Many careers can be a part of the hospitality industry. If you’re majoring in service or hospitality, you might be wondering which direction to go. Should you look into a specialty, like nursing? Or, should you follow your heart in food services, tourism, or wedding planning?
Choosing a career you’re passionate about is important. The last thing you want after graduating is to step into a new job or start on a career path that doesn’t leave you fulfilled or excited for more.
However, it’s just as important to find career stability. This is especially relevant as everyone navigates through a shaky economy. However, even if you aren’t worried about the economy, you’re most likely dreaming of an income that can handle your living expenses — no matter how grandiose they are.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at different types of service and hospitality careers, and what you might want to consider if you’re prioritizing career stability after college.
Nursing and Healthcare
If you’re looking for a job that’s nearly always in demand and virtually recession-proof, consider becoming a nurse. People will always need medical care, whether they’re coming in for a check-up or they’re experiencing a health emergency. By choosing to become a nurse, you can enjoy working with people from all walks of life and truly making a difference wherever you’re planted.
Of course, becoming a nurse isn’t necessarily as “easy” as taking on some other careers in the hospitality industry. Depending on the field you’re most interested in, you’ll either need an associate’s or bachelor’s degree to qualify as a nurse. An associate’s degree will get you to the working world faster, but you’ll be limited to entry-level positions and you’re likely to earn less than someone with a BSN.
It’s also important to consider whether you want to travel. Most people assume nurses only work at private practices or hospitals, but there are travel nurses all over the globe helping people in underserved populations. Travel nursing isn’t easy, especially since it takes you away from family and friends for extended periods, but it can be incredibly rewarding and eye-opening.
Service Industry Careers
Just as people will always need healthcare, they’ll also need places to eat, places to stay, and places to stay active. The service industry is relatively recession-proof, even if individual businesses aren’t.
Working in a restaurant, hotel, or even a gym typically means you’ll always have a job. Even if your particular business closes, you’ll have the experience and knowledge to go somewhere else and provide your expertise.
You can also obtain the skills to branch out on your own by working in a service-based career. Starting out as a front-desk worker at a gym could eventually lead to you opening up your own fitness center one day. Working as a restaurant hostess could help you work your way up to a management position. When you understand that the stability of these particular careers stays the same — no matter the state of the economy — you’ll always have room to grow and chase after your dreams.
Travel-centered Careers
Whether you have a travel bug or you want to help others scratch that itch, you’ll find a lot of stability working in the travel industry. Some of the best hospitality jobs within that industry include:
- Travel agent;
- Event planner;
- Traveling nurse;
- Cruise agent;
- Food and drink manager for special events.
Traveling can actually help to improve your career stability. It allows you to go where you’re needed so you’ll never have to worry about feeling stagnant in one location. When you’re able to take your services across the globe, there will always be a need.
If you’re working on your own, this allows you to expand your client base while doing something you’re passionate about. If you’re working under another business, traveling allows you to see the world without having to make all of the arrangements on your own. As a travel agent, you can help other people skip the arduous planning process when seeking out an incredible travel experience. Whether you’re the one jet-setting or you’re helping others, travel-centered careers are incredibly rewarding and unique.
What Are the Highest-Paying Jobs?
High-paying jobs don’t always necessarily mean stable jobs. Choosing a “trendy” career could allow you to find great success right away, but it’s just as important to consider your future and whether you can see yourself on the same career path ten years from now. Some of the highest-paying jobs in the industry include:
- Restaurant manager;
- Executive chef;
- Hotel manager;
- Food service director;
- Sommelier.
While you’ll find longevity in all of these careers, you’ll also have to consider things like your location and your market. For example, there is a lot of financial potential as a restaurant manager, but you also gamble the possibility of losing your job if your restaurant isn’t successful. The same goes for just about any food service career. You’re essentially at the mercy of your location and your audience. Sometimes, even if you do everything right, the business can fold.
Hotel management is a fantastic way to find success in your career, but it’s also often a very high-pressure job, especially when you’re working in an upscale facility. You’ll have to deal with people from all over the country (or world), and if there’s ever a problem with a guest — in the kitchen, with a computer, or just about anything in between — it will fall on your shoulders.
Plenty of jobs fall under the umbrella of the service and hospitality industries. If you’re graduating soon and you’re wondering where your major can take you, keep some of these particular careers in mind. There’s no question that we are living in uncertain times, and the hospitality industry took a bit hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, costing many people their jobs. Choosing a career within the industry that is not only recession-proof but “crisis”-proof can make a big difference in the longevity of your job, and how successful you are in the future.
