Improve Your Reputation in The Hospitality Industry
The hospitality industry can be full of competition, and to get the jobs in the best restaurants and the highest paid salaries, you need to have experience and a good reputation. The hospitality industry has thousands of jobs for all skill sets, and they can be extremely hard work, especially if you are working for a busy company. Front line jobs such as a chef or waitress can be demanding, and the hours can be long. If you are ready to start or further your career in the hospitality industry, here are a few ways in which to improve your reputation.
Experience
We all need to start somewhere and with some jobs you need a few years’ experience. If this is the case and you haven’t got any, you need to get some. You may want to be head chef, but you cannot jump right in there and expect to be cooking in Michelin star restaurants. You may want to start off in a smaller role, gaining experience and a reputation in the kitchen, helping and doing more than your job entails to get noticed. Kitchen porter jobs are often where many budding chefs start out, building a reputation in the business so when a job comes up, they can apply. Often hospitality jobs promote from within the business and then give your old job to a new employee, therefore the better impression you make, the more likely you are to get that promotion.
Education
For some hospitality jobs, having relevant education behind you can set you aside from the rest and increase your reputation. You may want to start an apprenticeship in the hospitality industry, learning to understand the industry inside out, whilst working and gaining a wage. This can also increase your reputation within the given company therefore you may be hired once your apprenticeship is finished. If you want to get into kitchen jobs, taking a food technology course can increase your reputation with restaurants when applying for jobs. You can even study a hospitality management degree online or at university, which can lead you to getting jobs in accommodation, catering and many others. This is a great way to network and increase your reputation to get you the highest paid managerial roles.
Sell Yourself
One of the most important things when improving your reputation in this industry is what you say and what you do. When applying for jobs, you need to show the company why they should choose you. You may have relevant experience and education behind you, but so may another candidate. You need to prove you are willing to work hard, that you understand the business and you are ready for the pressures that come with it. You can describe not just your good points, but your weaknesses too and how you are willing to improve on them. Talk about the business or the role in which you are applying and why you are passionate about pursuing it. You may have had a great experience in the industry or with the business itself, so those with personal experiences who describe their love of food with passion will be the ones that a manager remembers long after an interview. Make sure you have a personal reference too. Some companies will not require this but having someone speak for you and sing your praises is the best way to gain a good reputation in the hospitality industry.
Remember, everyone must start somewhere, so work hard and your efforts will pay off. If you are passionate about what you are doing, it will show to those around you.
