Each one of you may have different reasons for considering a career in the hotel and catering industry. It is no doubt a fascinating and exciting industry to work in. Now that you are familiar with career possibilities in the various departments of a hotel, let us see what it is actually like to be working in one.
Change Your Attitude First: A hotel, in particular a five star deluxe hotel, symbolizes glamour, and most of us are fascinated by this glamorous outer veneer. It is easy to be carried away by the expensive decor, the exotic cuisine and the awe inspiring, smartly turned out people-both guests and staff. We imagine that working in a hotel is only about escorting celebrities and leading an extravagant lifestyle.
Certainly, in a hotel you will get an opportunity to meet different kinds of successful people, well placed officials and businessmen, film stars, politicians and dignitaries. However, working in a hotel is not like going to a party. You must realize that your experience as a guest or a visitor is totally different from that of working as an employee of that every hotel where they come.
You must understand the kind of demands a job in a hotel makes, in order to come to a conscious and well thought decision, based on a realistic picture of what you are in for. It is better to be forearmed and forewarned, than to feel disillusioned later.
Long Working Hours: Since hotels come under essential services, they are open round the clock. So a job in a hotel is nothing but time bound. If you are looking for a 9 to 5 job then I must say hotels are not the perfect working place for you.
Although, officially, all staff members are supposed to work for 8 hours, most often you end up working considerably longer. Hotels are open twenty four hours a day throughout the year and the staffs are required to maintain various services. Therefore, all hotels have a shift system. There are basically three shifts, each of eight hours duration. Except for the personnel and secretarial staffs, who have a 9 to 5 shift, all others have to work in the morning, afternoon or night shift by rotation. You may have morning shift for a week then may be asked to do an evening or even night shift in the next week. Even there may be changes in shifts within a week. In the beginning you may find it difficult to get accustomed to these changing working hours but if you can maintain a positive attitude and learn to enjoy your work in different time then there is no reason you should find these adjustment too difficult. But as I said earlier, all over the world female hoteliers get more advantages in terms of working hours than their male colleagues.
Working Odd Hours: Since you will be working in shifts, you will have odd working hours. This will impose a restriction on your social life. You may find that you are not free when your friends are, or vice-versa. However, an opportunity to make friends and other meaningful relationships exists in the hotel itself. So many people from different backgrounds come under one roof, that perhaps, you wont even feel the need for a large social circle. However, the shifts and odd working hours do tend to take away from the time available to spend with your friends, family or doing hobbies.
