Full-time hotel employment often entails long hours, demanding guests, and a constantly evolving work environment. The hotel industry is fast-paced, whether you work in the front office, as a chef, as a housekeeping manager, or in the F&B team. The truth is, you are learning and evolving every hour of the day. But, how do you learn new skills, or upskill, when working a full-time hotel job? The best way to upskill while working in the hospitality industry is to upskill smartly, flexibly, and with focus.

In this blog, we will share the best methods for upskilling while working full-time in the hospitality industry. We will encompass everything that works well with your busy hotel life - microlearning to online hospitality courses. 

Upskilling in the Hospitality Industry

The hospitality industry is continually changing. Rapidly emerging technologies, increasing guest expectations, and high global competition will continually require hotel employees to upskill to remain competitive, flexible and suitable for future roles in management and leadership.

Consider these 5 ways to upskill and develop your qualities while working a full-time hotel career:

• To keep up in a rapidly technology-driven industry
• To improve guest satisfaction and service performance
• Increased promotional prospects and higher-paying positions
• For transformation into specialised departments (i.e. revenue management, digital marketing)
• Frequently upskill your hospitality career practices

1. Utilise Online Hospitality Courses

One of the best ways to upgrade your skills while you are working in a full-time hotel job is to sign up for online hospitality courses. This is such a flexible, cheap and convenient option for working professionals. 

Popular online learning platforms for hospitality industry professionals: 

• Coursera – Hotel Management from universities 
• Skillshare & Udemy – short, practical courses in hospitality skills 
• LinkedIn Learning – leadership and soft skills for hotel managers 

Pro Tip: Spend just 30 minutes every day after shifts, or during transit time, to get through the bite-sized modules, and before you know it, you will have recognised industry certifications in just 3–6 months.

2. Cross-Training in Various Hotel Areas

Learning new skills doesn’t always have to be formal. Cross-training within your hotel is one of the most practical and effective ways to learn. 

If you are in the front office, learn the basics of food operations & beverage, event management, or housekeeping management. If you are a chef, learn about inventory control, kitchen costing, and food safety compliance.

Advantages of cross-training: 

• Be a more well-rounded hospitality professional
• Increase your chances for internal promotions
• Have a better knowledge of hotel operations

Pro Tip: Connect with your HR person or manager and ask about shadowing another department at an off-peak time or rotation shift.

3. Develop Your Soft Skills and Emotional Intelligence

Benefits from soft skills can take your hospitality career to new levels. By improving skills in communication, problem solving, leadership, and emotional intelligence, you will be capable of better guest experiences and managing your departments more successfully.

Examples of how to leverage soft skills while working a full-time hotel job:

• Attend hotel industry webinars and workshops
• Join a public speaking or leadership club like Toastmasters
• Read hospitality leadership books, or listen to hospitality podcasts
• Practice mindfulness and conflict resolution exercises.

Pro Tip: Work with your colleagues during off time to role-play and mimic difficult guest encounters. Build your emotional response, presentation, and communication skills.

4. Study a Foreign Language

Multilingual hotel staff are in very high demand, particularly at luxury hotels, resorts, and international franchises. Learning a foreign language such as French, Spanish, Mandarin, or Arabic will help you connect with international guests and increase your employability abroad. 

Apps and tools to learn languages:

• Duolingo
• Babbel
• Rosetta Stone
• YouTube language tutorials

Pro Tip: Spend 15 minutes per day studying the vocabulary and basic hospitality phrases associated with your hotel position. Practice these words and phrases with any international guests to build confidence

5. Develop Digital and Tech Skills for Hotels

As hospitality becomes more reliant on technology, hotels need tech-proficient staff capable of training on Property Management Systems (PMS), point-of-sale software, guest engagement applications, and digital marketing tools.

Upskilling on digital skills related to hospitality includes:

• Learning a hotel PMS such as Opera or Cloudbeds
• Learning hotel revenue management tools
• Taking online courses on SEO, social media, or Google Analytics
• Learning Excel for budgeting and forecasting

Pro Tip: Ask your IT or reservations department if they can provide a short overview or something similar that will provide internal training on the technology used. Many hotel brands have shared or unshared technology training available on their intranets or brand academies.

6. Participate in Hospitality Conferences and Network

An undervalued opportunity to upskill while working full-time is networking and exposure to events within the hotel industry.  A lot of hospitality expos, food festivals, and hotel management seminars also have masterclasses, panel discussions, and skill-building workshops. 

Pro Tip: Even if you cannot attend in person, continue to follow hospitality event pages and watch recap videos. You could also join a Facebook or LinkedIn group of hotel professionals.

7. Upskill Through Mentoring and Feedback On-the-Job

The best way to upskill without leaving your current hotel job is to find a more senior mentor on your team and actively ask for feedback.

Don't recklessly pester your inexperienced front-line managers or execute their instructions without tweaking them to improve upon, but instead ask discerning questions, take charge of any projects you can while freely collaborating within your team, and demonstrate a growing desire to pursue information beyond your role in your organisation. For example, whether you are a beginning sous chef or a beginner guest relations executive, you can advance your hotel career with a mentor very quickly. 

Tip: Set a specific goal with your department lead or more senior staff, such as “I want to get to banquet manager”, and ask what skills or tasks they recommend.

Your Hotel Work is Your Best Classroom 

When you're working in a full-time hotel position, your learning does not stop. Your current employment is fertile ground for upskilling while you engage in online hospitality training, cross-training, working with a mentor, or using new technologies. Upskilling prepares you for the future and to be worthy of promotion while continuing to differentiate yourself in an evolving and competitive industry. 

Take the leap today! Choose one type of upskilling that fits your schedule and commit to consistent small actions. In time, your small actions will afford you new opportunities with larger roles and increased income. Stay connected to Foodism Connect for more such insights!