If you value customer service and want to organize accommodation or develop relationships; then you may have decided to pursue a career in hospitality. Individuals sometimes struggle to land their dream job, but a hospitality internship can be what helps bridge the gap! You may have heard that internships do not lead to a full-time job or are not worth your time; but according to the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) referring to its survey report on internships and cooperatives of 2021, the conversion rate of internships into full-time employment rose to 66.4% during of the last year

It has been emphasized that the traineeships also provide valuable talking points for future interviews; whether paid or unpaid, temporary or leading to permanent employment. No matter how you view your situation, an internship opportunity will likely enrich your professional career in many ways!

1. What Does a Hospitality Internship Entail? 

Hospitality careers and internships vary widely depending on the company you work for. Since there are many options for what a hospitality job could be like, an internship could help you determine if you would like to work in the hospitality industry.

Some common job titles/skillsets in the hospitality industry include:

Hotel management / support-supervision capacity, employee supervision
Clerical/administrative positions - strong customer service skills and organizational skills
Event planner - organizational and multitasking skills, ensuring events run seamlessly
Travel or booking agent skills - Organizational and clerical skills, nurturing relationships with consumers
Group sales manager - financial responsibility, accounting

While you cannot start a hospitality internship with any of the positions listed above or perform these functions, you can expect to at least be a support staff member for someone in one of these positions. posts. As always, be sure to carefully review job descriptions before committing to a position, but also keep in mind that you are entering this position to learn, not to be the master!

2. Building Your Resume

With any job, the resume you present to the hiring staff is going to determine if you are even considered for an interview, and any resume that lacks job experience is weak. Unpaid internships are considered work experience. It’s like a college student buying his or her way in to get a job at this stage.  and if you have not worked any positions within this field then you should consider pursuing an internship opportunity! This work experience allows you to refer to instances you encountered during the time spent interning to demonstrate your working knowledge and skills for the position. 

It is helpful to keep in mind that interning with smaller companies may not lead to a paid internship due to budgeting, but you may get the opportunity to be more readily recognized and provided the opportunity for more specialized projects. This valuable work experience simply cannot be replaced, and lacking this component of your resume is detrimental. 

3. Boost Your Chances for Hire!

Your internship is an opportunity to show your skills and your enhanced work ethic supervisor, who could potentially be the person who will assess your performance for a future permanent hiring decision. If you do the bare minimum during an internship, the employer will not be interested in investing in you as a permanent member of their team. Practice exceptional time management, show a real interest in learning the job well and look for opportunities to acquire additional tasks.

While we've already established how an internship provides work experience to enhance your resume, your chances of being hired can be increased with an open discussion with your supervisor to establish your intentions for the position. Even if your supervisor categorically determines that permanent employment is not an option, you are still networking by showing that initiative and your interest in your next career change. Networking is key to establishing the professional credentials needed to apply for future jobs and to be informed and considered for job postings.

3. How to Obtain an Internship

The current global pandemic may make you nervous about partaking or even skeptical that you can obtain an internship at this time, because how do you obtain hospitality positions through heightened unemployment rates and social distancing? Fortunately, there are resources to assist in obtaining virtual internship opportunities! How to Land an Internship post shows the necessary insight on obtaining virtual internships, such as how to locate companies looking to hire virtual interns and preparing for interviews by downloading the proper video software ahead of time. These helpful tips should ease your anxieties revolving around interning during our uncertain climate. 

Just like with a traditional in-person position, it is beneficial to evaluate your job/intern search skills through services at career centers or reviewing career guide resources, such as those that can be found in University or College websites. These same skills and advice translate well from traditional positions to virtual opportunities!

Lastly, while hospitality internships can be plentiful, finding a position in a well-known brand can be somewhat of a challenge without the right help. In an industry like hospitality, having a recognizable brand on your CV can launch your career further than you could ever imagine! That is why Hospitality Academy partners with some of the most recognizable names in hospitality!

That's why Hospitality Academy is partnering with some of the most recognizable names in the hospitality industry to help students gain work experience through paid internships and ready-to-go degrees! Apply now to launch your career with the perfect internship!

About the Author: Kimberly Sutherford is a writer and content creator from Gadsden, Alabama. She writes about careers in particular, about internships to help students in their career search.