THE ACCIDENTAL PROFESSIONAL-BY: DR. KAVIRAJ KHIALANI.
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A real-time check on to be or not to be!!!
The word accidental is quite a touching one and has been through our mind and system a couple of times earlier as well. The fact of the matter is that our industry is a highly performance oriented one which calls for not just physical fitness, grooming standards, language barriers, unexpected expectations of guests, clients and more. What needs to be looked at is the passionate uncompromising attitude and a willingness to make a difference.
My own experience of 25 years now has been a real to eye witness of some people who passed ways, crossed lanes and stayed on the same platforms etc who in my opinion were a complete mis fit as a part of the hospitality & culinary operations. Looking back two and a half decades things and time was so very different and diverse.it was never easy to start anything new and being a part of a new system always has its pros and cons. Being a people’s profession here we are expected to have next levels of patience factor, understanding nature and humility with empathy towards one another.
Over the years, we have observed that people who wish to attain success and be known in this industry have somewhere been influenced by a number of things and not to forget social media. Today if you ask someone like a aspiring culinary professional, what is your aim in the next 3 years approx. in the industry the reply would be-a sous chef or a head chef with a branded property with several perks and benefits! I do not wish to anyway turn down the motivated candidate but after having a healthy discussion with my fellow colleagues, chefs and hoteliers, human resource managers etc we somehow did not feel very convinced with the reply. Though it does depend on performance, appraisals all through the way and hotel expectations etc a candidate must also realise and be a little wiser in giving replies in order to get the conversation going ahead and be able to lead to a starting point correctly matched, well valued and perfectly gauged.
Here are a few points which one must keep in mind when it comes to making a successful & promising career in the hospitality industry.
BE GROUNDED IN YOUR ASPIRING AIMS: fresh aspiring to be professionals graduating from esteemed hospitality management institutions across the country should always keep in mind that achieving success is not an overnight task, it is a process which takes its own due course of time. Hence let us not try to look for short cuts and jumping the ladder up strategies.
BE REALISTIC IN WHAT YOU EXPECT: It has been observed that fresh graduates in today’s times are a little not too sure of how and where they wish to start their career. At times they get through a particular hotel and are still not satisfied with the offer letter since they heard something unpleasant from somewhere about the place etc. also do not confuse yourself with multiple offer letters to start your first job. Be wise!
PEER ADVICE - NOT THE BEST ADVICE: Students today feel more comfortable in picking on advice and help from peers and they feel that that is the best way to get the replies to their confusions and queries. Experience is the key and which should not be ignored. Nothing can beat experience of a person hence make a better choice on whom to go up to and get the support.
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT – DOUBLE CHECK: Since I come from the classic era when we didn’t have social media etc it was a different world all together for us. We did better quality reading in studies, spending time in the libraries making notes and getting our queries resolved by our valued teachers who were everything to us in helping us shape our careers. We would not hesitate to walk up to them with a bunch of questions to get the real answers etc same way social media can be a good platform to get your replies but one should connect with experienced people as well.
VOICE YOUR QUERIES IN ADVANCE: To some graduating students the real world and hotel industry seems like a new training centre, where they will go daily and sit down in a classroom and ppt shows will be presented etc. the industry on the other hand has ever since been clear that we need people who are tough, and can withstand pressure and carry out tasks effectively. This gap needs to be filled up perfectly well in order to have a smooth flow as a part of the industry. Ask questions, clarify your doubts, reach out to us and check with us with are the possibilities etc before taking the leap.
FOCUS ON THE FEASIBILITY & NOT FEAR: Students across the country have been reaching out to me over the years now and some of the most commonly put-up queries include that what is the scope for growth in the industry? What is the possibility or being stable? Are there chances that we can be asked to leave after a set tenure or so? What if I don’t get the desired results from my work place after I complete my 1 year or probation period etc. My reply to all the above has been the same which says keep your focus on your goal and not in short term visions. You need to do your best every single day at work and prove your abilities, skills & talent to the people there. If one can see that you are a good performer why would a hotel or a company want to lose an asset?
GIVE YOUR 100 PERCENT ALWAYS: easy to say this line and motivate everyone around but yes that’s how it is. One needs to be self-motivated in our industry. You cannot keep waiting for someone in the team, seniors etc be there when you want and praise you every hour, day and week. Trainers and human resource professionals too shared the same with me when it comes from the industry perspective, you have to keep some part of your personal life on the side and offer your services without hindrances and distractions in order to achieve the motto of the hotel or property from revenue generation to customer satisfaction!
DO NOT TAKE CRITICISM TO HEART: Feedback and Criticism are 2 elements which should be taken on a very constructive note and for self-improvement. The very fact that we as humans are not perfect at all we need to be open to ideas, views and opinions for doing better not just at our place of work being our dharma which should create good karma but also in our personal life as well. There are good days & bad days in the lives of everyone but with a little calm, cool and composed mindset we can conquer all such negativities and turn them into positive energy and use it to the best of our capacities.
CHANGE IS ALL THAT IS CONSTANT- ACCEPT IT: A simple line to write and share but ends up complicating a lot of people and their careers. It is important to self- introspect on the word Change! It is imperative, can’t be avoided, cannot be escaped from and is not worth going against. In a highly unpredictable world in which we are living today, we cannot guarantee what is going to happen the next minute or day or week hence it is for us to think practical and go with the flow at times and do not complain against the odds and evens which are not matching your horoscope or stars. We all have come up in our life accepting change as it sees the good and betterment for us.
IT IS OK NOT TO BE OK SOMETIMES: Each one of us is ultimately a human being and there are times in our life when situations and roleplays fall out in such a way that we start struggling in between the mind and the heart. Both of them have a different frequency and therefore it is not necessary that it has to be always a bingo or agree factor. There are days when we just want to pull back a little bit, take a break from our highly physically and mentally strenuous professional life, taking a break or a leave is no crime! But the fact of the matter remains about the proper timing & feasibility which would not affect the work and the organisation on the whole. Balance is the word and make sure that you don’t shift your focus from work and in the bargain the no of days not worked ratio exceeds no of days worked.
On a Concluding Note: Every industry and profession have a few pre-requisites and attributes which a candidate must possess before entering into it and it also happens at times that our mind and heart might agree on it but the real-world rejects. It is very close to the quote Man proposes- God disposes! All of us must do a proper homework- research and speak to experienced people before taking up a highly competitive, challenging & glamourous profession of which we at times only witness the front picture and not the hard work that goes behind to make it happen!
