“An absolute must-read MYTH BUSTER post for Hotel Management aspirants”

We understand that Career Selection decision after 10^th or 12^th can be a tough and tricky trail to navigate through. Misguidance in the form of haphazardly strewn career advice that is imparted instinctively by friends & relatives, peers, elders, pursuers, who’s who can make your decision making process even more counter-productive & difficult. This is where a “professional unbiased views” can come to your real rescue.

In this Blog post we DEMYSTIFY THE COMMON MYTHS that prevail in the students mind when it comes to selecting Hotel Management as a Career.

MYTH NO 1
Hospitality is Over
This one is REAL concern and has gained a strong ground especially post pandemic. Hospitality Industry truly has suffered heavily and is encountering losses like never experienced before. However, with Vaccination in progress and efforts being executed on a war footing to mitigate the pandemic. Hotel Industry slowly creeping back to normalcy. With new trends like: Staycations, Workations, Extended stays, excursions gaining ground the Industry will experience a steady rise and is estimated to be back to normal in next 2 years’ time. Other components of Hospitality Industry like Restaurants, bakeries, banquets, and catering have already diligently resumed in a full-fledged way.

MYTH NO 2
There’s no Degree only Diploma
With more streamlining of operations and regularization measures in place, specialists with specialized knowledge and skills is what Hospitality & Tourism Industry needs. This has in turn lead to proliferation of full-fledged Bachelor Degree Programs offering specialization’s in areas like Bakery & Confectionary, Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Tourism Studies and more.

Vocational Education State Boards offer 2 years equivalent Diplomas for students who have cleared their SSC. (Equivalent means after the Diploma the aspirant can directly enroll for 3 Year’s Degree without appearing for conventional HSC)

MYTH NO 3
It’s only cooking
The first image that comes in mind when you come across the term, “Hotel Management” is; a Chef wearing Chefs Cap, apron, holding a knife or a spatula. Cooking is an important part of Hotel Management but not the only part. There are other core & allied Departments within the Hotel where a candidate may launch their careers like housekeeping, front office, food and beverage, sales & marketing, finance, HR and many more…

MYTH NO 4
Careers confined only to Hotels
Rigorous training and focus on skills improvement during Graduation years coupled with intense Industrial Training makes Hotel Management Graduates employable in myriad areas within the vast Services Sector. Apart from Hotels they can work in;
- Cruise Ships
- Hospital Catering
- Food Companies
- Travel Agencies & Tour Operating Companies
- Convention & Conference Centers
- Ground Staff in Airlines
- Cabin Crew
- Day Care Center Managers
- Events Management Companies
- Food Media
And many more areas…

MYTH NO 5
We’ll get to eat the best food all the day
Society basks you in this myth and wrongly assumes you to eat the best possible food throughout the day. This is only partially true as in big Hotels there’s a separate provision for the staff food that is served in Staff Cafeteria. It is the place where all the staff including the Kitchen Staff consumes simple and nutritious meals during the shift. So, do not let this myth create unrealistic set of expectations.

MYTH N0 6
My English must be good
Knowledge of English may open and activate many gates of opportunities but having good language abilities is certainly not an Eligibility parameter or a success criterion. Often students with limited English Language Proficiency with ability to work hard, follow instructions, displaying humility and common sense march ahead and surpass their counterparts with good language abilities.

MYTH NO 7
Low Salary
“Even the Greatest were the beginners” Many seemingly trivial tasks make up the regular operations in Hospitality Industry. And they have to be executed, even if it means DIRTYING YOUR HANDS. The Post Covid salaries range may have dropped down. However with efforts on to revive the sector on a macro level the range of salaries offered has certainly picked up. Armed with a Degree and a domestic experience one can certainly pave the way for Global Careers by working abroad or improving one’s scale by working with better Brands. After all, there’s no elevator to success one has to take the stairs.

MYTH NO 8
Unskilled Sector with unskilled workers
Once Hospitality Management was confined to learning only about the operational aspects about 4 Core Departments of the Hotel. However, as sector expands the curriculum also has to keep the pace with it and therefore over the course of year’s subjects pertaining to Tourism Industry, airlines, general management, Information Technology and related aspects are now taught actively in Bachelor’s Degree. The outcome of this wholesome learning is nothing but Skilled Manpower.

MYTH NO 9
Its Earn & Learn Part Time Course
This one is totally FALSE as Learning Hospitality Management involves:
THEORY LECTURES + DAILY PRACTICAL’S + PRESENTATIONS + EVENTS + FIELD VISITS + INDUSTRIAL TRAINING. It is a course requiring Full Time dedication and commitment on the part of the learner and nothing less.

MYTH 10
Women can’t survive here
Although traditionally a male dominated area. Hospitality Industry needs people with sensitivity, grace, empathetic nature and patience. Women naturally display these qualities and therefore have many opportunities in the sector. Women now occupy and continue to occupy coveted positions and designations in Hospitality Industry.

 - Prof Shree Patki
Dept. of Hospitality Studies