What to do with a Degree in Hospitality, Leisure, Retail and Tourism

Graduated successfully? Congratulations! Earning our own degree is a wonderful feeling.  Holding the course completion certificate of our degree is that one magical moment that all of us wait for in our lives. So, what’s next? The immediate thought that comes to our minds is to bag the perfect job. There are umpteen jobs out there waiting for you. As we know, the more the choice, the more the confusion. But no worries! This article will throw light on the choice of jobs to land yourself in with a degree in Hospitality, Leisure, Retail and Tourism.

Hospitality sector

It is one of the fastest-growing industries. Graduates with a thorough knowledge of the subject are the most sought-after. This degree allows graduates to combine theory with practice and creates avenues for gaining the best hands-on experience. It instills qualities such as interpersonal, leadership and delegation skills, problem-solving, organizing and working within teams. Also, graduates who already possess these qualities need not think twice about shining in their careers.

The job opportunities available are:

• Accommodation and catering operations
• Customer care/ customer service management
• Event management
• Hotel, restaurant and catering managers
• Public house manager
• Fast food space managers
• Human resources officer

It would be better to choose a Hospitality degree which offers industrial placement which helps put academic learning into practice. This is helpful to improve your job skills and prove your capabilities to your employers.

The best places to apply for jobs are hotels, travel and tourism industry, fast food centers and catering colleges. The other option one can consider is self-employment. For that, the three things you need to equip yourself with are: experience, business sense and a sound plan.

The general skills that employers look for are:

• Analytical and critical skills
• IT skills to collect, analyze and present information in spreadsheets and databases
• Written communication skills for report writing
• Negotiation skills while working on both individual and group projects
• Friendly outgoing nature
• Good networking skills

Tourism sector

A degree in tourism provides vocational training and helps develop strong communication and business management skills. This sector comprises of many different industries and sub-industries which include tour operators, tourist boards, retail travel, passenger transport such as aviation, rail and waterways and visitor attractions such as zoos, parks, museums, theme parks and heritage sites.

The various job options are:

• Tour manager
• Tourism officer
• Holiday representative
• Information center manager- Tourism
• Travel agency manager
• Customer service manager
• Event organiser
• Hotel manager
• Marketing executive
• Outdoor event manager
• Tourist guide operator

Graduates looking for a job in this sector can associate themselves with hostels, holiday parks, hotels and tourism companies. A degree in tourism provides knowledge about products, structures and operations within the tourism industry which aid in delving deeper into information about airlines, hotels, tour operators and tourist boards.

You will be the most preferred candidate if you possess these qualities:

• Communication skills with a focus on customer service
• Presentation skills
• Team work
• Ability to manage deadlines

Graduates can also opt for volunteering, internships or specific in-house training projects within an emphasis on management skills and areas such as heritage, rural development, sustainability and eco-tourism.

Leisure Industry

This sector has numerous, highly varying jobs. This sector focuses primarily on people, customer service and hospitality. A perfect candidate needs to have skills such as effective communication and people skills, ability to juggle multiple tasks, face challenges, ability to think on their feet, manage pressures calmly and efficiently and make sure customers are enjoying their holidays and trips.

Careers in the Leisure Industry Include:

• Managing a sports center or a luxury hotel
• Organizing adventure holidays
• Logistics management for exhibitions and fairs
• Leisure and tourism marketer
• Attraction manager
• Hospitality manager

Retail Industry

A career in retail management involves interactions right from the sales floor up to the highest corporate level. An employee in this field is responsible for overseeing the products, sales team, customer support and visual presentations and ensuring smooth functioning of the day-to-day details of the store which involves proper opening and closing of the Retail space and taking stock of inventory.

Working in a retail environment can be a little stressful as we have to work keeping in mind that’ Customer is the king and that he is always right.’ The qualities that are required to shine in this industry are:

• Cheerfulness
• Sociability
• Effective communication
• Efficient listening skills
• Being abreast of latest product trends and advancements
• Strong analytical skills

The types of jobs that graduates can land in are:

• Merchandising representative
• Pricing and signing coordinator
• Assistant store manager
• Control buyer
• Store manager
• Merchandise planner
• Division merchandising manager
• District manager
• Store director

Apart from the jobs mentioned above, there are more positions that employers are looking to fill. So make sure to do your research as well while applying for jobs related to your degree.

Good luck with your job search!