What’s my goal, is one of the most important questions you can ask yourself at the beginning of your journey and your career in hospitality!

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I am recruiting graduates from hotel management schools for the position of housekeeping floor manager now for years, and my experience is that many, if not most, do not have clearly defined goals and are rushed to get promoted as fast as possible, and definitely faster than their peers from school.

Everyone is rushing to change assignments as quickly as possible, in as many departments as possible, with the only goal to move ahead, not knowing where exactly ‘ahead’ is and what will happen once they got there. Most feel impatient as they are not moving fast enough, and will feel tempted to jump to the next best job opening available, without challenging themselves if it’s indeed the right move. If you ever find yourself in this mindset, and get promoted, you will come to the conclusion that your happiness will only last for days (if not hours), until you feel rushed again.

The key to stop impatience and the feeling of being rushed or falling behind compared to your ‘competitors’, is to have clearly defined goals, to understand what exactly it is you are working towards to, and to write those goals down. YOU NEED TO HAVE THEM WRITTEN DOWN ON PAPER, otherwise they are simply non-existent.

Having a goal does not mean that you cannot change it, as a matter of fact your goals will change many times throughout your career, but it is essential to have short-term and long-term goals that define your path. Understanding where you see yourself at the peak of your career, and where you want to be in a year from now, or in five years, is very important, as it puts everything into perspective and gives reason and meaning to your doing. It will enable you to tell a story of your failures and accomplishments, and will give you peace of mind.

My goal changed so many times over the last years, from a career in food & beverage, over sales & marketing, and finally ended up in housekeeping, but I am happy in the role I am now as it makes sense in the bigger picture, and leads me towards my current goal. I remember my hotel manager asking me the question what my ultimate career goal was, and I was very hesitant in telling him that it would be general manager (one position above him). He responded that he would rather have me telling him with confidence that I want to be the CEO of this company, than being uncertain and hesitant about my goals.

Sit down in front of a piece of paper and start writing your goals down, list the pros and cons of every career path, and decide your own destiny. Don’t be the kind of person that knocks at the bosses door every couple of months asking about your future, instead have a clear goal, inform your superior what your expectations are, and ask for advise and feedback on where you need to get better to advance to the desired position and how to improve.

Question: Do you know what your goals are? Do you believe in having a five or ten-year plan?