If you’re like many people who are seeking out the benefits of a Hospitality Management degree, with high growth in the field expected, you’re probably aware of the many rewards and challenges of the field — and you’re probably thinking about how to have the best internship experience possible. Internships in hospitality management can come in many forms, but what you’ll want to look for can vary with what your goals are in the field. Here are just a few tips to get you on the right track.
Get Public Relations Experience
A big part of the hospitality industry is dealing with the public — and understanding how to best present yourself in this capacity is a great way to get real-world experience for your career. It can be a bit nerve-wracking, if you’re not used to talking to people, especially on a wide scale, but taking the time to learn those skills is a great arrow to have in your quiver.
See What Kind of Projects You’ll be Taking On
Asking if you can participate in a big project — even if it’s just as an extra pair of eyes — can often make an internship that much more interesting. Often interns get saddled with some of the grunt work of a company — making copies, sending out invoices — but make sure to see if you can get some real-life experience with a few higher-ups. It will make your internship that much more valuable in future employers see you’ve garnered significant problem-solving experience with a company.
Be Sure to See what the Field is Like First-Hand
One of the best parts of an internship is that it is a win-win for both you and the company you work for. The company minimizes their risk, and doesn’t have to invest large sums in your training, while you get to see the area you’ll be working in “on the ground” so to speak. What this means is that you’ll see what challenges lie ahead in a concrete way. So make sure when you find an internship that you specify that you’ll be looking to see how big problems in the industry are solved. Sometimes just reading about cases isn’t quite like seeing a client interacting with a manager — and you might learn from both.
So if you’re seeking out a good internship for your career, know that the possibilities are out there for career satisfaction and learning. It might take a bit of reaching a middle ground with your employer, so that you’re getting the right experience, but investing your time in learning skills early on is one of the best investments in life you can make. And it’s just one reason so many people are seeking out the rewards of management in the hospitality industry.