WE ❤️ HOSPITALITY - Simon Browning

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?

My parents ran a small hotel in Berkeley, Gloucestershire so I was born into the business. I remember helping out from an early age and bottling up for pocket money as a 13-year-old. There really wasn’t any conscious alternative other than to follow in the family footsteps. 

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

No. The industry welcomes everyone from whatever background or work experience. The best attributes people can bring is a love of working as a team and a natural desire to want to help people enjoy themselves. Skills can be trained but if someone has a natural disposition to delivering great service and looking after others, that can get you a long way.

Which leader / figure inspired you and why?

My father. He took huge pride in running a small but successful business. The bars within the hotel were the hub of the town and he genuinely enjoyed what he did. I saw from an early age that the hours were long, but he loved it and that enthusiasm stuck with me.

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

I’ve held a variety of roles, so my working life has always been interesting. There’s always constant change in the industry, new concepts, new challenges and new experiences to be had so you’re never bored. I’ve also been fortunate enough to work for some incredibly talented people and successful businesses. 

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

I’ve always had more of a coaching style so I’m more suited to sharing experiences and giving honest feedback to those that want to improve. The majority of my employed working life has been with American companies and I’ve found that their training methods for service and service culture are hard to beat. 

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

The industry has a vast array of job roles across thousands of different types of businesses requiring different skill sets and personality types. Find a business, brand, sector that you closely associate with, would be proud to work for and approach them.  On landing any role work hard, work smart, have fun.

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

I always had the itch to run my own business and follow in my father’s footsteps which i eventually did and that’s the space I enjoy. I love start-ups and fast-growing businesses. I love challenge and positive change. I love creating new business development, solving problems and creating positive action. So maybe only to recognise that earlier.

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