Chapter 13. Careers and Work Experience
13.5 Conclusion
As you can see, successful tourism and hospitality careers depend on reaching out and meeting people (networking), gaining practical experience, having a great attitude and work ethic, and committing to ongoing learning about the world, the industry, and yourself.
With diligence and a sense of exploration, you can launch your dream career in tourism and hospitality, today. Remember that career planning is an ongoing process — the more you practise the steps in this chapter, the more likely your success.
Now that you’ve explored the five sectors of tourism, special considerations, and your own place in the industry, it’s time to deepen your understanding. Chapter 14, on globalization and trends, will help you appreciate the big picture of tourism and hospitality.
Key Terms
- Career planning: a series of deliberate steps with outcomes to help individuals achieve their short- and long-term career goals
- Conflict management: the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts sensibly, fairly, and efficiently
- Co-op education: a special program offered by a college/university in which students alternate work and study, usually spending a number of weeks in full-time study and a number in full-time employment away from the campus
- Experiential learning: learning that takes place when a student directly participates in experiences designed for a learning purpose; takes place both inside and outside of the classroom, and involves reflection as well as action
- Hidden job market: employment opportunities that aren’t posted through traditional channels, but rather arise because of a person’s connections and relationships
- Informational interview: a short appointment where you learn about an employer, or a specific role, from someone already established in the field
- Internship: short-term, supervised work experience in a student’s field of interest for which the student may earn academic credit
- Networking: creating relationships within a sector for the purpose of enhancing and developing one’s professional identity
- Organizational culture: ways of acting, values, and beliefs shared within an organization
- Personal attributes: describe what you are like as a person/employee, such as your attitude, personality type, and so on
- Practicum: practical experiences outside the classroom supported by professionals in a workplace environment
- Self-assessment: informal and formal methods of gathering information about yourself to make career decisions
- Service learning: course-based, credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in organized service that meets community needs and reflect on the service
- Technical skills: skills and knowledge required to perform specific work
- Transferable skills: skills required to perform a variety of tasks that can be transferred from one type of job to another
- Values: an individual’s ways of living and making decisions that are congruent with his or her beliefs and principles
- Volunteering: performing a service without pay in order to obtain work experience, learn new skills, meet people, contribute to community, and contribute to a cause
Exercises
- Describe the steps of career planning.
- Identify your technical and transferable skills, and personal attributes.
- Share your draft resume and cover letter with a trusted classmate, friend, or family member. What feedback do they have for you? What did you do well, and what needs improving?
- Fill in the blank: The act of creating professional relationships is referred to as [blank].
- List the ways job seekers connect to potential employment opportunities.
- Based on your career plan, identify additional training, development, and continued learning you will need for professional success.
- Define experiential learning. What are the common types of experiential learning options?
- Why is it important to understand an organization’s culture and social norms?
- What are the steps in conflict management resolution? Think back to a recent dispute you have had. How might these steps have changed the outcome?
- Pick one success story that resonates with you. What are three key things you learned from the experience you have read about?
References
Bringle, R.G., & Hatcher, J.A. (1995). A service-learning curriculum for faculty. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 2, 112-122.
Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. (2012). Organizational culture. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/organizational culture
ConnectEd. (2011). Career practicum: A work-based learning strategy. [PDF] The California Center for College and Career. Retrieved from http://www.connectedcalifornia.org/direct/files/LLAWBLCareerPracticum_FINAL_10-5-11_noLLA%20logo.pdf
ContactPoint. (2014a). Experiential learning. Retrieved from http://contactpoint.ca/wikis/experiential-learning/
ContactPoint. (2014b). Co-operative education. Retrieved from http://contactpoint.ca/wikis/co-op-education/
ContactPoint. (2014c). Internship. Retrieved from http://contactpoint.ca/wikis/internship/
Iannarino, Anthony S. (n.d.). Initiative: The ability to take action proactively. Retrieved from
http://thesalesblog.com/blog/2010/01/30/initiative-the-ability-to-take-action-proactively/
LinkBC. (2014). LinkBC roundtable 2014: Dialogue cafe. [PDF] Retrieved from http://linkbc.ca/siteFiles/85/files/2014RoundtableDialogueCafeReport.pdf
Lorenzo, G., & Ittelson, J. (2005). An overview of e-portfolios. [PDF] Educause learning initiative, 1, 1-27. Retrieved from www.case.edu/artsci/cosi/cspl/documents/eportfolio-Educausedocument.pdf
Pickerell, D.A. (2014). Work search strategies. In Blythe C. Shepard and Priya S. Mani (Eds.). Career development practice in Canada: Perspectives, principles and professionalism. Toronto, ON: Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC), p. 215. Retrieved from http://contactpoint.ca/wikis/volunteering/
Rosenberg McKay, D. (2014). About careers: Self assessment. Retrieved from http://careerplanning.about.com/od/selfassessment/g/def_selfassess.htm
Shepard, B. & Mani, P. (2013).Career development practice in Canada: Perspectives, principles and professionalism. Toronto, ON: Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counselling (CERIC).