Career options after hotel management

Hospitality sectors, particularly hotel management and tourism have faced the worst wrath of the pandemic. This distressed sector is poised to gain momentum once normalcy is restored. This will open the floodgates of earning opportunities for the hotel management students.

This is a misconception amongst the larger masses that hotel management courses are only relevant for people aiming to work in a hotel, some blue-collar jobs from the sectors or chefs at the most. This course is tailor-made catering for those who understand the niche of India's essence of 'Atithi Devo Bhava' which means 'the guest is god'.

Entertainment and Leisure Industry

A swamp of hotel management graduates' lands themselves in hotels, bars, restaurants, clubs or even theme parks. However, these circuits mainly recruit trained staff for kitchen staff and managerial posts. The majority of jobs at these places require no formal training at large. The only risk here is getting underpaid if you are not working with top-notch names.

Scope and purpose

Let us briefly understand the scope, purpose and needs of this course. India hosts a wide range of services and hospitality is needed in all the sectors from medical, tourism, events, corporates and many more. Nursing the modesty within, hotel management teaches the practical skills and confidence needed to grow further in life.

Also, this course allows students to work overseas, which are the key holiday or corporate destinations such as Europe, the US, Dubai, New Zealand, Australia being only a few top names. Without further ado, let's dive into the avenues opening for you when you brush up your skillset with a seasoned knowledge of hotel management:

Event planners

Events such as weddings, house warmings, birthdays are not an old generation thing. They have inched up a notch higher with engagement and relationship anniversaries, milestone celebrations, baby showers and a lot more. Adding to these social gatherings, you can test the waters at corporate levels too. All will require your honed skills of planning, creativity, hospitality and management.

Defence Sector

The naval and land wings of Indian defence forces might have an offer for you. No, you do not have border combat skills, your hotel management knowledge is enough. You simply have to feed the guardians of our borders following their diet charts. Oh, not to forget, you will have to adhere to strict discipline and limited resources.

Airlines/Cruise Liner Kitchens

Airlines host ample hospitality graduates and Cruise Liner companies are following the suit. These jobs are not merely restricted to kitchens as you are required to provide all-around services to the guests. With the rising trend of luxury leisure, cruising and casinos are the new emerging themes. Of course, the pay is quite high, if you are working internationally. Travelling across the nation or globe is a plus.

Coworking Office Manager

With the emergence of remote working culture and shared spaces, the demand for hospitality experts and managers is set to rise at a big pace. If you have the desired skill set, the field is open for you as not many professionals are standing at the crease. It's a new space, emerging and enlarging with the pace of time.

Before we sign off, the sea has decent depth with sound commercials. You can earn a hefty income if you channelise the right efforts in the right direction with realistic goals. Good luck. Hope someone of you reading this will host me someday.

(The author is MD, Avanta India)

Entrepreneurship

Why sneak out for a job when you can be an owner of your business. Cafes, particularly theme-based ones are the new fad among the millennials. From Harry Potter to Cricket, your wildest imagination can pave the way to success. A fine dining restaurant is also a perfect fit for family outings, and you can host a number of them.

Though, if you're worried about the capital indulgence in the cafe and restaurants, you can train the future generation of hotel management pals. Share your practical experiences to hone their skills and support the next-in-line workers of the sector.