Hilton Singapore GM says candidates should ask more questions in interviews

Michael Janssen is general manager of Hilton Singapore and leads about 500 staff at the 1,080-room hotel in the city’s Orchard shopping district. He stepped into the role in September after decades of leadership at IHG Hotels and Resorts in Asia and Europe and has over 30 years of hospitality experience.

Janssen says candidates rarely ask enough questions in interviews. "You're lucky if you get one — you hardly get one or two questions," he said, and he encourages applicants to pose at least four to five questions to understand the business and seek career advice.

He adds that interviews are not a one-way street and looks for people who dream big. One question he always asks is what candidates want to become further down the line: "When you're a waiter, I don't think anyone will say, 'I want to become a general manager,'" he said.

Singapore, Orchard shopping district

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