Why Hospitality?

When I was about to graduate from high school, I wasn't sure what I wanted to study. I knew I loved helping people, connecting, and building relationships, so, during my search, I attended a cooking class at a new culinary institute that had just opened.  

I loved it! 

That was my first approach to the service industry. I did, however, thought of being stuck in a kitchen my whole life, and I realized it wasn't for me, so I decided to find something else that would be similar. I found hospitality.

I chose the oldest and most prestigious college for a hospitality management degree. I liked the fact that it offered three internships during their 4-year curriculum. 

At the end of my first school year, I was lucky to get an internship at the Santiago Marriott Hotel, and if I wasn't sold on my career choice before, here is when I realized that hospitality was my passion. It has inspired me beyond measure.

I rotated between being an At Your Service runner; a business center clerk, and an executive lounge clerk. I had so many beautiful interactions, the opportunity to go the extra mile for two families in need, and plenty of learning moments. I fell in love with Marriott's culture, and even though no place is perfect, the guests and associates made it all worth it. I loved it so much that I decided to continue working part-time during my summer break, even if that meant having crazy schedules and practically no vacation time.

Fast forward a few years, I graduated from school and went back to Marriott, this time to work full-time in the sales department. The culture hadn't changed at all, and it's been the best workplace culture I've experienced in my career so far. I am very grateful to my former colleagues for all the good times and learning experiences I had.

Now, here in the United States, after several weeks of being furloughed due to Covid-19, I picked up the book "Start with Why" from Simon Sinek. 

It made me reflect on my reasoning for choosing hospitality as my career. 

I realized I love serving, treating people right, making them feel welcome. Everywhere I go, I'm looking for service excellence, for that smile, the warmth. I dream about helping owners provide the best service and improving customers' experience all over.  

The best thing that I've learned about hospitality is that you can extrapolate its essence to every industry, and if you do it well, customer satisfaction and loyalty are guaranteed.

 I can't wait to start working again because doing what you love every day feels like you're not working at all.