Tips to Help You Break into Hospitality Management
The hospitality industry will be great for you regardless of whether you have unparalleled people skills or whether you are passionate about working at or managing a high-end hotel. The hospitality industry is vast and there are mostly two sides to working in the industry – one that deals with front-line operations and the other to do with business management or the corporate sector that deals with press relations, market analysis, HR, or social media marketing.
Are you considering a Masters in Tourism Management but do not know how to break into the industry successfully? Read this article for some tips that will help you get to the right place.
- Find your niche specialization and master it
The hospitality industry is a very broad one with numerous subsets and specializations that demand very specific and unique skill sets. Narrowing down your interests to a specific interest can save you a great deal of time and confusion. For example, if you want to manage a luxury resort or a five-star property, try getting the necessary internships and apprenticeship jobs to earn the required experience. A bachelor’s degree in one of these specialized fields will surely give you a right head-start but consider other subjects if you wish to specialize in them. Some specializations are – wine management, tourism management, event management, F&B etc.
- Teach yourself social media skills
Technology and its innovations have revolutionized the hospitality and tourism industry like digital concierges, web check-ins and more. Industry leaders are welcoming and incorporating more apps, social media marketing, and other tools to manage the diverse workload in this industry. It is therefore a good idea to know enough digital media skills like managing customer feedback, replying to queries, understanding data analytics, audience insights and more. If you evolve with the newer technologies, you will be well-suited to do almost all work that you are interested in. Teach yourself the right skills by experimenting with different tools like Buffer, Hootsuite etc. Hospitality is highly affected by social trends and that in turn influences customer behavior.
- A college volunteer experience is not going to count
If you did a part-time job during university or high school, that is not sufficient or enough work experience to get you a break into the hospitality sector. Look into getting some actual hotel or tourism related experience by working for some period that highlights your interest and desire. Enthusiasm is one of the key attributes to work and be successful in this sector. All you have to do is demonstrate the interest and dedication to excel in a particular role and you will have plenty of chances to succeed.
Pick your interest and specialize in it. Stick to your job and do it meticulously and the world will be your oyster.
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