5 transferable skills from hospitality for your career

Working in hospitality provides you with lots of transferable skills that you can take forward to the next steps in your career.

But what are they and how can you apply them to a new job or sector? We have 5 key skills that you are bound to have in abundance after a career in hospitality.

1. How customer service can help your career

At its core, the hospitality industry is all about providing people with top-quality service. Whether you are providing a fine dining experience or cleaning rooms in a hotel, you are working towards the customer’s experience.

You may see your role as mundane. However, for a recruiter, they see someone with resilience, tenacity, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

The buzz of the busy restaurant or the hustle of the hotel lobby is where you nurture your set of skills. From keeping cool in the kitchen’s heat to deftly managing a displeased guest, problem-solving becomes second nature.

2. The advantages of being an effective communicator

Communication skills are the bread and butter for any hospitality employee. You must clearly relay information to customers, coordinate your team, and sometimes even pacify tense situations. 

The ability to truly listen and understand a customer’s issues shows signs of high emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is said to be one of the most important skills as we move into a more digital world.

3. Bringing a fine attention to detail

Whether it is a guest’s allergens or how they like their room prepared, attention to detail is important in every aspect of hospitality. Not only can the details mean the difference to a customer’s experience but also their safety. 

The same attention to detail that is important in hospitality can also be beneficial in other areas. For example, when working on a contract, it is important to carefully review it for errors, such as spelling or missing information. Similarly, if you are working in manufacturing, it is important to ensure that the quality of the products is high and that they meet all safety standards.

A strong attention to detail can make you a dependable member of staff, whatever career you work in.  

4. The ability to problem solve under pressure

Anyone who has worked in hospitality understands how important creative problem-solving is. This soft skill,  trained by working with customers in demanding situations, can set you apart from those with more experience. 

Whether you are a restaurant manager dealing with supply issues or a receptionist out-booking tired and angry guests. The ability to think on your feet and make clean conscious choices under pressure can help set you apart from any other candidate.

Changing your career

The foundation you have from your experience not only sets you up for an amazing career, but gives you the ability to be a better person. The biggest issue some people find when changing their career sector is their lack of experience in their desired sector. Finding temporary work is a great way to get over a lack of experience, and our temporary job listings make finding your job search easier. 

Remember how amazing hospitality can be? 

If reading this article has reminded you how amazing hospitality can be, check out our latest hospitality jobs here.

Whatever you choose as your next step on your career path, RE Recruitment has a team of experienced recruiters to help. Have any questions or need advice on what to do next? A specialist recruiter will be happy to help, call us on 01242 505 400  Or  Email us at hello@rerecruitment.com.