Accounts Assistant

How to Apply: Interested and qualified? Go to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts on jobs.smartrecruiters.com to apply.

Show Your Reconciliation Chops Before the Interview

This role lives and breathes daily reconciliations and cost control. Hiring managers will probe how you handle discrepancies and keep ledgers clean under hotel pressure.

1. Quantify your reconciliation wins: On your CV, show numbers: how many transactions you cleared daily, the value of discrepancies you resolved, or how you cut month-end closing time. For example, 'Reconciled 200+ daily credit card transactions with 99.9% accuracy.'

2. Master the PMS angle: If you've used Opera, Fidelio, or similar, name it explicitly. If not, learn the basics of how PMS integrates with payment gateways and mention your ability to pick up new systems fast.

3. Prepare a stock count story: Be ready to describe a time you did a stock take and found a variance. Walk through how you investigated and corrected it—this shows the cost-control mindset they want.

4. Brush up on Excel shortcuts: Expect to be tested on VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and SUMIFS. Practice these before the interview and be ready to demonstrate them if asked.

5. Know the hotel cost structure: Understand food and beverage cost percentages, housekeeping supplies, and how departmental budgets work. Mention how you'd monitor these in your answers.

6. Show you can work independently: This role requires self-direction. Have an example where you took ownership of a task without being told, like following up on unreconciled items proactively.

7. Highlight your professional qualification: If you're CPA or ACCA part-qualified, put it prominently. If not, mention your plan to pursue it—it shows commitment to the field.

8. Ask about the team and tools: In the interview, ask which PMS they use and how the finance team is structured. It shows you're thinking about the day-to-day and eager to contribute from day one.