Getting a Leg Up in the Hospitality Industry
At the risk of sounding like an old man, life is hard. Most people do not know how hard until you have to face reality. Try to think back to high school, remember how easy it all seemed. Now think if you would have gotten a head start by joining a school to career program in the hospitality industry.
Most programs of this type help you get a paid internship and onto management positions in restaurants and hotels. Salaries start from minimum wage and can go as high as six figures. Most hotels and restaurants currently offer health and vacation benefits to make the package a little more lucrative.
I have always seen a career in the hospitality as a profession. As in any profession, you have to decide what avenue you wish to pursue. Professional or Corporate.
A professional occupation in the hospitality industry could be anything along the lines of:
- Business management
- Finance
- Accounting
- Human resources
- Customer relations
- Marketing
- Public speaking
- Food science and technology
To get ahead in industry such as this you have to be highly skilled and trained. As this industry is highly competitive, an individual would have to stand out as being motivated and career minded. These qualities will off-course lead to promotions and higher pay.
If the professional world is not for you then you could join a cooperate team. There are many high-end jobs in the corporate world.
- Marketing
- Public speaking
- Human resource training
- Quality assurance
- Security Accounting
One of the more positive aspects of choosing the corporate side of the hospitality industry is there more opportunity for advancement in a shorter period.The competition is fierce though so it always helps to have contacts or people you have worked with before to vouch for your hard working character.
The major factor in getting ahead in the service industry is service. This is a major factor to getting ahead in an industry. If you are just not a people person and even in a corporate setting, you do not do well in a team atmosphere then any of the fields I have described above will not get you ahead.
It is amazing how most employees that get ahead in the service industry seem to almost do on their charm and character alone. Sometimes I suppose talent just is not enough.
A true path in the service industry takes time and patience. You take a cold hard look at any director of operations of any company and you will see a man or women who have put in quite a number of years to get to where they are.
A cold hard understanding of every aspect of the trade you have chosen with added practice and education will trump the competition in a heartbeat. Regardless of the practical quality’s you possess, passion is also very important. What you do every day should bring you some form of satisfaction and pleasure.
A wise man once said you earn what you are worth when you are worth it.
Best of luck on your hospitality path.