6 harmful misconceptions of Hotel and Restaurant Management students.

Vietnam's tourism industry is booming, with an increasing number of tourists, leading to a huge demand for restaurant and hotel staff. However, the reality of high demand and insufficient supply persists in this service sector. So what are the reasons behind this situation? What are the consequences? 

 

See more:

• Comparing Hotel Management and Tourism Management
• Hotel Management
• A conversation with a second-year student majoring in restaurant and hotel management.

What are the reasons behind the current situation of "...supply shortage" in the hotel and restaurant management industry?

The obvious potential for job opportunities in the hotel and restaurant industry is undeniable, with thousands of job postings daily for various positions and levels, such as restaurant servers, receptionists, housekeeping staff, bellmen, doormen, restaurant managers, housekeeping supervisors, hotel directors, etc., widely published on specialized job recruitment websites.

However, demand is high but supply is always insufficient, while the enrollment quotas for restaurant and hotel service industries are very large each year, not to mention applicants from unrelated fields, unskilled laborers, etc. So what are the reasons behind this situation?

• At universities and colleges, most students receive a heavily theoretical education, often spending their first year solely on general subjects without sufficient time or opportunity for practical application. Furthermore, lecturers often lack practical knowledge and experience to share with students, painting a rosy picture of career prospects after graduation without building a foundation of understanding about career advancement paths.
• Despite having high-level psychology degrees, many graduates end up working as employees (janitors, waiters, doormen, etc.), leading to shock, discouragement, and, of course, a significant number drop out midway through their careers.
• Candidates who are from unrelated fields and are unskilled laborers, although they may meet the recruitment criteria for certain positions, often lack sufficient knowledge and skills during their probationary period, failing to meet job requirements and negatively impacting the overall work progress of the team. As a result, a large number of probationary employees are dismissed after a few months.

Ignoring candidates from unrelated fields and unskilled laborers, this article focuses solely on students majoring in Hospitality and Restaurant Management… Naturally, this results in harmful misconceptions about job opportunities after graduation for the majority of students.

What are some harmful misconceptions that Hotel and Restaurant Management students have about job opportunities after graduation?

1. Is having a university degree enough to get a job?

Many students still have misconceptions about their job prospects after graduation. They believe that having a degree and formal training will give them an advantage over other applicants who are unskilled laborers, making it easier to get a job, especially in specialized positions like receptionist. However, when hiring, many employers don't place too much emphasis on degrees or qualifications; they value attitude and experience, and this is especially true in the hotel and restaurant industry. In that case, a degree is merely a supplementary factor to add to your job application.

2. Does graduating from university mean you won't be an "employee"?

The jobs here are physically demanding, requiring good health and physical activity, such as housekeeping, serving, bellman, public area cleaning… these are jobs for people without qualifications; they haven't received proper education, which is why they have to do these strenuous tasks. This is a harmful misconception that the majority of students currently hold, or, in teenage slang, they are experiencing "delusions of grandeur." It's true that with a bachelor's or college degree, you will have more opportunities for advancement and faster progress than those less fortunate because you are more dynamic, have a good theoretical knowledge base, learn quickly, have correct understanding, and adapt to the job more easily if you truly strive. However, in any profession, to reach a management level and manage effectively, you must have experience, which can only be accumulated starting from an entry-level position.

3. Does studying management mean you have to become a manager right away?

Universities and colleges offering Hotel Management and Tourism Management programs often point to job opportunities after graduation as managerial positions. They forget or ignore the inevitable career progression: one should start as an employee. Furthermore, the misconception that graduating from a prestigious school with honors automatically guarantees a correspondingly high starting position leads students to make inaccurate choices about their future careers. In addition, poor professional skills and weak foreign language abilities are major obstacles preventing candidates from applying to professional, large-scale hotels and restaurants where they can learn, train, improve themselves, and seek career advancement opportunities.

4. Is it only impressive to apply for top-tier positions?

When applying for jobs, many hotel and restaurant management graduates focus solely on management and supervisory positions, believing they possess sufficient knowledge, skills, and expertise to apply to real-world work. Wrong! Theory is one thing, but its effectiveness in practice depends on the specific situation. While the lessons and experiences shared by your lecturers, or your part-time work experiences as a student, might not be entirely accurate, they may not be suitable for this particular situation. Don't be tempted by impressive-sounding titles like "restaurant manager" or "front desk head" and apply for unsuitable positions. Assess your own capabilities and start with the most deserving position!

5. Do what you've learned?

Of course, anyone who has spent years studying a particular field would want to work in a job related to what they've learned. However, as a specialized industry focused on customer service, you may have the opportunity to work and gain experience in many positions across various departments if you meet the job requirements, especially now that hotels and restaurants are adopting cross-training programs.

6. Attitude doesn't matter, skills do.

Many young people, relying on their high school education, excellent grades, and previous internships at 4-5 star hotels, exhibit arrogance, a lack of goodwill, and unprofessionalism when working in a new environment where they are fully responsible for their actions instead of receiving the support and consideration they received as interns. Arriving late, leaving early, losing control of emotions when guests speak harshly, arguing with guests, or being bossy towards colleagues and managers are all unacceptable behaviors in the service industry. Poor professional qualities (from demeanor to work attitude) are the main reason why many young people are quickly dismissed from the profession.

This shows that the service industry isn't picky about who you are, but it's only suitable for those with a dedicated heart. Every day, you have to serve dozens, even hundreds, of "customers" from many countries, cultures, social classes, and even with diverse personalities and attitudes, which significantly impacts the emotions of the staff. Only when you love and are passionate about the job will you be willing to set aside your ego, easily offended and angered, to integrate into the team serving customers for their satisfaction and the common business goals; especially for new employees after a long period of contemplating the profession in school.

Hotel Management Program at Viet My College

Programme Hotel Management in Viet My College Pursuing a modern training philosophy, the school aims to help learners apply their knowledge to real-world situations. The school focuses on both professional skills in reception, restaurant service, housekeeping, food preparation, and bartending, with up to 70 minutes of practical training per program, and equips students with essential soft skills such as presentation, teamwork, problem-solving, goal setting, emotional control, and professional development. English,...Thanks to this, each student will confidently and steadily enter the labor market and confidently meet the demanding requirements of domestic and international businesses.

The dedicated faculty at Viet My College consists of individuals with many years of practical experience and training in countries such as the UK, Australia, the USA, Switzerland, Canada, and Singapore. They will not only help students build a solid career foundation but also provide ongoing support and guidance for their chosen career development.

Source: Hoteljob

Detailed information about American Polytechnic College (APC):

Zhongshan Campus:

• Address: Numbers 5-7-9-11, Street No. 4, Trung Son Residential Area, Ho Chi Minh City
• Phone: (028) 5433 6888
• Hotline: 0938 90 5050 | 090 2858 550

Go Vap branch:

• Address: 1A Nguyen Van Luong Street, Ward 6, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Phone: (028) 7302 5888

Cu Chi branch:

• Address: 83A Bui Thi He Street, Ward 1, Cu Chi Town, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Phone: (028) 3636 4983

Can Tho branch

• Address: 135P Tran Hung Dao Street, An Phu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
• Phone: (0292) 3832 045
• Hotline: 0937 910 212

Training programs/fields of study:

UK INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE SYSTEM:

• BTEC HND in Hospitality Management (Hotel Management)
• BTEC HND in Business (HRM – Human Resource Management)
• BTEC HND in Business (Marketing)
• BTEC HND in Business (Accounting and Finance)
• BTEC HND in Art and Design

REGULAR COLLEGE PROGRAM:

• Management group
• Translation and Interpretation Group
• Information Technology Sector 
• Healthcare sector
• Design field

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E-mail:

• Admissions Office: info@caodangvietmy.edu.vn
• Training Department: phongdaotao@caodangvietmy.edu.vn
• Student Services Office: dichvusinhvien@caodangvietmy.edu.vn

Author: Viet My College - Date written: June 7, 2019

Category: Hotel and restaurant management, News - Events, Uncategorized

Tags: APC, Viet My College, HOTEL, RESTAURANT