The hospitality industry is extremely wide-ranging in scope; it is in some senses difficult to measure because it is so fluid and diverse. The industry is going from strength to strength and is forecast to grow further in 2017, as it is projected people will have more disposable income to spend on leisure and travel.
For some people living their dream could entail travelling the world and working in a glamorous hotel, for others their dream could be managing their restaurant. Whatever your dream, jobs are available in a multitude of areas such as hotels, bars, tourism, events management and food services.
There has never been a better time to look for your dream career in the hospitality industry. With this in mind, here are five tips which will help you land your dream job.
- Learn a second language
The world is effectively becoming a much smaller place due to the effects of globalisation, and more people are crossing more borders than ever before.
Learning a second language has never been more valuable in opening doors to new opportunities. Being able to communicate fluently with customers and colleagues in another language offers the potential for you to travel and work in foreign countries.
As well as providing more opportunities, it also significantly improves cognitive function and shows employers that you have the perseverance and acumen to achieve something challenging such as learning a new language.
According to language expert Ryan McMunn, those with abilities in a second language can expect to earn on average 10 to 15{ed162fdde9fdc472551df9f31f04601345edf7e4eff6ea93114402690d8fa616} more than those without.
As a final note, as well as just being able to speak the language, you should try to take official exams from recognised language associations, so that you have strong credentials on your resume.
- Gain Experience
It may sound like common sense, but gaining either work experience or volunteering experience is vital in hospitality. Work in that field gives you the experience of similar types of situations to what you may face in your job.
Experience also shows employers that you have initiative and motivation, which is one of the key things they are looking for. If you are studying for a degree in a hospitality-related subject, then having a part time job to put on your resume may end up being what sets you apart from one of your classmates in the hiring process.
Any experience is a good experience, but ultimately what hospitality employers are looking for you to have garnered are two things: that you have held some responsibility in the position, or that you have had customer service experience.
- Be willing to start at the bottom
In the hospitality industry perhaps more than any other, it is likely that you will start at the bottom and need to work your way up. For those who show passion, direction, and diligence, promotion can come around quickly.
However, you shouldn’t be afraid of starting low down the hierarchical ladder, as this will give you vital operations knowledge and experience, which will be necessary if you want to progress on to management related role in the future.
- Be professional
As the majority of roles in hospitality are customer facing, the need to be professional is paramount to projecting a positive image for the company you are working for.
Clients of hospitality services often have higher expectations and demand more, in comparison with what they would demand from other services. For this reason being smartly dressed, professional in your use of language, and showing that you have a real focus on customer satisfaction will stand you in good stead.
- Sell yourself and have goals!
Perhaps the most important of all is how you project and sell yourself to a potential employer. Companies are looking for people who are passionate and enthusiastic about the hospitality industry, and most of all they are looking for individuals who are focused and have a clear career path in mind which they are serious about achieving.
Make sure that you clearly define your long-term objectives to your employer, show drive, and demonstrate that you are not just in it for fun, or to live the dream.
Keywords –
Hospitality
Hotels
Learning a second language
Leisure
Travel
Hospitality Industry
Events Management
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http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2014/01/29/the-business-benefits-of-learning-a-foreign-language
http://www.forbes.com/sites/pascalemmanuelgobry/2014/03/21/want-to-know-the-language-of-the-future-the-data-suggests-it-could-be-french/#116f0c903933
http://www.lesroches.es/en/the-industry/hospitality-industry-careers/hospitality-industry
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-hospitality-trends-point-to-widespread-growth-cross-border-ma-and-new-concepts-in-2015-300025747.html
