Lately, it seems the hospitality industry and hospitality businesses are getting a bad rap when it comes to social media and the news. But the truth is, the hospitality industry has fantastic opportunities to offer. If you put in the effort, you will achieve success. Here are some reasons why the hospitality industry is a solid career path:     

Pave a road to success.  

I’ve been in hospitality since 1978. And oh, the stories I could tell! I’ve experienced firsthand how the industry allows you to climb the ladder, with teamwork as the key to success. I started working as a front desk clerk, cutting grass in the summer and shoveling snow in the winter. I worked my way up, moved to Alabama, and became a business owner as I opened my first Little Caesars. Over the next 20+ years, I had the privilege of opening 24 restaurants. The hospitality industry is one of the few industries able to offer someone a chance to achieve wealth by working hard. Don’t believe me? Check out Raising Cane’s Restaurant Partner Program, allowing Raising Cane’s managers to earn six figures per year. Or Chipotle’s path to becoming a restauranteur, paving a way to go from a line worker to a six-figure earner in only a few years’ time. Talk about career opportunities!  

Work with smart, passionate people.   

In hospitality, you get to work with a variety of people across all different hospitality jobs — owners, managers, chefs, vendors and suppliers, and of course, the customers. As the months and years go by, you build strong relationships with these smart and passionate hospitality professionals. You work with your team to create amazing customer experiences, and the camaraderie built is unparalleled. I have friends from my early days in the industry, and those friendships made in the hospitality industry have surpassed almost all others.  

Travel the world. 

Currently, I’m living in the beautiful city of Birmingham, AL. And if it weren’t for the hospitality industry, who knows where I would be living today. Hospitality allows opportunities to move across the country and even across the world. It allows you to see different areas, meet different people, and find the places you truly want to call home.   

Enjoy the work you do. 

When you work in hospitality, you build your communication skills, your problem-solving skills, and get to help create unique and memorable guest experiences. Helping countless guests in all walks of life isn’t something that any old career can offer. In hospitality, you’re positively impacting lives. You’re joking around with your co-workers. You’re having fun while getting paid. Your top priority is to make others happy, and that happiness comes right back around to you. 

Even though I’m not in the day-to-day of the restaurant and hotel world any longer, my top priority remains to make others happy. Instead of being on the front lines, I’m now enjoying the hospitality industry through the eyes of recruiting. I’m able to achieve all of the items above while positively impacting clients and candidates in helping them achieve their goals. Whether you’re interested in joining the team here at Goodwin Recruiting or in finding an incredible new opportunity, there has never been a better time to join the world of hospitality.