The hospitality industry has become increasingly popular over the last two decades and as recent as the 1980s, there were only a handful of respectful hotel management programs in the country.

Depending upon what part of the country you were in and your budget, programs such as Cornell, UNLV, and Widener University were rated among the top in the country.

However, over the last few decades, more high-profile schools have put a major emphasis on this program, with schools like Purdue, Penn State, and Delaware University now regularly mentioned as being among the top programs in the country.

So Much Competition in the Hospitality Industry

With more competition than ever upon graduating, aspiring hospitality managers need to not only separate themselves from other candidates during the recruiting process, but they also need to make sure they are able to produce results as soon as they arrive on property. Here are just a few ways to make sure that happens:

Know Your Track – in the early stages of your education, you will be presented with basic information about the various aspects of hotel management both within a property as well as the corporate aspect of the industry. Try to identify as early as possible where you want to land so you can focus your elective classes in this area as well as secure an internship that will reflect your career path.

Choosing the Right Internship – most respectable hospitality programs require an internship, which offers you an incredible opportunity. You can use this internship to develop your skills in a particular area. Point being, don’t necessarily take an internship to work at a specific property if the internship has nothing at all to do with the specialty you hope to pursue once you graduate. Regarding the internship itself, make sure you put a full effort forward every day, especially if you have an interest in working at that property after graduating.

Study Abroad – taking a semester abroad should not be treated like a vacation. If you happen to be lucky enough to study abroad, you have the opportunity to study hospitality in areas that are some of the most attractive destinations in the world, such as France and the Mediterranean. If you plan on working at a property like the Four Seasons, which attracts a significant number of international travelers, it will surely give you a leg up on the competition.

Start Building a Network Early – it is never too early to start networking in this industry. Develop relationships with your fellow students as well as any professionals you meet throughout your education. Most schools will invite guest speakers and there are usually opportunities available within clubs and special events to network further. Every contact you make and develop could lead to a job opportunity at some point in the future.

Are you struggling to find your ideal job? Have you ever considered using a hotel recruiter like JDI? Joseph David International is regularly ranked as one of the top hospitality recruiters in the entire country because we work hard to find the ideal match between candidate and opportunity. For more information about our hotel recruiting services for candidates, please click here.