3.1 Introduction
A large percentage of people that
work within the travel and tourism industry will go on to have a successful and
long career even though it may not involve doing the exact same job throughout
the years.This is because of the range of positions and
possible jobs that you can be involved in no matter what your own personal
skills are at the outset. The number of directions in which your career can go
is rather impressive and, to be honest, there is probably no other industry
like this one for that very reason.
3.2 Getting Started in the Industry
Let's begin the discussion about
career development within the industry by looking at how you get into the
industry in the first place.We mentioned this briefly in the
first module but it is important to do a quick recap. Technically speaking,
there can often be no set qualifications required in order to work in certain
aspects of the travel and tourism industry. However, if you want to get on and
build a career, then having the knowledge that a course such as this one
provides will certainly make it easier for you to progress and move into
different jobs, potentially around the world.
Getting started in this industry
is pretty much like so many others in that you have to be prepared to start at
the bottom and work your way up as you gather together a lot more experience.
However, this is certainly not something that should put you off going and
launching yourself into
this industry, due to the number of directions in which your career is
able to go.
In order to provide you with some
kind of an insight into what is possible, we can look at the following scenario
as a potential career path for you to follow.
You look at the industry and
select the part you wish to work in.
This is clearly the first step as
you should understand the area you are going to work in, or have an interest
in. Take your time to study the industry and what is expected of you before you
take things any further. Thanks to the information that you will pick up from
this course, it will certainly make it easier for you to move onto the next
step, which is getting involved in the industry itself.
You check the entry requirements.
The next step is to get to grips
with the entry requirements for the position or industry you are looking at. As
long as you are not trying to move into something too specialised, then you
will find that a general diploma such as this will be more than enough.
However, it is worth looking to see if you require any special license in order
to work in a certain area, as this can certainly be the case in some countries
if you are looking at working as a tour guide for example.
Develop your skills.
When you are checking out what is
required to work in your chosen industry it is important for you to get to
grips with the skills that you are expected to have in order to be a success.
This is the point where you need to be honest with yourself and decide if they
are skills that you already have or if you need to put in more work to develop
them. It is better for you to just hold back for a short period of time to
determine if you do indeed have the correct skill set rather than to simply
start applying for positions and then wondering why you are getting knocked
back.
Be prepared to start at the
bottom.
No matter the qualifications or
skills that you may have at your disposal, you must still be willing to start
at the bottom even if you plan on fast tracking yourself up the career ladder.
This is because you need to learn the basics of the industry, which now often
includes computer software, so you can provide the best possible service to
your customers. You do not have to spend
too much time thinking about how long you are going to
stay on that part of the career ladder as that depends on your determination.
Be prepared to specialise.
Once you have got your foot in
the door, it is important that you then show that you are willing to continue
to work to improve yourself as that is the only way in which you will be able
to progress in what is actually a very tough market. If you stay the same and
do not seek to improve your knowledge of the industry, then how can you expect
to make any progress?
In other words, to get your foot
in the door of the travel and tourism industry you are going to have to
understand the skills that are required for your position, along with a desire
to start at the bottom and learn the ropes. If you think that you are going to
walk into a managerial position just because you have been a manager elsewhere,
then you are more than likely going to be disappointed as there is so much to
learn before you will be deemed capable enough to cope with the pressures that
this kind of position will bestow upon you.
3.3 The Potential Directions your Career Can Go
Next, if we presume that you have
got your foot in the industry door, or at least know where you are going to
start your career, and then we have to look at what the possibilities are going
to be that could potentially propel your career and prolong it for the rest of
your working life.
It is first of all worth remembering that
there is no need for you to just work within one type of job and sector of the
industry for your entire working life. Indeed, one of the reasons why so many
people feel drawn to this industry is because of the range of options that are
available to them and that there can be real versatility in their job in
general. In other words, there is no need for you to be stuck in a 9 to 5 job
behind a desk if you really do not want that to happen.
So, if we keep that in mind, how
can your career progress and in which directions can a basic understanding of
the travel and tourism industry take you?We can go ahead and examine one
of the most common types of jobs in this industry, the travel agent.
There is no doubt that a number
of people are quite content to work as a travel agent and they are happy with
this for their entire career. However, there is so much more that you can do
just with this particular job.
You work as a travel agent.
We can begin by saying that you
are working as a travel agent and have been for some time. You have learnt the
ropes and yet you feel that you have stagnated in that position. So, you begin
to look at ways to move up the career ladder.
Understanding your options.
At this point, you need to
understand your options. Perhaps you want to move to a different travel agency,
but then that puts you at the same level as before. Alternatively, you could
seek a supervisory position or an assistant manager role and that would
certainly help you to push your career on to the next level.
Taking a new position.
The logical step is to take that
managerial or supervisory position. This will teach you more about the industry
as well as how to manage people in order to get results. At the same time, it
forces you into increasing your knowledge of the industry as a whole and this
will better prepare you for what lies ahead.
Going further with your career.
It is fair to say that a
percentage of people move to a managerial position and then they once again
feel as if they have come to a halt. What can then happen is you may wish to
move into your own business or use the skills that you have developed to move to
another part of the industry entirely.
For example
You may decide to open your own
specialist travel agency, although that does require some setting up.
Alternatively, you may decide to move abroad and work for a travel agency in
another country arranging holidays from the other end. This all depends on
where you want to go, but the most important thing is that the knowledge you
have gained from the years spent on the frontline can open a number of doors.
There are options available for
you and your career even when you have started off at the bottom of the career
ladder. The important thing is that you use that time to learn more about the
industry, the services you provide, what customers want and even things that
you have to specialise in. By doing so, you will then be able to provide a
better service and will be able to cope with the demands that are placed upon
you as you move further up the career ladder.
3.4 The Skills you need in Order to Make
Progress
When looking at the skills that
you will need in order to really progress in your career then clearly the exact
skills will vary depending on the exact sector of the industry that you are
working in.
However, there are some basic points that can
be applied no matter where you are planning on starting your career.
You must be good with people.
This is perhaps the most
important skill that you need to have at your disposal for working in any part
of this industry - there is a very real need for you to be good with people.
This is going to be a central part of the entire industry so you can understand
why we have listed it as the first skill that you need to have to work in this
industry.
You have to be able to solve
problems.
Considering the way in which you
have to constantly deal with issues that customers have, or questions that they
may have on their mind, then having the ability to solve problems is going to certainly make it easier for your
career to progress the way you want it to. An inability to know what to do when
faced with a complex problem or question is hardly going to fare well for your
chances of moving further in your career.
You need to have drive.
Nobody is ever going to be able
to make progress in their career if they do not have the drive to do so. This
is all about you working on bettering yourself and having the desire to do so.
If you are quite content to just stay in the one position, then so be it, but
with an industry that is as fast moving and as challenging as the travel and
tourism industry it is essential that you have ambition. After all, you have so
much to learn about locations, hotels, creating tours and so many other things
that you are always going to have to be willing to learn in order to get
anywhere when it comes to your career.
You have a thirst for knowledge.
We are listing having a thirst
for knowledge as its own skill because a willingness to learn is so important
that it just cannot be overlooked. Working in this industry means you are often
dealing with people and trying to set them up with their dream holiday or to
make sure that they have a perfect experience at your location or whatever it
is that you are doing. In order to do this, you must be a fountain of knowledge
as that is very important when it comes to dealing with their specific
requirements.
Remember, a happy customer is one
that will keep coming back.
Basically, you have to be good at
dealing with people, and this includes understanding how people think and what
they want. You must have a willingness to further your own career by being open
to studying and improving your knowledge because without this you are going to
find it difficult to make any kind of progress.
FACT
The main components of the travel
industry are the tour operators and the retail travel agents, although the very
nature of the work requires considerable interaction with the transport,
leisure and tourism sectors.
Source: Grb.uk.com
3.5 Options for Travelling or Broadening your
Horizons
Another interesting aspect of working within
this industry is the possibility of you being able to travel and to really
broaden your own horizons.
The beauty of this industry is
that it is everywhere you go. People travel around the world and each and every
country or location has its tourism industry. This means that you do not have
to be tied down to either one job or even one location if you wish to move
around. However, there are some important things to keep in mind should you
then be looking at ways to spread your wings.
For example
You may begin your career in
somewhere such as a travel agent, but at the same time you do not have to stay
there. Instead, there are options for you to then move abroad to work for the
tour companies that you have been employed by up until this point. Think of it
this way: people that work for travel companies that are based in the UK and
send people abroad on their holiday will generally require agents and
representatives at the main resorts abroad to deal with any problems that
people may have. There is no reason why you cannot end up being the kind of
person who would be able to move abroad and relaunch your career in a brand new
location.
However, it does mean that there
are certain personal characteristics that you need to have to really be able to
develop this part of your career.
A desire to explore.
While there are a number of
people that are quite happy to be in the same job in the same location, the
travel and tourism industry does give you the opportunity to explore further
afield. While we do not state that you have to have this kind of disposition,
there is no doubt that if you do love to travel and explore, then this is the
correct industry for you.
Your knowledge can take you to
other locations.
Due to the knowledge that you
have to gain in order to get anywhere in this industry, it does also mean that
this could propel you to other parts of the world where you can really put that
knowledge to good use. It may be a good career plan for you to think about
where you would like to work early on and then seek out employment
possibilities that allow you to develop that knowledge before moving up the
career ladder.
There are always enough
opportunities.
Due to the size of the industry,
it does mean that there will always be opportunities no matter where you are
going. On the other hand, this also means that you have the freedom of knowing
that you can explore and if things do not work out elsewhere you can always
return.
There is no doubt that the travel
and tourism industry does provide you with ample opportunities to go to
different locations. However, just be careful of the skills you need in
order
to do so or your career could take a hit as a result.
3.6 Getting Out of a Rut in your Career
When looking at the career side
of things, there is always going to be the possibility that you reach a point
where you believe that you are stuck in a rut.
This is something that anybody is going to
dread because it then turns into you hating going to work every day as it is
more of a chore rather than anything else. However, there is no need for you to
find yourself in this kind of a position simply because of the possibilities
that are out there just waiting for you.
This course will also be able to
provide you with the tools that you need to get out of the rut. There is no
need for you to just do the same job time and time again when you work within
this industry due to the number of options that are available.
Look at it from this perspective:
*The industry is so big that there
are always opportunities elsewhere.
*These opportunities mean your
experience can open new doors even at the same level.
*There are other educational
opportunities that can help you to further your skills.
*This industry is not something
that will ever end.
Basically, if you are fed up with
the 9 to 5 job, there is no need to be. A quick search online will throw up
countless possibilities and it is up to you to correctly identify your own
attributes and skills that can be put to good use elsewhere.
Assignment
Career Development within the
Industry
Time: 15+ minutes
Now it is time to put what you
have learnt in this Module to the test. Work your way through this worksheet
and do your best to fully participate in every activity.
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module we have focused on your career
within the travel and tourism industry and as you can see there are a number of
possibilities out there and it is up to you to explore them to the best of your
ability.
There is no doubt that you will
be able to really develop a pretty amazing career if you are willing to pick up
the knowledge that is required for you to really make a difference to your job
and position at any given time. Remember that you will also have the
opportunity to work abroad as well if you wish to do so and this will then
increase the number of possibilities even further.
In the next module we will look
at the different sectors in the industry as this will make it easier for you to
start to piece together the kind of career that you may wish to have within the
travel and tourism industry.
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