Your Career in the Hospitality Industry

William Fisher
University of Central Florida A short while ago, after giving a talk to a hospitality management class, I was approached by a student who asked, What advice do you have for students who want to progress in a career in the hospitality industry? Its a thoughtful question and deserves a thoughtful answer. Here is what I said. 1. Know Yourself. Come to terms with yourself through an unvarnished assessment of your values, strengths, and areas that need development. Decide that you will always be a person of integrity, exhibit total honesty, live up to your word, and do the right thing for the organization (s) you serve. Live by these values and emblazon them on your total being! 2. Know Your Immediate Objectives. You have decades of working years ahead of you, and it is important to have a dream of where you want to be in the future. Today comes before tomorrow, however, and you need to focus on and manage the present if you are ever going to realize your dream for the future. Have a clear view, a firm conviction, and a realistic expectation with respect to the positions you accept. Each position should be one element in a progressive pattern. Recognize that linkages exist. Throughout your career, bring with you the maturity, set of principles, and techniques that you gained from all your prior positions. Build for your future! 3. Establish a Time Frame. Set a realistic time period, given the level and complexity of the position. Many young people are impatient and believe they are ready to move on before they really are. A rule of thumb is to multiply the time it took to learn the positionnot just the mechanics, but the nuances, relationships, and issuesby two or three. For example, if it takes you a year to be in full command of a position, an appropriate time frame for that position would be 2 to 3 years. The timing may be shortened or lengthened depending on circumstances, but there is no magic elixir Selected and edited by M.Sc. TriTruong 2012

that will accelerate your management maturity other than hard work and devotion to your assignment! 4. Remember Names. Use peoples names when addressing them. This applies to everyone customers, employees, suppliers, and visitors. If name recollection is not one of your strengths, work to improve it. Nothing is so personal to an individual as his or her name. By recognizing and using peoples names, you confirm their existence and dignity! 5. Be an Inside Volunteer. Your organization will have a number of events, projects, and perhaps crises when employees will be asked to volunteer. Stepping forward demonstrates a good attitude, a cooperative demeanor, and a desire for participation, which can be professionally and developmentally rewarding for you. If appropriate, seek a leadership role, realizing you can be a leader without having a high position! 6. Be an Outside Volunteer. Join and participate in at least two outside organizations. One should be related to your industry and/or profession for professional development and networking purposes. The other should contribute to your community in some way, such as a charitable or childrens organization. 7. Follow Up. Get back to people when you say you will, send thank you notes, send congratulatory messages, compliment good performance, and call people to emphasize appreciation. 8. Develop a Reputation for Getting Results. Make good things happen, exceed the expectations of others, demonstrate achievement, and keep a positive future orientation. Read regularly and stay on the cutting edge of your industry and profession! 9. Maintain a Sense of Humor. Always be invigorated by life. Never allow yourself to be defeated. You will experience difficult times, but they will pass. You will experience good times, but dont allow them to absorb you. Develop a quick wit, look at the bright side of things, smile frequently, and laugh heartily. It will do wonders for othersand for you! Overall, be a can do person, but also be a candid person!

Selected and edited by M.Sc. TriTruong 2012