Being thanked by someone for making their day after working a long, hard and stressful shift is the most rewarding feeling I have ever experienced. I want to spend my life creating a place for people to escape and made to feel special.
For a hotel brand to succeed there needs to be a strong focus on marketing, which is one of my main interests. I studied Advertising and Media at University and although I realised that I didn’t want to enter the marketing industry for my career, I did know that I would want it to be an important aspect of my future work. I have some experience working with small business’ and also my local council discovering how they use marketing and media to their advantage. I have volunteered at a family run farm during the launch of their catering leg of the business where I was involved heavily in the research of existing products on the market, pricing, packaging and designing promotional tools. I was also lucky enough to be offered a placement with Coventry City Council assisting with the relaunch of their city magazine, CityVision where I wrote a detailed report of my findings from market research, created an ideas board for the layout and graphics of the magazine and also learnt how to write press releases.
I left University after one year and enrolled in a course in a Professional Cookery NVQ in the hope that I could work my way around the different areas of the hotel operation and eventually work my way up into hotel management. I have worked as a chef in numerous establishments and have an excellent knowledge of food hygiene and safety standards as well as supervisory experience. I have also worked in several other roles relevant to Hotel Management; waiting tables, bar tending, house keeping and as a Wedding and B&B Assistant.
I worked as a chef for a season for a reputable activity holidays company. Supervising four members of staff meant that I was expected to lead, motivate and train as well as being under immense pressure to cook for up to two hundred and forty people alone. I was responsible for ensuring the completion of kitchen admin and that food hygiene and safety standards were adhered to at all times. During my time supervising I learnt a lot about professional boundaries, motivating a team, gaining respect, working to individuals strengths, understanding competency levels and responding well to pressure. Working in a leadership position was what affected my final decision to study Hotel Management.
My passion for hospitality is not limited to my working life. I am an avid reader of T+L, marketing and branding and hotel management books. During my spare time I enjoy disappearing for weekends with friends or exploring different places to eat. I love traveling and have recently spent three months traveling around Thailand and Vietnam where I first began considering a Hotel Management Degree after staying in a diverse range of accommodation. Being a regular consumer myself reinforces the importance of excellent customer care and thus standing out from competitors.
When I left higher education my plan wasn’t to return but my passion and enthusiasm for the subject lead me to explore my options once again. The Hotel School concept is one I am extremely excited about. It would give me the opportunity to study and put my knowledge into practice immediately, making my studies more relevant and memorable. I hope to obtain a place with The Edge Hotel School to achieve a recognised qualification from a quality partnership in order for my CV to stand out from other applicants when applying for graduate schemes with luxury hotel brands.
My goal is to spend time working with top class hotel brands improving and developing my skills and knowledge until I feel prepared enough to open my own family run hotel in Vietnam.
I am confident that with the help of the practitioners on the course I will be able to develop my existing skills and knowledge to an exceptional standard, ready for the world of management.