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Last Updated on October 31, 2024
If you have always had a passion for helping people and providing them with a high level of service, it could be that a career in the hospitality sector is the perfect one for you. Perhaps you see yourself as a chef at a 5-star restaurant, a manager at a big hotel, or a master cocktail mixer at a fancy bar.
Whatever the case, you may be wondering how to get into this sector. Well, this article is here to give you a bit of a helping hand and an overview of the approach that you can take.
The service sector has expanded rapidly over the past few years, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. It has always been the kind of place that welcomes newcomers who are willing to work hard and advance their skill set. There is also a more clearly defined career ladder than in a lot of other sectors in which it has become more blurred. So, let’s go into more detail about starting in this fast-paced field.
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You can’t simply accelerate your way to the top with no experience. A lot of people work their way up from humble beginnings. So, if you want to be a head chef in a Michelin-star restaurant, you may need to start by getting into the kitchen at a greasy spoon diner. A lot of the learning in the hospitality sector is done on the job, so be prepared for long hours and a challenging working environment. Once you get your foot in the door, it will be much easier to work your way up from there.
Obtain Qualifications
There are plenty of advanced qualifications that you could obtain such as a degree in the hospitality sector. However, these take a significant amount of time and if you don’t have the time to spare, you may be better off going straight into the job. Alongside the basic training that you do, you may also need to do courses such as americansafetycouncil.com/content/texas-food-handler-card-online which ensures that you know the basics of food hygiene. Commit to expanding your skillset and this will stand you in good stead in the hospitality sector.
Whether you're a seasoned professional in search of a career change or a beginner just entering the working world, you want to make the right choices from the beginning.
Prepare for Interviews
If you are making a career change, you need to focus on the transferable skills that you have obtained rather than your lack of experience in this sector. If you are just starting in the working world, you should make it clear that you have the level of drive and determination needed to make a success of your new path. Research the most common interview questions and have your answers prepared.
If you can demonstrate that you have a genuine passion for getting into this sector, you should be able to win an employer over. While other candidates may have more experience, can they match the level of enthusiasm that you are bringing to the job role? A lot of managers would prefer to work with someone who has the drive and determination to advance in their field rather than someone who has been in hospitality for a long time and is just going through the motions to get a paycheck.
Be Prepared to Pay Your Dues
Very few people can start in an advanced role in the hospitality sector if they have never worked in it before. So, you need to be prepared to pay your dues when you do get your foot in the door – especially if you have been given an opportunity ahead of more experienced candidates.
If you can show that you are willing to go the extra mile by volunteering for extra shifts, taking additional training programs, and taking on other responsibilities, you will demonstrate to your employer that you are taking your new job role seriously. Once you have gained their trust, you are much more likely to be able to advance to the next level in your career.
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Be Prepared to Move
The hospitality sector tends to have high staff turnover, and you need to be prepared to move around to get the advancement that you are looking for. Perhaps you have started as a chef in a small restaurant to get some experience, but if the management is already set in place and there is little chance of moving upwards, you may need to move to a place with a bigger kitchen and a more fast-paced environment.
Once you have some experience, you will find it much easier to find people who are willing to give you an opportunity. Maybe at some point in the future, you will even want to strike out on your own.
Stay Realistic in Achieving Your Goals
Patience is a virtue and it is unlikely that you will rush to the top of your field without a lot of time and energy being expended. But if you keep your goals firmly in mind and you stay focused in what you are trying to achieve, you are much more likely to achieve your aims.
Each day, you should try to commit to learning something new, whether this is something small or big. The hospitality sector is continually advancing at a rapid rate, and though the basics of many of the jobs stay the same, there are always going to be changes that you need to keep up with. New technology continues to come into play to make life easier for both workers and guests.
So, if you are looking to get into the hospitality sector, hopefully, this guide has provided you with a basic overview of just how you can do this. Essentially, it involves getting your foot in the door, working your way up from the bottom, and being prepared to take the opportunities that present themselves to you.
Describes duties, salaries, prerequisites, and employment and advancement prospects, and offers tips for entry into more than seventy-five jobs in the travel and hospitality industries.
