Enjoy being pamperedFlawless service at the Headland Hotel
Step inside and everything will be taken care of by our friendly, professional staff. Your pleasure is our priority; the dedicated, personal service of our team ensures that at The Headland Hotel you will be treated like a special guest. We pride ourselves on good old-fashioned values and demand high standards of our staff.
At Cornwall’s Headland Hotel you can enjoy discreet and charming service at your fingertips. Whatever you need, just ask: No request is too much, nothing too little. You want flowers and champagne delivered to your room? Or perhaps you just need a plaster for a cut knee? Leave the details to us. All you have to do is enjoy your time out and we’ll do the rest.
Join the team
The Headland Hotel, Newquay, offers a wide range of career opportunities within its welcoming team. Whether for full-time, part-time, seasonal or year-round work, there are regular employment opportunities at our renowned hotel in Cornwall. The staff play a vital role in the success of our four-star hotel, and we invest in their training and development in order for them to reach their full potential. A friendly, professional atmosphere underlies and supports the maintenance of our high standards, and all team members are encouraged to undertake relevant training courses. Opportunities vary from reception and administration posts, to housekeeping and hospitality work. Several members of our staff have been encouraged to progress within The Headland Hotel, and have achieved positions of responsibility at a relatively young age.
For details of current vacancies please go to Careers and Vacancies at the bottom of the page.
Meet the team
Michelle Brown, Human Resources Manager, aged 28
Michelle joined the team at The Headland Hotel as a part-time chambermaid when she was 18. On leaving college she took a full-time position as Ground Floor Assistant and when the Head Housekeeper left Michelle took the reins, re-organising the entire housekeeping department at just 20 years old. As well as making it easier to recruit new staff that wanted a job with scope for career progression, Michelle was also responsible for improving cleanliness throughout the hotel - resulting in sparkling AA reports whilst she was in charge.
After four years in her role Michelle opted for a new challenge in Human Resources, where she has taken the Investors in People credentials to a higher level. During her time here Michelle has achieved an NVQ Level 2 in Housekeeping, Level 3 in Hospitality Supervision and a Modern Apprenticeship in Housekeeping. Michelle has also recently been awarded an Acorn award which is presented to only 30 high achievers in the hotel industry. She has recently achieved her Certificate in Personnel Practice and Level 5 ILM. In the course of her busy career she has also had two children, and she still has ambition to further develop her skills. "My aim is to be at the top of my profession and keep developing", Michelle explains.
Charlotte Cole, Sales Manager
Heading up the new Sales Department is Charlotte Cole, no stranger to the Headland Hotel either.
Charlotte grew up in a Bed and Breakfast in Newquay run by her parents. Whilst studying for her GNVQ in Business Studies, Charlotte joined the Headland team in Reception, where the ability to work shifts meant she could work full time and still continue with her studies. Plans to go to University were put on hold whilst she continued to work in Reception then Reservations, and when finally she left to study Business Studies, holiday work here kept the bills under control.
For her degree, Charlotte specialised in Human Resources and undertook a placement in the HR Department with the NHS in London. Following her graduation, Charlotte joined a Recruitment Consultancy in London, but after 3 months the lights of Newquay shone brighter than those of London, and Charlotte once more found herself back at The Headland. Although she holds the Certificate in Personnel Development, Charlotte didn't want to work in Human Resources, preferring to use the excellent training and experience in sales she had received in London in her new role as Events Manager.
Having got to grips with this role, 11 months later, it was time for another challenge and this came in the newly created role of Sales Manager. Her brief is to generate revenue, both from the corporate sector and private bookings. She is particularly looking forward to the opportunities to be created by the proposed Conference Centre and is enjoying the role of trainer to the new Events Co-Ordinator and Reservationists.
Charlotte is very proud of her qualifications, but is happy to be back in Newquay with a satisfying and rewarding role at The Headland. She is enjoying being part of the Ambassador Scheme helping to promote the leisure industry as a real career choice. She said 'You only get out of life what you put in' and Charlotte has certainly put a lot in.
Gareth Sorsby, Beverage Manager
Gareth Sorsby only had about six months experience behind a bar in Newquay when he joined the Headland about 3 years ago. Having worked over the summer, he faced the prospect of having his hours cut right back, so contacted the hotel to enquire about Christmas and New Year work. He started work on a temporary basis on 3rd December covering bar shifts for Christmas parties and functions until the New Year.
He had obviously made a good impression, because once the festivities were out of the way, Gareth was offered a position as Full time Bar Attendant. Gareth continued to progress within the Headland and only six months later successfully applied for the position as Bar Supervisor. Only one year later Gareth began undertaking Duty Management shifts and in July 2006, less than three years after starting as a part time Bar Attendant, Gareth became Bars Manager, and was promoted to Beverage Manager in 2007
As well as polishing his skills behind the Bar, Gareth has been very busy attending courses, some of which are:
• Customer Care Workshop
• First Aid at Work
• Intermediate Health and Safety at Work
• Intermediate Food Hygiene
• Giving Constructive Feedback
• NVQ Level 3 in Hospitality Supervision
• Chartered Institute for Management Team Leading Course
• Seasonal Workers Course
Gareth is responsible for all the inductions of Bar Staff and on going training of all staff in service and care of beverages. He believes all the training courses he has been able to attend have helped him both in his career and home life, and he is able to pass on his experience to new members of his team.
Gareth was voted Team Leader of the Year 2005 by his colleagues, his prize being a foreign holiday for two.
In the short term, Gareth would like to see his own team succeed in satisfying customer expectations at all times - this will mean continuous product training as well as customer relations awareness. His longer term aim is to have his own hotel - not quite as large as The Headland though.
Gareth firmly believes that 'Hard work pays off - that's what got me here in the first place' - and will no doubt take him a lot further still.
Kim Barradell, Front Office Manager
Kim Barradell is 24, yet heads up a key area within the Headland Hotel. The smooth running of Reception and Front Office is her responsibility and one she is relishing.
Kim's route to success started at Truro College where she studied for an NVQ in Leisure and Tourism. During this time she worked part time in a coffee shop in the town, but after one year, Kim felt studying wasn't for her and decided to gain more practical experience. Luckily the coffee shop was able to offer her a full time position where she stayed for a while to consider her future.
Always on the look out for new opportunities, Kim attended a Recruitment Open Day at The Headland looking for work in the restaurant. She met with the Human Resources Manager during her visit who mentioned the opening available in Reservations. Three days later, Kim received an invitation from the Front Office Manager asking her if she would like to attend an interview, following which Kim was offered a position in Reservations which she took up only one week later.
Two years later, Kim was promoted to Reservations Supervisor, and in July 2006 she became Front Office Manager responsible for all the activities within Reception and ensuring good relationships with other departments at all times so the Hotel continues to run smoothly.
Kim loves her new position and is enjoying the responsibility of her very important role. She feels she has a good team to work with and support her, as well as excellent guidance from the Directors, General Manager and fellow Heads of Department.
During her time at The Headland, Kim has been able to achieve an NVQ Level 2 in Reception and has recently passed her NVQ Level 3 in Office Administration. She is part of the Ambassador scheme promoting careers in the leisure industry which she feels is very worthwhile.
Although Kim didn't plan a career in Hotels, she feels she was very lucky to come to The Headland and has been in the right place at the right time for career opportunities. She sees a long term role at the Hotel, there is lots of potential in her current position and a great deal more to achieve.
Kim feels that 'If anyone wants to develop their career, there is always support and opportunity available at The Headland.'
Adam Cornish - Junior Assistant Manager
Adam Cornish is Cornish by name and Cornish by birth having grown up at Launceston where he started in the hospitality trade by working part time in a Café and Restaurant prior to his 'A' Levels.
Having developed a taste for restaurants, Adam chose to study for 'A' Levels in Hospitality Management, and in the course of his studies gained an NVQ Level 2 in Food and Drink Service and also in Food Preparation.
Adam was looking to study for a degree, but at the same time investigated the possibility of undertaking a Trainee Management role and in this context wrote to establishments throughout the country.
One of the places Adam contacted was The Headland, who were quick to spot his potential and offered him a three year Trainee Manager position during which he would have to spend time in every department.
First stop was in the Restaurant, where Adam started at the bottom as a runner and progressed through to shadowing the Restaurant Manager. After 6 months, it was off to Housekeeping where Adam worked for 7 months and gained a large degree of responsibility, including running the Department during the high season when the Housekeeper left suddenly. Next it was off for a stint in the Sand Bar and Brasserie, followed by 3 months as a Porter and 4 months in the kitchen. Adam has also worked in Goods Inward, helping to develop a stock control system and Front Office, where he polished his customer service skills. He has now taken on the role of Junior Assistant Manager, with special responsibility for the Porters. He is putting the skills he has learnt during his training into practice and working as a Duty Manager.
Adam has loved the challenge of learning how each department operates and how they all work together. He is now studying for a Foundation Degree in Tourism and Leisure Management at Cornwall College, Camborne - this is a full time 2 year course, but Adam continues to work full time at The Headland, so he is kept very busy! Other qualifications Adam has received are:
• Train the Trainer
• First Aid
• Chartered Management Institute Team Leading Course
• Intermediate Food Hygiene
His ambition is to complete both the Management Training role and his Foundation Degree and then hopefully find a suitable position at the Headland.
Adam says 'Ambition is the key to life, you can never aim too high.'
Ben Butler - Demi Chef de Partie
24 year old Ben moved from Cornwall and to The Headland three years ago from Leicestershire. He joined the team with little experience and in a short time has become a valued member of the kitchen brigade.
Ben has shown real commitment to his development, including undertaking a 2 hour bus journey in order to study at Cornwall College where he has already succeeded in gaining his NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery Kitchen and Larder and is currently studying for an additional NVQ Level 3 in Patisserie and Confectionery. His training is sponsored by The Headland.
Ben has already shown he is capable of running the pastry department as well as participating in the general running of the kitchen and assisting in all sections. The experience he has gained will assist him greatly in the future where he can expect to progress further.
Ben was a key member of the award winning team who helped retain The Headland's AA Rosette and win the Gold award in Visit Cornwall's Popular Restaurant of the Year category in 2007.
Individually, he has won Student of the Year from Cornwall College, Apprentice of the Year and in 2007 was awarded Outstanding Achievement of an Apprentice in the Excellent in Business Training Awards. He has also reached the national finals in the Personal Achiever of the year and is due to compete at the NEC in Birmingham in April 2008 for the Future Baker of the Year Award.
