With careers in the hospitality sector estimated to account for one in 10 jobs worldwide by 2023, and the industry contributing £57 billion to the UK economy in 2014 alone, it’s clear that opportunities within this sector are at an all-time high. Here, we talk to those in the know about how to cut it in this ever-developing field…
Restaurant Manager
Have you ever considered making your passion for dining out into more than just a weekend interest? Kate Frobisher started working in various pubs and cafes as a teen and honed the know-how she believes is essential for anyone looking to enter restaurant management, namely “a love of working with the public, organisational skills and flexibility”, working as a Front of House Manager during her gap year.
Kate does not feel any less qualified than someone with a degree in business and hospitality management; indeed, she is “happy with the hands-on experiences (I) have had”, all of which have helped her recently set up her own café, Urban Pantry, at the age of just 24. Asked the one piece of advice she would give to someone looking to enter the restaurant industry, she replied: “Prepare to work as many hours as you can… and be keen and eager to perform the job to the best of your ability.”
For her, the best thing about her career is “the people you encounter…(I) have had some of the most interesting chats with customers (I) have met in the workplace.” Food for thought if a bustling restaurant environment is just the atmosphere you are craving.
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Image: iStock
Student Accommodation Manager
With a student population in London of more than 400,000, many opt to live in specialised student accommodation rather than in flats overseen by expensive letting agents. As well as ensuring that residents receive consistently good customer service throughout their stay, this role could also see you involved in, among others, marketing activities, health and safety compliance and resolving student complaints.
Healthy remuneration (up to £37,000 plus bonus) and employee discount schemes make this position ideal for anyone who has already had some experience of front-line customer service and problem-solving, and is looking to transfer and develop these skills in their first more senior role.
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Charity Events Co-ordinator/Manager
Issy Fitzgerald, Events Officer for the Mayhew Animal Home, thinks the best thing about working in events management is its “diversity”; at just 24, Issy has worked on “music festivals, weddings, conferences… gala dinners and more”. As well as hands-on experience during her gap year, Issy decided to study event and business management, believing that it would help her “stand out” when looking for jobs in the future.
Having interned for Vince Power, the music festival promoter, and worked as a Hotel Theatre Manager and PA, the “perfect opportunity” of uniting her passion for events and her “deep love” for animals came up at the Mayhew Animal Home, which rescues cats and dogs in North London. The charity is entirely reliant on donations, so their fundraising events are incredibly important; for Issy, this makes her “so proud” of the events she manages, knowing “that they are for a good cause”.
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Retail Sales Assistant (cruise ship)
Fancy a role that sees you providing a top-notch client experience while sailing the open seas? The perks of working on board a cruise ship are self-evident; getting to see different countries and save money (as accommodation and meals are provided), as well as giving you the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and receive tax-free salaries.
Working on a commission basis, this job could see a sales-driven candidate expand their employment horizons from a shopping centre in suburbia to the middle of the Pacific Ocean!
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