Afbeelding
The power of networking
“Being a decent human is also how networking works and I really came to understand that when I was looking for work after graduation. I’d stayed in touch with my colleagues from my internship and it was through this network that I got my job at the Waldorf Astoria. I’d actually really wanted to do my internship their but ended up working at a different hotel in Amsterdam. I learnt a lot about the trade, met great colleagues, made friends and stayed in touch with them, and by the time I’d graduated, one of my colleagues had moved to the Waldorf. She put me in touch with F&B and soon after I had my first job there. That’s the power of networking.”
Leadership means listening
“When I started studying, I didn’t completely understand what Hospitality Management really was. Google the term, and you’ll come out with lots of different definitions. For me now, it’s about organising yourself so you can handle all the unexpected factors that may come up. That means also learning to deal with stress, working under pressure and, above all, excelling in soft skills. The group project I did during my studies really taught me to work in a team and helped me develop leadership skills. I experienced NHL Stenden as a very international place, where people are open and you can be yourself. And where working in teams means your input is heard. I carried this expectation with me to the workplace of course, and if I take on a leadership role, I want to make sure my team feels the same kind of environment as I did at NHL Stenden. It means I have to make sure I listen to people’s concerns, create a good work-life balance, listen to opinions and then apply them in practice, so that they feel enforced.”
Learn to adapt
“If you listen to other people’s ideas and opinions, you’ll find your own ideas changing and developing too. This was really clear during my studies because it’s what made the group assignments work so well. It teaches adaptability and that’s a skill you can use in any aspect of life. I used it during my studies in our group work, and I use it now in my work to adapt to the needs and moods of our guests.”
“Actually, the start of my studies was already a learning experience for me in that respect. The first thing was that I didn’t get my visa until the day before I left my hometown in Vietnam. And then once I got to the Netherlands, there was a lot of extra paperwork because at just 17, I was still a minor. I needed my parents’ signatures on everything. I feel calm about it now, but then? No, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it and it’s certainly affected me. But in a good way. It was a really quick way of learning that if there’s something you can’t control, you just have to bear with it. The main thing is to see how you can use it as an opportunity to learn something.”
Find out more about Hospitality Management on the programme’s website.