Working in the hospitality industry offers a plethora of benefits. For one, since the hospitality industry is growing (and is predicted to grow rapidly in the next years), expect to find countless job opportunities. Making this career move also allows you to earn a competitive salary, meet new people, and work in a more relaxed environment.
The quality of your life will improve once you make a name in the hospitality industry but achieving that goal isn’t an easy feat. You need to follow steps to start a career in the hospitality industry — and this process is challenging but definitely worth it.
Here’s how you can start a career in the hospitality industry:
1. Determine Your Specialization and Master It
The hospitality industry is broad as it has different subsets, each requiring unique skills and experience. Yes, you want to excel in the hospitality industry, but do you know which area and what skills that area requires?
The first step to starting your career in the hospitality industry is figuring out what your specialization is and exerting time and effort to master it. Getting a hotel management course in college is ideal if you want to manage a five-star hotel, for instance. If working as a sous chef has been your lifelong dream, then you need to acquire a degree in food and beverage.
Deciding what your specialization is will save you a lot of resources in the long run. You don’t want to spend years acquiring a degree and later find out that it’s not directly related to your dream career, right? Or if you enjoy creating sweet treats, a pastry degree might be for you.
2. Take Risks
As mentioned, the hospitality industry is growing, meaning you can easily find jobs in your local city or abroad. And while jumping into an opportunity to a bigger city or abroad might be frightening, it can actually open many doors for your career.
Moving to another place can jumpstart your career in hospitality management as your skills will likely have more impact in another setting. This is especially true if your locale is saturated with individuals who have the same skill set as yours.
Research into the needs of nearby countries and assess if you have sufficient background and skills to excel. You’ll be surprised how working in another country can help you achieve your career goals in the hospitality industry!
3. Embrace Technology
Technology has significantly affected the hospitality industry. Hotels worldwide are now embracing technology in their daily operations — from using apps to improve client communications to replacing human labor with machines.
You’ll have better chances of succeeding in the hospitality industry if you have social media skills, namely data analytics and content creation. Nowadays, businesses operating in the hospitality industry rely on social media to acquire new customers and market new offers, which is why it’s important to learn how to harness the power of this online platform.
Take the time to play around with different social media tools, like Buffer or TweetDecks, and learn how to analyze the behavior of people online. It’s also important to familiarize yourself with blogging and media auditing.
4. Learn How to Sell Yourself
Because of the benefits one can experience when working in the hospitality industry, expect to come across hundreds or thousands of competitors when applying for a job. The competition is tough in the industry, which is why it’s crucial to learn to sell yourself.
When coming in contact with a hiring manager, let them know what sets you apart from others and why you’ll become an asset to their company. Make it easier for the hiring managers to envision what you can bring to the table. This will make you resonate and stand out from the competition.
Hiring managers also love individuals who already have a vision for their careers. Ideally, you should know what your long-term career objectives are and how you plan to reach all of them. This shows that you have a better understanding of how the industry works (that it’s not only fun but is actually serious business) and that you’re willing to work in it for the long haul.
Remain Consistent
Starting a career in the hospitality industry requires time, effort, and commitment. You’ll also have to remain patient as many wait for weeks, months, or even years to progress in their careers.
Going through all of these is tough, but if a career in hospitality management is truly what you’re after, you’d be willing to put in the hard work. As long as you’re consistent, it won’t be long before you establish a career in the hospitality industry!
