“The Wait is Over,” proclaimed the ad campaign that marked the inauguration of MGM GRAND Macau’s new Recruitment Center. With competition intensifying to attract Macau’s most talented workers, the company has made a strong entry into the race to become the city’s employer of choice
MGM GRAND Macau is seeking to recruit 6,000 employees – including 2,526 gaming staff – for the upscale casino resort it plans to open in the fourth quarter of this year. The recruitment process began on March 1, and within a month, the company had already received 40,000 applications – equivalent to around one in seven of Macau’s total labor force. With the opening of the Recruitment Center on March 30, applications are likely to grow further.
MGM Grand Macau is a partnership between Pansy Ho, Managing Director of Shun Tak Holdings and daughter of Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho, and Las Vegas-based casino resort operator MGM MIRAGE. Both Ms Ho and MGM MIRAGE Chairman & CEO Terry Lanni, as well as MGM Grand Macau’s top management, were present at the Recruitment Center opening ceremony. Ms Ho said priority would be given to awarding jobs to local Macau residents, explaining that “As a local, I believe in Macau.”
Macau’s booming gaming industry provides a great opportunity for career development – an opportunity that is coveted worldwide. Mr Lanni revealed to Inside Asian Gaming on the sidelines of the ceremony that “I’ve told my two sons to move to Macau.” In fact, his oldest son is coming to work in the city, having just graduated from Santa Clara University in California, which, notably, is also the alma mater of Ms Ho.
Pansy Ho
Powerful partnership
The partnership between Pansy Ho and MGM MIRAGE was born with a view to joining the exceptional experience and resources of Ms Ho with those of one of the world’s leading casino resort operators, but it may be that the partners also have a stronger philosophical bond. Ms Ho’s sister Daisy is also a key part of the partnership, and studied at the University of Southern California, where Mr Lanni’s youngest son is currently a sophomore. While Pansy Ho brings the partnership an obvious local edge, MGM MIRAGE also has extensive Asia experience. “We were one of the early pioneers of marketing to the Far East,” points out Mr Lanni.
In order to realize its tremendous potential, the partnership needs a top-notch workforce to ensure MGM GRAND Macau’s service matches its glittering facilities.
To process the flood of job applications, the company has opted to use an online applications system developed by US-based Vurv E-Recruitment, and adapted for the local environment. Applications can be made in either English or Chinese and submitted from home or at the Recruitment Center, which features 48 computer terminals in individual booths. The 2,600 sq. m center also features 30 private interviewing counters, 3 trainings rooms that can hold up to 150 people, 4 meeting rooms, and staff at 10 stations receiving hotline enquiries. MGM GRAND Macau’s Vice President of Human Resources, Ms Ooi Lay-Peng, explained that the online recruitment process offered “a very user-friendly and most convenient” way to submit applications. The center is able to handle 390 online applications per day.
Career potential
In addition to the necessary experience and qualifications, Ms Ooi said the company is also looking for “individuality and compassion” in recruiting team members. She also emphasized the opportunities provided by MGM Grand Macau for career development: “We want to help our employees achieve their full career potential through well designed training and development programs, covering the areas of attitude, courtesy, service recovery, complaints handling, skills training, safety training, language training, and many others. We will also qualify 10% of our workforce to be Departmental Trainers, and focus on our management development program and leadership training.”
Following the opening of the Nam Van Waterfront site in the fourth quarter, MGM GRAND Macau has announced its intention to develop a second property along the burgeoning Cotai Strip. “That means a great deal of advancement opportunities for our employees,” said Ms Ooi.
Palace emerging
Construction of the exterior of MGM GRAND Macau is nearing completion, and “very soon, a 35-storey golden palace will appear before you,” said Pansy Ho. “If you have passed by our hotel recently, you would have noticed that the exterior wall of the hotel is featuring the red gold and the white gold sections with the first layer of yellow gold just being installed.”
The building is located on a prime water-front site, and the shimmering glass of its façade reflects the hues of the South China Sea, while the shape of the hotel itself reflects the rolling swell of the ocean surf.
The US$1.06 billion MGM Grand Macau will feature 600 hotel-rooms and two themed casino areas with 385 gaming tables and 890 slot machines, in addition to 16 private VIP gaming rooms. The property expansion plan will add a further 70 gaming tables and 240 slot machines. Around 6,800 sq. m has been set aside for addition of further gaming and resort facilities in the future.
The resort’s “wow” factor will take the form of a 2,320 sq. m conservatory situated on the ground floor, providing a stunning venue for events and dining. The glass-ceilinged conservatory will rise 25 meters and showcase Portuguese-inspired architecture and dramatic landscapes combined with man-made artforms.
Continuing the MGM MIRAGE tradition of world-class dining at signature restaurants by celebrity chefs, MGM Grand Macau will have six restaurants offering a variety of cutting-edge cuisines.
The state-of-the-art spa will span 2,720 sq. m and offer a host of therapeutic and rejuvenating treatments in luxurious surroundings. The resort will also boast elegant venues to host business meetings, social events and weddings. The convertible convention space of 1,282 sq. m will include a 945 sq. m grand ballroom, with the hotel’s professional planning and catering teams on hand to help create high-quality events.
To apply for a position at MGM GRAND Macau, log on to: http://jobs.mgmgrand.com.mo
