Here’s Why Hospitality Makes For A Good Career, Not Just A Side Job

Good ol’ hospo. It’s an industry most of us have had at least a little experience in, whether it was a short-lived stint at the local Maccas or the year you slept through the days and poured beers at the pub all night. Most of us consider hospitality as a good way to make dosh for our gap years or while we’re studying at uni, but as something we’ll eventually move away from when we land a "real career"...

Since when did hospitality not become a “real career”?? Sure, I’ll admit there are a few downsides that come with the territory (sore feet and surly customers for sure). But you can’t deny that there are some red hot perks to working in the hospitality industry. Meeting people from all over the world, working in an energetic and lively atmosphere, and having pretty limitless job growth are all on the bonus-list of a career in hospitality.

But by far and wide the biggest bonus of this industry is that it exists literally everywhere. The world needs hospo workers in every corner of the globe, from the fanciest hotels in Paris to the dingiest bars hidden in the Thai jungle. This means that you can take your hospitality job practically anywhere you want. I have one mate working in a vegan cafe in Berlin, and another is a restaurant manager In Queenstown. Hospo really can take you anywhere. 

Not only can you travel the world with hospo, it also offers a rapid career progression and diverse opportunities. From front-of-house positions like bartending, waitstaff, and concierge services to behind-the-scenes roles such as hotel management, event planning, and culinary arts, there's room up the wazoo for growth. A tonne of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders started their careers in hospo, honing skills in customer service, leadership, and problem-solving that are soooo transferable to other industries. 

With the emergence of trends like sustainable tourism, culinary innovation, and technological advancements, hospo is a growing industry that can keep you on your toes. And look, if you'd rather bang your head against the wall than wear a blazer whilst typing in numbers to excel in a bland office, hospo will keep you interested.

There’s so much more to hospitality than just tending bar, and there’s a world of growth available to those keen to chase it. Who knows, you could go from managing a local hotel to working for the Hilton, or from cooking in the fish n chip shop to owning your own chain of restaurants.