If you’ve spent any time on our social media, there’s a pretty good chance you already know Carter. You might know him as our hiring manager, but there’s an even better chance you know him as the Speed Tour guy.

In this episode of Fun Intended, I sat down with Carter to talk about something we get asked about all the time: Are we hiring, what is it actually like to work at Metropolis Resort, and what do we look for when someone applies?

What I love about Carter’s story is that he didn’t walk through our doors expecting to become the hiring manager. He started here at 15 years old working in the trampoline park.

And then he pretty much worked everywhere.

From the Trampoline Park to Hiring Manager

Over the last five years, Carter has worked in the trampoline park, Action City attractions, Dairy Queen, housekeeping, Chaos Water Park, go-karts, the kitchen and City Eats. He eventually became an Action City supervisor before moving into his current role as hiring manager.

So when someone comes in for an interview and asks what it’s really like to work here, Carter can give them a pretty good answer.

He’s lived it.

One of the things we talked about in the episode is how much cross-training is part of the culture at Metropolis. You might start working attractions and eventually learn the front desk. You could start in housekeeping and find an opportunity somewhere completely different.

I actually have a similar story. I started in housekeeping, moved into a marketing internship and eventually became the Digital Strategy Manager. There isn’t necessarily one path through Metropolis. There are a lot of them.

Cross-Training Creates Opportunities

We want people to learn their jobs well, but we also want them to understand the rest of the resort. That makes things more interesting for our team, but it also helps us take better care of our guests.

When you understand what happens in other departments, you have a much better chance of being able to answer a guest’s question or help solve a problem without simply saying, “I don’t know.”

Carter’s advice to people who want to move up is pretty simple: master what you’re doing first.

It can be tempting to immediately start looking for the next position, but becoming really good at your current job gives you the foundation to take on more responsibility later. That approach certainly worked for him.

So, What Does Carter Look for When Hiring?

This might be the biggest question we get from people thinking about applying. Do you need hospitality experience? For many of our entry-level positions, the answer is no.

Carter works with applicants who might be 14 and applying for their very first job, along with people who are returning to the workforce and may not have a recent resume. Experience helps, but it isn’t everything.

What matters more?

Attitude, coachability and a willingness to help.

As Carter put it, attitude is about 90% of the job.

Are you willing to show up and work? Can someone coach you? If you see somebody who needs help, are you the person who walks by, or the person who stops and helps? Those things tell us a lot.

If you’re applying for your first job, Carter also has some simple advice: prepare for the interview. Practice answering a few questions. Learn something about the position. Think about volunteer work, school activities or other experiences that show what kind of person you are.

You don’t need a ten-year resume to make a great first impression.

Making the First Few Weeks Less Intimidating

Getting hired is only the beginning of Carter’s job. He also oversees onboarding, which means he’s often one of the first familiar faces a new employee has at Metropolis. Carter jokingly described himself as a little bit of a “mom” during those first couple of weeks.

New employees may not know everyone yet, so Carter becomes the person they come back to with questions about uniforms, schedules, their first day or just how things work around here.

That’s important to us.

Starting a new job can be intimidating, especially when it’s your first one. We want people to feel comfortable asking questions and getting to know the team.

Why Work at Metropolis?

When I asked Carter why he thinks Metropolis is a great place to work, his answer came back to one word:

Fun.

It sounds obvious considering we’re a resort with a water park, arcade, go-karts, trampoline park and a whole lot more, but it goes beyond the attractions.

It’s the people. It’s the guests you get to know. It’s the coworkers you spend your shifts with. It’s being able to make somebody smile and knowing you helped make their day a little better.

And apparently, sometimes it’s getting to dress up in a onesie at the company Christmas party.

And Yes, We’re Growing

There’s another reason we wanted to have this conversation now. Metropolis is growing.

Our expansion is adding another 55,000 square feet, which means more attractions, more guests and more opportunities for people to join our team.

For Carter, that’s one of the most exciting parts. More people are going to walk through our doors, learn how we do things and hopefully find opportunities to grow here just like he did.

And if you happen to see Carter while you’re here, there’s one other thing you should know. He still prefers being the Speed Tour guy. So yes, you can ask him for a picture.

Want to Hear the Full Conversation?

Hear Carter tell the story himself, including how he went from working the trampoline park at 15 to becoming Metropolis Resort’s hiring manager.

Listen to Episode 7 of Fun Intended

Ready for Some Fun of Your Own?

Explore Metropolis Resort, discover everything happening at Action City and Chaos Water Park, plan your next stay, or see what opportunities are available to join our growing team.

Visit Metropolis Resort