by Alan Campbell, Featured Contributor
Why would I want a hotel career?
DOES THE title sound familiar? How many times have you heard students tell you that? Let’s see what we can do to change their minds. We can look at the advantages that a hotel career will offer. “You are kidding right” What advantage does a hotel path to fame and fortune have to offer over a regular white collar job? If I had a regular job, that is a 9-5 every day and home on weekends, and every now and then a 3 day weekend. That sounds great to me, but what about the hotel side? Why don’t they 
have a 9-5 day and weekends off? Well some hotel departments may have that ideal week.
Let me enumerate the advantages of the hotel guru, works 24/7 hotels don’t close, so much for 3 day weekends, Holidays are the busiest time so no time off there either. On call if there is a problem, you get the pleasure of listening to all of the guest complaints. You are supposed to fix them like a speeding bullet. You are not permitted to get angry, you must be on the side of the guest (yeah, right) The property must show a profit, and you must be in control of all situations that may arise. Does it not sound like a job you that you would kill to have? Let’s face it a regular 9-5 job would be boring, and you would be miserable, you would be day dreaming about being in the hotel business NO?
Now look at the bright side, think of all of the parties you would be attending, mixing with the so why pretty people, and having fun. Attending trade shows, and major conventions all over the world. Having celebrities’ at your doorstep, maybe a king or two. Just think someday the President might even decide to grace your hotel with his presence. In case you wonder, having the President stay at your hotel, as nice as it sounds is the worst nightmare you will have. Until it happens to you, you can’t begin to understand what goes in to hosting the President at your property. So you see all of the good stuff you are missing. By the way the Secret Service are wonderful Right?
What else could go wrong in my life as ah hotelier? Just think, a full hotel on a windy and rainy night and POW the lights go out, the phones are down, lightning takes out the cell tower, it’s going to be a fun night for you. Where else could you have this much fun? IBM? Yahoo? Google? I don’t think so. Does this not entice you to get a degree in hotel administration? Sure it does, go ahead sign up now. Like they say “There is no business like hotel business” This is where the chorus breaks in to a song.
Now that I have described what a wonderful opportunity you would have in the hotel business, have I managed to open the possibility of a career in the hospitality sector?
You must think I am nuts to venture in to that type of work, there is not enough money in the world to entice me in to that. It takes a special person to work the hotel world, and I am not one of them, so goes the story.
So you see future hoteliers what awaits you, so with eyes wide open and a whole lot of fanfare take the plunge and give them hell….
