Career in Hospitality Management
MBA in Hospitality Management opens doors to a plethora of career opportunities that require specific skills to succeed. Unlike other careers, hospitality is rooted in people management. Here are 7 of the most important skills you need if you want to make your career in hospitality management.
Patience/Commitment
It isn’t easy dealing with a multitude of customers on a daily basis and not lose your temper. Sometimes, the job can get to you. But, the most important aspect of hospitality is to be patient in any situation. Excellent customer service also requires an unyielding commitment to the job. You must be willing to be extremely thorough and go that extra mile to keep your guests happy. This not only improves the reputation of the brand but also ensures customer loyalty to it.
Communication Skills
Most industries include communication skills as part of any job description. This is amplified in case of the hospitality industry. The foundation of the hospitality industry revolves around talking to and communicating with people from different countries, temperaments, ages, and cultures. Communication skills are essential to ensure you and the customers are able to understand each other effectively.
Multi-tasking
Hospitality is rarely a linear career path. It involves multiple tasks that have to be managed efficiently. Juggling many things at once should become second nature to you a few years into the job. Although it may seem challenging at first, multi-tasking will actually make you more efficient and help you navigate up the career ladder faster. If you want to master this skill, consider getting an internship or part-time job during your study where multi-tasking is part of the job description. This way, you will be well-prepared to tackle the demands of the hospitality industry.
Cultural Awareness
As mentioned before, hospitality management involves meeting people from different cultural backgrounds. A successful career in hospitality is guaranteed if you can understand and embrace these cultural differences. It is only when you break your own cultural barriers that you will be able to provide customer service of the highest quality.
Flexibility
Hospitality is not a typical 9–5 job. You have to work odd and maybe long hours and hence, build your schedule accordingly. There’s no saying when guests can show up at the hotel or restaurant. Additionally, you have to be able to accommodate different tasks into your schedule. Therefore, flexibility plays a huge part in your success as a hospitality executive. Being flexible to work any shift and in any situation is a valuable quality that will set you apart from the rest and help you scale the success ladder quickly.
Teamwork
Besides dealing with customers/guests of different backgrounds, you also have to deal with your subordinates, peers, and superiors who also come from different temperaments and roles. Key abilities include being able to understand your responsibilities, take instructions, and delegate tasks. You should be open to taking constructive feedback and apply them to achieve quality service.
Problem-solving
Quite often than not, you will be bombarded with problems, either with customers or your team. In such cases, you should be able to think up creative and practical solutions to the problem and ensure the smooth transition of the solution. Be it operational, personal, or customer problems, your quick-thinking and problem-solving abilities will be an asset to your career.
Hospitality is a vast and expanding industry which requires you to possess great people management qualities as those mentioned above. It’s an industry that can be quite lucrative to those who are willing to get out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves. Are you up for it?
