Working in a hospitality role on a holiday resort can change your life!
I spoke to hospitality worker, Harrison about why he loves his role at a holiday resort in Skegness.
Firstly, tell me more about your hospitality role at the resort?
My role is housekeeping and cleaning. It involves cleaning and tidying the accommodation at the resort and cleaning outside areas of the park.
What does is a typical day look like for you?
Every day is slightly different. Mondays and Fridays are the busiest days. It tends to be changeover days so we have lots of rooms to clean. The other days I spend more outside cleaning the areas and if there are any rooms that need a freshen up.
What do you enjoy most about your hospitality role?
I enjoy helping people. Every time I help a guest, I get a massive adrenaline buzz and it makes me feel happy. Also, the team and guys I work with are amazing. It’s hard work but we all have a laugh which makes it enjoyable and the time goes really quickly.
The role is a live in hospitality role, why did you choose to move away from home?
I wanted to explore other parts of the country. I knew there’s a lot more to life than the little town I grew up in. Meeting other people from all walks of life changes you for the better.
What do you appreciate most about living and working on site?
That you can never be late! On a serious note, it’s the people you meet. I’ve got so many friends, we all go out and have a blast. I feel like I’ve been here for years and this is where I’m meant to be.
Where do you go out with your friends?
There’s a really good nightclub and I’ve had some awesome nights out with the friends i’ve made. There’s also a pub we go to regularly that’s about 10 minutes away from the resort. They have karaoke nights and it’s great fun.
On a Saturday we sometimes go to a place called Fancy Island. It’s an amusement park with rides and a market. It’s a really good day when we all go out as a group. And, let’s not forget the beach!
I tend to go out on my days off ( I get two days off a week) but I still catch up with everyone on site if I don’t go out.
Why do you think this hospitality role is different?
I’ve only ever worked in kitchens in the past and this is more front facing. I really enjoy working with guests, looking after them and being more hands on. You definitely get more appreciation in this job that my previous jobs.
Also, the relationship you have with the people you work with is different. You are living and working with these people all day everyday. It’s like one big family and you all become very close. I’ve not had that in other jobs.
Has this role given you any new skills?
People skills. I’d never worked with paying customers before, it was always back of house work. I really enjoy it and want to continue working in this industry and role.
I want to stay here and work my way up, make a career out of it
What are the career prospects like?
Once you are awarded a permanent contract you can work your way around different departments. See what you enjoy the most.
Is your manager supportive?
Yeah, literally since the day I arrived. She’s really supportive and easy to chat to. She can see how much I want to work and wants to help me progress in the job too.
What has been your highlight so far?
I have three…..
- Meeting new people and making amazing friends and memories
- The vibe on the park is electric. Seeing people in fancy dress makes the job so fun (they have a lot of themed weekends)
- Tattooing the resorts logo on my hand (some people may say that’s crazy but everytime I look at it, I will be reminded of the amazing memories I made)
Anything unexpected happened?
Not really, it is better than I expected it to be though. The people are real friends, everyone is happy to help each other out.
Have there been any challenges?
After some time off, getting back into full time hours was a bit overwhelming. However, because of the people it didn’t take me long to get back into the swing of things. Also some days can be more challenging if you have more rooms to clean by a certain time. But as I keep saying, we work as a team and get it done together.
What would you say to someone considering applying for this hospitality role?
Do it! You come up, meet new people work hard and really enjoy yourself. Don’t just stick with what you know, be different and try something different. You won’t regret it. You only live once – make it a life to remember.
Thank you to Harrison for giving up his time to chat to me about his hospitality role.
Hopefully that has given you an insight into how working at a UK holiday resort is a hospitality role with a difference.
If you think this would be a job and lifestyle you’d like to take up, contact Lauren for a chat on 0121 314 9365 or send your CV to [email protected]
