Do you want to switch from the hospitality industry? May be owing to the recent Covid pandemic or something else. Changing careers from the hospitality industry can be a bit of a challenge. All of us at some point or other have faced difficulties in choosing a career no matter how planned and clear we have been about our talents and interests. Changing career choices is no strange phenomenon these days.
Are you the one who has had enough of the hospitality industry and is looking at a career outside the hospitality industry?
The below tips for changing careers hold true for any other industry per se.
Did you think of the hospitality industry as a trendy and fashionable industry that would eventually make you a stylish millionaire in future? Over the years the enthusiasm might have taken a dip to leave you in thoughts if you made the right choice at the outset.
Well, then you are in the right place as this article provides you with useful tips for changing careers, especially for hospitality professionals.
Tips for Changing Career from the Hospitality Industry
However, before we begin, we would like to assure you about one thing. There is always a bright side to your job but you would need an eye to see the positives.
You can think of moving within the industry. Have a look at our post that sheds light on the Career Paths within the hospitality industry. We all are driven by passion but does the current job seem to be a wrong choice now? If you are driven by innovation and creativity, there are still a lot of Creative jobs in the hospitality industry.
Be it because of parental pressure, family conditions, and societal norms or because of our insecurity, many of us take up careers that offer more security than risk, payment than satisfaction.
Moving on to the Tips for Switching Career in and from the Hospitality Industry
If you’re one of those who wants to change his or her career in the fickle hospitality world, and who got tired of working in the hospitality industry, here are a few tips for changing your career and directing it the other way.
But, before you do go through these tips for changing career, hope you have reconsidered your decision multiple times. Hope this is not one of the weak moments that might lead you nowhere.
One of our posts discusses why we consider hospitality jobs to be great.
Have a look!
Also, it is recommended to test the feasibility of the career you’ve chosen to change to, before actually implementing the idea.
If you are still with us having decided that you want a change, read on for essential tips for changing career.
1. Think about your passion
The first tip in changing your career path is to think about considering the change.
Decide if it’s worth exploring your passion. If yes, then make sure that you have skills that can make your passion work for you and also energy and enthusiasm which can elevate your skills.
If you are a passionate hotelier, does your skill set match any other job? You definitely don’t want to be worse off by changing careers.
If you are in the hospitality industry but are a passionate artist then you have a valid reason to think about changing career field. You have got reasons to go ahead and take your chances.
So, get ahead and make your career rather than thinking about it as changing your career.
Start thinking out of the box to learn about your real passion. Let the passion come from within rather than forcing yourself into another career again.
Often people change their careers without thinking about what they know and what they don’t and end up in utter despair.
Ask yourself a few questions:
- Why do I want to change my career?
- What is my passion and has this always been my passion?
- When did I discover my passion?
- What have I done to realize my passion over the years?
- Am I just trying to run away?
- Will a promotion or pay hike make me stay in this industry or job?
Try answering all the questions honestly.
If you are just frustrated with your current job because you are tired or have not had a promotion, then instead of changing careers learn the art of getting promoted.
If your friend got promoted or changed career then it might disturb or frustrate you but there has to be a better reason than this for changing career.
Choose an industry that fits your competence, not the one that is popular. Just because the industry fascinates me, I can’t be a part of it. Suitability and compatibility have to be considered while selecting any industry.
2. Talk to a friend/family
Before making a major decision, just talk to someone who’s very close to you.
Did you opt for your present hospitality job for security and money, but now you can’t find reasons to defend your decisions?
Sure, Money does play a major role in everyone’s life but does money only do? While most of us are here because we wanted it, some of us still think – wish I had pursued my dream.
Nevertheless, the hospitality industry is an adventure in its own sense. Food, drinks, room service, non-stop nagging customers, housekeeping, dirty dishes, messy deck, complaining tourists – so much to learn and accomplish.
The hospitality industry does have the ‘X’ factor inbuilt. You just cannot get bored with this industry unless you never wanted to be a chef or a hotel manager.
There is nothing called a free lunch– this famous proverb sums up the situation.
Someone who has known you forever. This is not to seek permission from them or ask for advice/suggestions from them, but just to see them react to your career-changing thoughts.
Also, analyze their reaction and then tell them why you want to change the path and what it might lead to.
Don’t be one of those who make career changes in haste or by being impulsive.
3. Test out your idea:
Career changes are often expensive and time-consuming. The chances of going wrong are higher.
Therefore to retrain, you need to test the career that you want to change to, beforehand.
This will give you time so that you won’t be impulsive and won’t rush to a decision to fall into the trap again.
For example, take a course of short duration, do an assignment or perform something relatively small like volunteering for something in your field.
See how it feels to get a thing done and see if the reality is the same as what you thought.
4. Go for a Side Hustle
On the other hand, to make things more exciting; ask a friend or someone you know to involve you in a project they’re working on in the career field you’ve chosen.
Change is a basic human trait. However, the manner in which you plan the career change or manage it will determine the final outcome of your switch-over plan.
So, take a short sabbatical to ponder over the plan before taking the plunge.
You can search for opportunities on the web as many of the career options these days also have the freelancing option.
Look out for some freelance jobs online and try out various things.
You might be surprised by the fact that there are so many options to choose from in your industry and skill set.
This is just to get a view of what things you get to do in the career and why you actually want to change your career from the current one to the other.
5. Build a Network
According to the sociologists, nothing in this world runs without power and network.
People can only shine when they have adequate resources and contacts.
Don’t look to select a career only because it seems easy, trendy or popular. The grass looks greener on the other side.
Do ample research through social media, the internet, networks, direct referrals and so on before changing career fields.
It is important to know whom to connect with and how to do the same to make your personal brand shine.
This is not even about shining. It is important for someone to know people in the career field in which they want to land, and to know about the job roles and available opportunities.
By making contacts, you can not only settle but also individually grow eventually.
What’s a career change, without a goal in mind?
Explore LinkedIn for career options and your network might help you in your shift within or outside the hospitality industry.
Follow people who have changed careers successfully in past to guide yourself to the right track.
6. Reach out to the field for job hunting
Job hunting is not as easy as one might assume.
Especially without any prior experience in the field and wanting to change the field, you need to go on some serious job hunting.
Therefore, be extremely methodical about reaching out to people.
Follow up on people you’ve reached out to and people you’re yet to approach. Be targeted in your approach.
Attend a few job fares and career networking events. Most of these are free and have a great learning opportunity.
You might even land your dream job through one of these career job fairs.
This is one of the most important tips for planning your career change.
Let the next career fair near you be the icebreaker to your career change.
In case, if this is not working; hire a recruiter who can find the opportunities for you.
But, before you do try out the best job portals as these would be an eye-opener in terms of valuable career options.
Most importantly these are free resources and you can do your job search in the comfort of your home. Moreover, with the technological advantages, they are more effective than recruiters.
7. Identify the Transferable Skills
If you are still around with a firm stand towards changing your career field, these points are to help you get more organized.
We also believe that by now you have a rough idea of your next career role.
You are probably Changing careers because you are unable to use your full potential in the industry you are currently in.
You would not want to make the same mistake
It is thus one of the crucial tips for changing careers, especially for hospitality industry professionals.
Hospitality industry professionals are normally used to doing everything.
Make sure that you only highlight the skills that you can transfer to the new career.
For example, if you’re an Architect and want to shift to the Management field, you can’t simply include working on Auto CAD, REVIT or Grasshopper in the skill field as they play no role in the management sector.
Go through various role descriptions and adverts and find out what they’re looking for in the career you’ve chosen.
8. Don’t forget to match your CV
When making a career shift, creating a perfect CV looks like an impossible feat to achieve.
You should make it very carefully and by working hard on it as each line targets your role criteria.
You need to prove that you’ve adequate skills that are mandatory for the new career role.
Don’t just make it in a go and be satisfied with it unless you don’t want the best results.
We have shared tips for making a killer resume in one of our earlier posts. We have also shared resources in the post for downloading free samples and best-paid options for professional resumes.
Use these to your best advantage for your next change in career.
Rip it off a few times and start from scratch as you want it to be the best.
A CV should be persuasive, impactful and charming as it is the only way that you can target the role you want.
9. It’s time to practice the Interview
Personal Interviews are different and challenging especially when you’re changing the sectors.
Therefore, it is important to be prepared for all kinds of questions they’ll ask beforehand.
Make a questionnaire including common questions like, “Why do you prefer working for us”, to tough questions, and prepare answers for them by eliminating all the red flags.
Ace your interview by organizing yourself effectively and efficiently.
10. Dress up accordingly
Though this seems to be one of the vapid tips for changing career fields, make sure to dress accordingly.
If you have been in the hospitality industry, formal dress is the norm.
‘Smart casuals’ is the new norm in a lot of industries. Make sure you get the first impression right.
Industries and career roles are known for having particular dress codes and it is a part of work culture to maintain the code.
As beauty holds the utmost virtue of anything in the world, it creates a good impression on others, if you are well-groomed.
Winding it all up
Lots of people think about changing career from the hospitality industry.
It is important to understand that every industry has its pros and cons. Moving within the hospitality industry is a lot easier than moving outside the hospitality industry.
Before planning to switch, think again! Twice, thrice!! But, at times we know we have a reason when we make a wrong career choice.
But, if you don’t have a choice and are not feeling good in the hospitality industry, you have every right to be happy. It’s never too late to search for happiness and the right career choice.
We provided some tips to help you search for the career option that you would love now and in future.
Hope you found the tips for changing careers interesting and useful. Please evaluate your decision multiple times before you finally decide to change your career.
And, once you do; follow your instincts and don’t look back.
