Make a career out of hospitality

Avinash Iyer, MUMBAI MIRROR, Feb 21, 2011, 12.52pm IST

Make a career out of hospitality

A boom in the hotel and tourism sectors has seen the hospitality industry grow by leaps and bounds. The demand for manpower in this industry offers career choices in various areas.

Avinash Iyer gives you a lowdown on two such industries

Career in hotel industry
Impressive communication skills coupled with a penchant for hospitality can help you succeed in the hotel industry. Promotional initiatives by the government to promote India as a major tourist destination on a global platform have resulted in a surge of tourists from all over the world. Domestic tourism has also increased. Figures from the Annual report 2009-10 of the Ministry of Tourism show a constant increase (barring minor fluctuations) in foreign travellers visiting India from the years 2000 to 2009. This has ensured that the hotel industry in India has witnessed immense growth in the last decade or so. Events like the recently concluded Commonwealth Games and impending World Cup 2011 also rely on the hospitality industry for hosting their guests and visitors.

• At your service

The hotel industry has a variety of job openings offering a number of portfolios. Priyanka Bane, assistant manager – Human Resources (HR), Pan India Food Solutions Pvt. Ltd. says, "There are different openings, such as hostess, stewards, front office assistant, counter sales executive, guest relation executive for fresh graduates. There are also many openings as per their experience into different domains for e.g. HR, sales, reservations, front office, housekeeping, production etc." There are academic courses which groom students who wish to make a mark in the hospitality industry. Bane lists some of them - Hotel Management Graduate/ craft course or specialization course/ MBA in hospitality or in some areas. Adding to this she states, "There are many specialized courses for different profiles. The qualification will always help you to promote or upgrade yourself in your profile."

• What it takes

Once in this industry it is imperative to hone your communication skills as it involves extensive customer interaction. "One should have smart and pleasant personality and excellent communication skills," says Bane. You should also be willing to meet and network with a wide range of people.

With adequate experience you can scale greater heights in this profession. Bane adds, "Hotel Industry is very vast but in itself is a small industry. People know each other very well. So to maintain your stand in the industry it's very important to know the market. Your communication and attitude is also important." In this profession a lot of learning happens on the job through practical interaction with clients. Also, all the customers that you encounter will not behave in the same manner. Hence presence of mind is important to be successful. Commenting on the monetary aspect Bane says, "A fresher can expect between Rs 5000 to Rs 8000 per month. For those with experience it depends on the qualification and number of years they have put in."

• Looking ahead

Given the growth of the hotel industry in the last few years the employment opportunities have multiplied. This industry is in need of a young workforce. Bane states, "Earlier people were not aware about the industry but the scope, exposure and better career prospects have made this industry grow. I would say that sky is the limit." She foresees a boom in the industry in the near future.

It is a myth that all you need to do to succeed in the hospitality industry is to smile and greet customers from a behind desk. Like all professions, this one too has its rigours and demands. As a result one should be willing to work very hard. So if you have the right people skills and appropriate qualification the hotel industry might just be the springboard that your aspirations needed.

Career in aviation industry
The aviation industry has a plethora of options to offer to beginners who wish to choose it as their career launch pad. According to projections made by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), by 2014 India will have one of the five largest domestic aviation markets with 69 million passengers; the other four being – USA (671 million), China (379 million), Japan (102 million) and Brazil (90 million). This projected upsurge in the domestic market of the Indian aviation industry has created a fair number of employment opportunities for freshers as also for those with experience.

• In the wings

Most people are enamoured by a career in the aviation industry as it means touching the skies, literally. However, there are a number of other openings in this profession that aspirants can vie for. The various job profiles in the aviation industry are aircraft handling, passenger handling, aircraft appearance, cargo handling services, manpower solutions, maintenance of ground service equipment (GSE) and consultancy.
To be a part of the aviation industry you not only need the right qualification but also physical fitness and appropriate communication skills. The candidate needs to be a graduate trained in airport operation, should possess good speaking/ writing skills and a pleasing personality.

• Making a foray

Equipping yourself with the right amount of knowledge before entering this domain is very crucial as it concerns the safety of lakhs of passengers. The industry looks for people with a high degree of competence. For this there are specialised training programmes one can undergo to hone the skills that a candidate chooses to exercise during the service period. The various courses offered by IESP are the following - Airport handling management, Cargo Management, Cabin Crew and Hospitality Management and Airport Retail management.

Freshers who wish to join this industry should be willing to work hard and flex their work timings. A beginner can expect a global environment, since the job is stationed at the airport (Domestic Vs international). One should focus towards passenger handling at the ground level.

• Moolah matters

The remuneration in this industry depends on various factors as well as the experience. The starting salary may vary from Rs 9000 to Rs 15000 per month, increments and promotions as per company policy coupled with performance. The lateral growth covers all airport operations across the globe. The vertical growth is subject to the nomenclature as per industry standard from Level A onwards (entry Level). Once you have consolidated yourself in this industry there is scope for further progress as well. This industry gives a chance of lateral as well as vertical growth.

• Final word

With an impressively projected growth rate, the aviation industry is all set to soar. With this, a host of new opportunities are waiting for youngsters wanting to chart their career in this field. An affinity for the world of aviation, the right qualification, physical fitness and good communication skills are some of the key factors that will enable you to find your career call in this industry.