Nasiphi Sobahle

Let the planning begin…

By Sonia Marques

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused effort.”

~Paul J. Meyer

By now you should be settled into your current living situation, whether you are back at home in SA or working up north. Some participants are also preparing for their winter season in Florida! Luckily, the Workaway team will be in touch with you and will provide you with all the information you need to make the process as easy and smooth as possible. However, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are well prepared for each step of the process, so here are a few tips to make the process easier and stress-free.

Visa Picture: Make sure that the picture fits the correct size requirements for a USA visa; be sure to specify this to the person taking your photo. Your photo cannot be the same as your previous visa as it must be a recent picture, with your ears visible.

Medicals: In addition to the medical check-ups required by Workaway International, you should also consider getting your regular check-ups before leaving the country, as medical expenses can be extremely costly while abroad. I recommend visiting the dentist before going on the programme.

Things to take with you: From my experience, I always make sure to take a few cans of deodorant from SA with me, as deodorant in the USA are very expensive. I also visit Clicks or Dischem and get any over-the-counter medicine that I may need (this is helpful if you are hesitant to take new medications that you have not tried before), such as headache, sinus, allergy or stomachache pills.

Planning is essential in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed during this process. It is very important that you manage your time wisely to ensure that you are not running around at the last minute.  So, take a deep breath, get things done the right way and just remember that you are not alone.

With Love,

Big City Life

By Tara Clampett

I cannot believe it has been almost two months since the big move from Florida to New York! It feels like just yesterday that my Floridian roommates and I were packing and weighing our suitcases and saying our goodbyes. 

While the move up north has been a big adjustment in terms of different living arrangements and a completely different job, I am enjoying the challenges and of course living 30 minutes away from the Big Apple. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be able to tell my friends and family back home that I am going to New York City for the day!

One of the highlights of my time here thus far is the "Amazing Race" that our clubhouse manager organized for us. The first leg took place at the club after hours. We had to do a few challenges and the three winning teams got to spend the night in an amazing hotel right in the centre of Manhattan and luckily, we were one of those teams! 

The second leg took place through the city itself. We started off at 10am at Penn Station and finished at 10pm in Times Square. During those 12 hours we worked in pairs as we travelled by foot around New York City from clue to clue, EXACTLY like the TV show! After lots of running through Central Park, the Subway, SoHo, Chinatown and the Brooklyn Bridge (to name a few), my roommate and I won the 2019 Glen Oaks Club Amazing Race and our photo was shown on the billboard in Times Square.

This made all the sweat, stress and almost tears all worth it! A HUGE thank you to Steve and all the Glen Oaks staff who made this day one of the most memorable experiences I will ever have. Having a management team that cares for and looks after their staff makes all the difference.

Looking back on the race and some of the tasks we had to do, made me realise how one grows through this experience. Whether we had to gather a crowd of random people on the subway to cheer for us, dance in front of people on the train or ask complete strangers for directions, I was up for it. If you had asked me to do this five years ago, before I came on the Workaway International programme, I would have said ‘never in a million years’! So, here is to growth, adventures and some of the best memories to cherish for life.