The travel, tourism and hospitality industry has remained to be one of the top industries that is recession resistant and is the only industry that has continued to add jobs to the global economy on a consistent basis.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that many people who want to combine their love of travel with making a living, turn to the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
However, the biggest challenge for people is breaking into the industry successfully without having any industry experience or specialized education.
Furthermore, many would-be travel, tourism and hospitality professionals don’t have the time, money, or even the desire to go back to school and get an advanced certificate or degree specifically in travel, tourism and hospitality, just in order to enter the industry and have a successful career at any level.
So how do you get a travel, tourism and hospitality job without experience or any specialized education?
Most positions in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry do not require a university degree. And there are hundreds of jobs, across various levels that are a perfect fit for your existing skill set.
There are many routes to learning and depending on the specific career path you choose, you can enter the industry and even achieve a management position through on-the-job training or through an apprenticeship program.
Here are a few tips that will help you navigate your career into the travel, tourism and hospitality industry:
1. Research: Staying on top of industry news and trends, including companies and key players, is very important when trying to break into the industry. There are numerous travel, tourism and hospitality industry news sources, many of which are excellent for not only finding out who is hiring, but also you’ll be able to speak intelligently about the industry in an interview or when connecting with industry professionals.
2 Figure Out Your Transferable Skills: Most job seekers start with and focus on what they don’t have. Instead, think about what skill set you do have that could translate into a role that could support the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. For example, the industry needs skilled workers in information technology (IT), accounting and finance, research, sales and marketing, human resources and administration.
3. Sell Yourself Proactively: The key to an effective job search is maximizing the productivity of your time, yet most people are unaware of how to do this. Most will sit at their computer each day for hours on end, scouring online job postings for something that catches their interest. The problem with this is that everyone else is doing the exact same thing, so it’s impossible to stand out. Furthermore, this is a passive approach that is ineffective and a waste of time. Instead of waiting around for a job that may never show up, be proactive and go out and find it! Know what sets you apart.
The key to self-promotion is that in order to find your dream job in travel, tourism and hospitality you need to proactively expose yourself to the industry in a valuable way so that potential mentors, sponsors, thought leaders and professionals at all levels in the industry, can connect with you and serve as referrals or influencers on your behalf.
Using The 80/20 Model to Sell Yourself
As someone who wants to work in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, the goal is to find out what percentage of your time you spend promoting yourself. That could be connecting, taking people out to coffee or lunch, email outreach or sending “check-in” updates to your network (Maintaining the Momentum Technique).
Organize your time into an 80/20 model: 80 percent outreach, 20 percent consumption.
Consumption includes finding detailed information on the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, learning about industry leaders, positions and companies you’re interested in.
Outreach means reaching out to those target companies and key individuals that you’ve honed in on during your research to establish a relationship and create an awareness of your presence in their professional circle.
Don’t Give Up
As you start to take these steps to becoming a travel, tourism and hospitality professional, give it time. It can get frustrating but remember you are focusing on building a successful and long-term career. Start slow, right where you are, but be sure to clearly define what your long-term career objectives are.
See if there’s a way to hone skills in your current position that would directly apply to your new career path. Even one small step in the right direction can make a big impact. Stay motivated and focused on the end goal. And most importantly, don’t give up.
Remember that experience isn’t the only thing prospective employers are looking for in this industry. They also want to find the right person for their organization. Many companies are far more concerned with personality and cultural fit. Use that to your advantage.
As someone who wants to develop a career in travel, tourism and hospitality, a big part of your success relies upon having a solid knowledge about and appreciation for the fundamentals of industry you want to be a part of in the first place.
Next week I’m going to post in Tourism Tips, the private members area of Tourism Exposed, two pieces of bonus material. First, an easy explanation of the industry where you’ll be able to understand the foundation of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and know the difference between the three sectors.
Second, a list of over 100 terms, abbreviations and acronyms most frequently used by travel, tourism and hospitality industry executives.
To get exclusive access to Tourism Tips, become a free member of Tourism Exposed today.
July 29, 2014 By
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