The tourism and hospitality industry offers some of the most exciting career paths for people from all walks of life. However, not anyone is able to survive its hardship to stay committed to the job, especially in the hotel line.
You may not realise it but people who work in this field really are superheroes in disguise. Whether you are looking to join the industry or simply someone who still thinks that working at a hotel is easy, read this article to understand more about a career in hospitality.
Jump to:
- The real challenges of a hotel job
- What are the departments in a hotel?
- Education requirements for a hotel management career
- Why should I pursue a career in the hospitality industry?
- Hospitality jobs on Jobstore.com
Hotel staffs only have to hand me the room key. How is it challenging?
Some people travel to see the world and some to get away from the hectic days at work, regardless of the purpose, anyone would expect a perfect journey. That’s why hotel services are designed to help guests enjoy their holiday at its best.
Hotel staff’s duties, regardless of their function, go beyond a fixed job description. Not only do they need to ensure top-notch services, they also care for your feelings and always try their level best to make your stay as pleasant as possible.
If you think that anyone can handle that job, you are wrong.
In the hospitality industry, there are countless of cases where the guests tend to act rudely towards a hotel staff for unreasonable requests. Most people would just digest the insult and eventually call it quits when the stress becomes unbearable. Those who are determined to pursue a lifelong hotelier career must learn to handle all types of customer expectation until the guest is satisfied.
Well, it’s not something an average person would be able to do.
Here’s one of the stories to show you what it’s really like to be an hotelier:
A guest calls down, he is having issues with the Wi-Fi; his tablet can’t find our network. After explaining the code, he comes down to the front desk.
Receptionist: “Good evening. How are you today?”
Guest: “Frustrated, I can’t log on to the Wi-Fi. I’ve been trying all day and I just can’t! I want to check out! I’ve missed so much work already!”
Receptionist: *noting it’s after five, I try to convince him to stay otherwise he will be charged an additional night* “Would you like to try moving to another room where the connection is stronger?”
Guest: “No, I can’t be sure that it will work there so I don’t want to bother.”
(After going back and forth, he agrees to go see a room. I managed to successfully log him on the network.)
Receptionist: “Did you want to move here, sir?”
Guest: “No, I just want to check out!”
Receptionist: “Okay, but I’m going to have to charge you for tonight since you checked out after five.”
Guest: “Oh, that is ridiculous. How can you charge me if you didn’t even provide a basic service!”
Receptionist: “But I did. Your [Tablet] logged on to the network, and I offered to move you at no charge.”
Guest: “No, you didn’t provide me with a basic service. I have to pay for another hotel and you want to charge me? Oh, I will be writing you a bad review!”
A career in hospitality is definitely not a walk in the park. In fact, you will easily give up within months if you don’t have the right skills and aptitude. Above all else, the right person for this job must possess these qualities: “assertiveness”, “patience”, and “empathy”.
So what exactly do they (hotel employees) do?
Although each department takes care of different areas, everyone is expected to wear many hats. There is no such thing as “it’s not my task” in an employee’s phrasebook, especially when the number of crew members is insufficient during peak seasons.
Regardless of their level of experience, all staff are trained to handle customers’ inquiries and complaint following the hotel’s standard procedure. The first person who deals with the guest needs to report to the duty manager (or assistant manager) if he or she is unable to handle the situation.
To be successful in the hospitality field, you must have a solid understanding of the industry as well as the hotel’s standard procedures no matter which position that you hold. Also, anyone who aims to climb up the corporate ladder is required to gain extensive experiences in the field. There’s no overnight success in the hospitality industry.
It must be hard to become an hotelier!
Yes, getting a job in a hotel may sound simple, but keeping it is another story.
Besides the basic requirement of a Foundation or Diploma Certification in hospitality and tourism, a prospective candidate for this job must be able to learn fast. There is basically no lesson that can prepare anyone for the real-life challenges of the industry. The single most important “qualification” to enter the hotel line is passion. Passion is what motivates a person to work to their heart’s content, even more so in this field. And it is also contagious – as long as the leader is passionate about their job, he or she will be able to motivate everyone too.
Why should I pursue a career in the hospitality industry?
Challenging as it sounds, you’re wondering what drives people to pursue a hospitality career? Here are the top three reasons:
- The one-of-a-kind exposure to the world: They don’t need to pay money to experience different cultures.
- The endless opportunities: Be it career advancement or overseas jobs, any hotel employee is given equal opportunity to learn and grow out of their comfort zone.
- The lessons to become a better person: They learn to be compassionate and work with passion. Because becoming an hotelier is not just a job, it’s an I-want-to-care-for-others mentality.
Available hospitality jobs on Jobstore.com
For more career opportunities, submit your latest resume to Jobstore.com!
