Working for Resort Hotels and Spas
The hospitality industry is a dynamic industry that offers a variety of different reasons to embark on a hotel career. Let us count the ways!
Meeting Interesting People
At the heart of the hospitality industry is travel. Not only do guests from all over the stay at hotels, but people from all over the world work at hotels. Hotel staff is almost always like a small united nations with a variety of different countries being represented. This creates an environment that is full of diverse cultures.
Additionally, the nature of the day to day operations of the hotel creates lots of interaction between all departments. Unlike some industries where the top executives work among themselves, in the world of hospitality, hourly workers will interact with executives and anyone in between. This creates a work environment that invites exposure to all kinds of people and backgrounds.
In Focus: Hyatt Employment Experience
Of course, some of the most interesting people at a hotel are the guests that are staying there. Daily interaction with guests will often reveal some of the hotel’s most fascinating characters.
Diversified Career Paths
Employment in one hotel position will inevitably expose an individual to other positions and spark different interests. There are many stories of a restaurant server becoming General Manager, or a front desk agent becoming the Director of Marketing. Once your foot is in the door, there is not one path that should be followed, but rather many that can be followed. In fact, having a diversified background and exposure to the workings of each department is a great formula for a successful hotelier.
World Travel
Embarking on a career in hospitality, means unlocking the door of opportunity to work abroad. Hotels are found all over the world, in some of the world’s most desirable locations.
Of course there will be visa restrictions and certain experience required, so working abroad doesn’t just happen instantly, but the hospitality industry offers unparallel opportunities to live abroad.
Additionally, the hospitality industry also offers great opportunity to travel. Executive levels positions and sales positions, in particular, tend to earn a lot of frequent flyer miles.
Exposure to Cool Events
Even if you are not living the life of the rich and famous, working in a hotel can make you feel like you are. As hotels are often the host of premier events, hotel employees get to be part of the planning and experience of these events. Meeting diplomats and celebrities is often just another day in life of a hotelier.
Fun Perks
The hotel industry offers lots of additional perks and benefits to their employees. As experiencing the hotel from a guest perspective can enhances a worker’s understanding of what makes for great stay, employees are often encouraged to experience their hotel. This may be encouraged by discounted dining in the restaurants, complimentary nights at other hotels in the hotel company’s portfolio, discounted spa treatments and much, much more.
Simply put, all these reasons to work in the hospitality industry come together to create the ultimate reason; working in a hotel is much more than a job, but rather a lifestyle.
In Focus: Hospitality Careers at Hilton Worldwide
The Working Vacation!
While most of your time will be spent working, you will have opportunities to enjoy your surroundings. Better yet, most employers allow employees free use of resort facilities while on their time off. An insider who spent a summer working at a resort in Mexico sums up the perks of the job:
“They provide you with awesome food-the chefs are amazing!-with big huge buffets. But you never gain weight because you’re always so busy. There is also plenty of fun stuff to do, such as windsurfing, SCUBA diving, land sports like volleyball, and meeting people. And you’ll be given a place to live.”
Another former resort worker sums up the rewards of the job for him:
“It was an incredible experience to work in the beauty of the Caribbean, with the clean air and the nice facilities.”
Meeting people is one of the biggest rewards of working at a resort, say many who have done it. As one former resort worker in Hawaii reports:
“The guests come from all over the country, and I made friends and connections that I still keep in touch with. There was an opportunity to connect with people from all over the world that I otherwise wouldn’t have met.”
Another resort worker agrees:
“Because of working at a resort I have a book full of names and addresses of people I can go visit-in Europe, Japan, all over!”