WE ❤️ HOSPITALITY - Kamal Mahamdallie

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? 

By chance, I went for a job at Compass Group selling corporate boxes for Sporting Events as a temp cover, the person who I was covering never returned and I fitted in so well they offered me a full-time position...and the rest is history

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

When I started in the industry, I didn't have any formal hospitality qualifications, although I have been constantly doing online courses to improve my knowledge and continue to my own personal development.

Which leader / figure inspired you and why? 

I love the story of the Wright Brothers (who invented the first Aeroplane) they had no formal qualifications, very little money and very small but loyal team and were up against far richer, influential better educated rivals - They achieved what no-one else could...and changed the world 

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

The sheer diversity, every day is different and the great thing about being in experiential hospitality is that our goal is for the customer to have as much fun as possible, and putting fun into people’s lives is an extremely rewarding thing to do

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

I think the cornerstone to any development program is firstly ensuring the person/people feel safe and supported in their role and feel comfortable and passionate to share ideas and contribute to the business. From then on, it's an ongoing development program helping them to learn new skills and develop their confidence. Skills can be taught, personality and passion cannot.

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

It's a wonderful industry to work in and every day will be a challenge. Expect to work hard and long hours at a moment’s notice, yet the rewards are worth all the effort you put in makes it all worthwhile. Also help, support and respect your peers - The team contribution will always far outweigh that of any individual  

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

Find what you love doing and give everything you've got to make it a success and you never know what opportunities will be presented to you on your journey 

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