Meet Mike Rooney

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Rooney.

Hi Mike, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Today, as I write this story, it’s Father’s Day, and I got to play golf with my son and grandkids. I was going to start his article about my dad, but I’m adding this tidbit. I was thinking about my dad today. After living in Michigan for only two years, my dad arranged a job for me to work on Mackinac Island at the Hotel Iroquois, and three days after I graduated from high school, I stepped on Mackinac Island for the first time. I started my career in the Hospitality Industry renting bicycles. Mackinac Island is a perfect representation of the Hospitality Industry. As an eighteen-year-old, I felt like I was part of something. Mackinac Island is a small place, and over a couple of summers, I rented bikes and worked as a busboy and a bartender. The Hotel Iroquois had outstanding ownership (The McIntire Family), appreciative guests who enjoyed the Hotel and the Carriage House Restaurant, and a staff of college kids and even some kids like me, kids from Ohio, Indiana, and who knows where. The McIntires, the owners of the Hotel Iroquois, had very high standards, and I was, as the story goes, right off the boat and wet behind the ears. I was somewhat lacking. We had to learn fast, and we did. Late one night, Governor G. Mennen Williams came into the restaurant by himself, and I was washing the glass front door, trying my best; I knew enough to realize he was the former Governor and Mr. McIntires’ friend, but was I prepared to engage in pleasant conversation, no, not really. He was friendly, and I learned a few things; the McIntires invited me back to work the following year, and they hired my younger brothers, John and Dan. You’ve probably been to Mackinac Island, maybe even rented a bike from a kid who was a little wet behind the ears; I suspect it was a good experience. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been easy. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. The biggest mistake I’ve made is not being a good listener. If you listen to people and consider their opinion, a lot of good information is available that can be very helpful. Take it all in and seriously consider it. Be open to people’s advice and ideas; even your boss might have a good idea. I remember how kind people were to me when I was young and needed a job. The Hospitality Industry has a lot of kind and courteous people who help young people get a leg up in life with a job; it started with my Dad getting me a job that turned into a career and a life; let’s all be kind to someone and pass it on, and don’t be surprised if they remember you kindly. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
After my first year at college, I worked as a bartender at the Coral Gables. It was a nightclub with a live rock and roll band and a dance floor; the owners we Tom Johnson and Pat Burke, former Captains of Michigan State football teams. Tom and Pat treated the employees as part of their team. We enjoyed working at the Coral Gables. Fifty years later, I still visit the Coral Gables in Saugatuck every summer to visit Mike Johnson, who still owns the family business. Saugatuck is a great Michigan vacation spot. There are so many great places to go in Michigan; the hospitality industry provides about 12% of the jobs in Michigan. Restaurants and hotel owners invest in businesses and provide employment for people who are just starting and need training, a leg up, and some income. It’s a great place to get started and can be fun. If you are young or old and looking for your first job, a retirement job, or something in between, consider a career in hospitality; I’m glad I did. After graduating from Michigan State in Hospitality Business, I worked as a Restaurant Manager and Hotel Food and Beverage Director for Sheraton Hotels. Eventually, I became a Hospitality Recruiter. My brother John worked with me for about 20 years, and we started The Rooney Personnel Company in 1992. 

We can go through many different phases in life, and I’ve gone through a few myself, and there have been many changes in hotels and restaurants. Everyone is casual and casually dressed now, at work and even as a guest in upscale restaurants and hotels. The Culinary Arts programs at the many community colleges in Michigan have contributed very positively to the evolution of the cuisine. Thanks to the professionalism of the many devoted Chef Instructors who taught in the Culinary Arts programs and their dedicated students with a passion for delicious and attractively presented dishes. These cooks have passed their knowledge along to their fellow hard-working crews. We can all learn from each other if we listen to others’ opinions and understand that their advice is well-intended. Advice from others is a resource. Taking others’ advice is an exponential growth opportunity. 

The pandemic has changed the Hospitality Industry and Hospitality Recruiting substantially. Gallop found that millennials and members of Gen Z, who now make up half the workforce, place their most significant emphasis on well-being at work and that work/life balance is their top priority. I hear this from 9 out of 10 people every day. High salaries and benefits came well behind. 

Investments in technological innovations, and analytics, have changed the recruiting industry; it’s expensive to find candidates and takes a lot of listening and understanding. As people evolve, their needs change at different times in their lives. Many employers don’t seem to catch on to this. I try to tune into candidates’ needs. You have to listen. Employers and job candidates both have needs, and they need to adapt to and find ways to work together, look for what they have in common, similarities, and what I like to call “a common advantage.” That’s what we try to do at RooneyRecruiting.com, Look for the good in people, listen to them, and find a good match for both the Job seekers and the Employers. 

Finally, smile and remember the people who helped you. Thanks, Dad, and Happy Fathers’ Day. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Rooneyrecruiting
• Facebook: Rooney Restaurant Recruiters
• Linkedin: Rooney Recruiting Services
• Twitter: Rooney Hospitality Recruiters