Many hospitality workers stay within the industry their entire careers. However, it is not uncommon for employees to shift industries at some point throughout their time in the workforce. The knowledge and skills gained working in a hotel or extended stay accommodation are incredibly valuable in many other industries. Obtaining a role in hospitality and dedicating oneself to acquiring these valuable skills is great preparation for any number of other positions – in the industry or not.
Communicating Effectively
No role within the hospitality industry works completely within a silo, meaning employees operate without any collaboration with others. Even roles that function primarily alone – like maintenance positions – involve at least some aspect of guest or other employee interaction. Learning how to communicate effectively with others is critical for succeeding in any hospitality role. Also, that skill is necessary for several careers, including roles in an office setting, retail positions, and skilled labor positions.
Communicating effectively requires the ability to clearly articulate thoughts and ideas, but there is an aspect of listening as well. Communication is a two-way interaction, so learning how to listen intently and absorb information and directions is another crucial aspect of communicating well with others.
Punctuality & Preparedness
Arriving for work shifts on time is extremely important in the hospitality industry. Equally as important is arriving properly prepared for the shift. That includes dressing in the correct attire or uniform and bringing anything necessary to perform the role successfully. Often, hospitality employees arrive on shift to replace someone whose shift is ending, so failing to arrive on time might mean a coworker having to stay late so the role is covered. So, punctuality is important for both the organization but also in keeping relationships strong within the workplace.
Punctuality and preparedness are both critical in most other industries along with hospitality. Learning the importance of arriving prepared easily transfers to any number of other high-demand hospitality roles and other industries.
Customer Service Skills
Providing quality customer service is a top priority for most hospitality positions. Even roles that aren’t often customer-facing, like housekeeping, involve contributing to the overall guest experience. Learning how to listen to and anticipate customer or guest needs is valuable, as that effort doesn’t come naturally for all workers. Obviously, those skills are required in other customer service positions across industries. Nearly all businesses involve some aspect of keeping customers or clients happy. Those who have acquired strong customer service skills in hospitality often move into other service-centered roles, like retail positions or customer support roles in other industries.
The basis of those strong customer service skills ties back to effectively communicating with others. It is necessary for those in hospitality roles to listen to guests, comprehend the root of any questions or issues, and seek out the best solutions to resolve those promptly.
Flexibility and Time Management
From the outside looking in, it may appear that roles in hospitality involve the same duties each day or shift. However, that is far from the case. In fact, no day is the same in any role within the industry. Especially in a hotel setting, guests are constantly changing – those arriving bringing an entirely new set of needs. It’s important in any hospitality role to remain flexible to changing circumstances and to learn how to adapt. Flexibility can be difficult, as duties within a role have a hierarchy of priority. With employees working hard to complete their assigned responsibilities each shift, having an issue or occurrence arise that takes immediate precedence means having to shift those responsibilities around to accommodate that and keep both operations flowing and guests happy.
Learning flexibility also involves learning how to effectively manage time – especially in roles where direct supervision isn’t provided. This includes using slower periods to stay ahead on tasks to provide some wiggle room in the case of an unexpected duty popping up. Flexibility and time management are both highly valued skills for any employer in any industry. Mastering them signifies a worker’s ability to work effectively and get things done in a timely manner, no matter what. In industries such as information technology (IT), human resources, and telecommunications – there are constantly new issues and new circumstances that require both the ability to adapt and to effectively get things accomplished despite changes within the industry or the day-to-day environment.
How to Acquire the Skills Needed to Thrive in Hospitality & Beyond
Clearly, working within the hospitality industry in any role or capacity is really valuable for securing and thriving in roles in other industries as well. For those who haven’t worked in the industry before, however, it may seem intimidating to enter a role in hospitality not having already acquired these skills. The good news is many of these skills can be learned on the job. Especially within organizations with strong training programs, even those new to the workforce can succeed in a hospitality role and learn how to do so by dedicating themselves to the position and learning from others.
So next comes the question of where to look for entry-level roles in the hospitality industry. We keep a regularly updated database of opportunities within our organization – including positions requiring zero hospitality experience. To see what roles are available in your part of the country, check out our current opportunities and take the first step towards a new career today!