WE ❤️ HOSPITALITY - Jill Whittaker

The last year has been terrible for the hospitality sector. Most businesses have seen extreme financial challenges and its reputation as an employer has been severely affected. We are now hearing from many, many of our clients about their fears for the future from staff shortages to skills gaps and top mid-senior talent moving to other sectors.

Krishnan Doyle is sharing his conversations with service industry leaders and operators on all that is good about hospitality & catering with the purpose to improve the sector's reputation as one of the largest employer worldwide but also as a great place to develop your career. 

How did you get into hospitality?

when I was fifteen, I began working at The Belfry as a server (back when we were called waitresses). I carried on working there until I was 24 and went to work in Bermuda. I've travelled a lot, and wherever I found myself I always found hospitality work, whether it was a few shifts behind a bar or a whole year in a hotel doing every job from housekeeper to cook.

Do you think it is important to have studied hospitality to be a success in the sector?

I think the most important attributes are an open mind, a love of people and a strong work ethic. Without those in the beginning there's no training in the world that will make you great hospitality practitioner. That said, this industry has an excellent legacy of skills development for its staff which is probably why retailers are always pinching them!

Which leader / figure inspired you and why?

I'm lucky to have met many inspiring people in my career, from leaders of extraordinary businesses to service staff who care hugely about the experience of their customers. My chairman, John, has been passionate about the industry all his life (which is a long time!) and he has been a great inspiration to me. He was awarded a CBE for services to education in hospitality a few years ago, it's well deserved as he has been a great advocate for the sector for over fifty years.

What keeps you in the sector and why to you enjoy working in it?

Hospitality people are just great to work with - hard working, fun loving and caring.

Tell us about the development / training that you give to your teams and management

We practice what we preach at HIT, and all of our staff come from the sector and are then trained to become tutors, quality assurers, managers - you name it! We have HIT people on training schemes from short courses in first aid for mental health all the way through to two-year Masters degree apprenticeship programmes. As Richard Branson said, train you staff so that everyone wants to employ them, treat them so they only want to work for you (or something like that) :)

What advice would you give to those starting out in the sector?

It's going to be hard work but that the rewards are great, there is so much opportunity and you will have a ball. Commit 100% and you'll be repaid many times.

If you could go back and tell yourself one piece of advice as you started your career, what would it be?

If you surround yourself with people who think the same as you and who you agree with you won't learn much. 

If you would like to take part as a leader in this thriving sector, get in touch with Krishnan (krishnan@corecruitment.com)