<p>I've emailed a total of 7 local hotel general managers last Saturday asking for internship opportunities, and I have yet to receive a single email back. What should I do now?! As a prospective hotelie, I REALLY want to intern at a hotel, but I've been getting no luck in finding a hotel that wants me. HELPPP. </p>
<p>To current/past hotelies, how did you get your hotel jobs/internships?? </p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>goto the hotel and fill out a job application to be a desk clerk or waiter
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<p>its not that simple memphismom.</p>
<p>I know in a lot of metropoliton areas, it's tough to get a job in a hotel as a high school student (probably part of presentation to business travelers who expect a high level of professionalism...not sure). Remember that the hotel school is not just about hotels (as misleading the name is), but more about the entire hospitality industry. That said, maybe you can try to work at a local bakery, a restaurant, or better yet, a country club or golf resort.</p>
<p>Do you have past work experience interruptingcow?</p>
<p>yousonofatree, unfortunately i have no past work experience :(. what i don't understand is why nobody is even replying back, even with a simple "no, sorry you cannot intern here" or something.</p>
<p>I didn't have any hotel experience- all restaurants. As a teen I think restaurants are more accessible for work. I started off in a small pizza shop and ended up working two summers there and just this past summer I worked in a 4 star kitchen in Boston. Find some small local restaurant which you frequent and talk to the owner, explain your situation and see if they have any use for you. Any experience in the industry is better than none.</p>
<p>Don't worry. You sent your emails on Saturday, and it's only Tuesday. Most people don't answer work emails during the weekend, and some people just take a while to respond. Did you send a resume with your email? That might help in getting someone's interest and prompt a quicker response. If you don't hear anything within a week or so, try contacting someone again. If possible, try to find someone whose job position specifically relates to recruiting.</p>
<p>And yousonofatree is right--you don't have to restrict yourself to only working at hotels. Anything service-related will help you in applying to the Hotel School. Look at local businesses and see if any of them have job openings.</p>
<p>Are you already in? If so, don't worry about it! I tried doing that my senior summer after I got accepted, and I had no luck. I know you probably want to get experience before actually going straight in to the school, but its not as important as you might think once youre accepted (i went in with absolutely no hotel experience). Anyway, namebrand hotel GMs already have most of their internship slots filled by undergrads by now already.</p>
<p>Also, give them more time! It takes about 2 or 3 weeks at LEAST for employers to respond (especially a GM; you may want to try HR directors instead). If you still don't get a response, email them again, messages always drown in a sea of corporate mail anyway.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>When my daughter and I went to a Hotel School reception several years ago, the admissions counselor mentioned that being a hostess at a restaurant was acceptable experience. I think that anything that gives you the opportunity to provide "hospitality" type services is acceptable. My daughter had the same problem, and eventually found a job in a hotel (in food and beverage dept) through a connection, although she is the only person under 18 years of age at her hotel.</p>
<p>If you don't hear back in a week or so, I would go to the hotels and ask in person. I would imagine you might be able to find a job in a hotel restaurant, or as a greeter/bell service. If not, restaurants are part of the hospitality industry too! Good luck!</p>
<p>...and yousonofatree's idea about a country club/golf club is a great idea. Many such clubs need help at big events.</p>
<p>cow, for what it's worth........i think going to someplace and applying beats any e-mail. it might not be possible depending on where you live but it's always better to make the effort and present yourself. i think it shows more initiative. especially the hopitality business where personality etc is important.</p>
<p>You probably will not find a job as a high school student still because you have yet to take any Hotel related classes...</p>
<p>with that being said, why are you emailing general managers? You should be either contacting the HR department directly or following yousonofatree's comment and apply directly for a job. Maybe you can consider working as a waitress at an Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday. It's not as glamorous but its great experience.</p>
<p>Try working customer service at a retail store</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions!
Just answering a few questions that were posed -- yes, I did add a brief resume in the email. i read an old post here on cc about someone finding hotel internships by emailing the GMs, so that's why i emailed the GMs (also because their email addresses were the only ones shown on their hotel sites). However, I cannot work at a country club/golf resort because there isn't one close to where I live.</p>
<p>Oh, and btw I should add that I have NOT been accepted to Cornell; I'm only a junior in hs extremely interested in the Hotel School. </p>
<p>Also, do lifeguarding and volunteering at a local American Cancer Society relate to hospitality?? Once I get my lifeguarding certificate, I will lifeguard...so I was wondering if that counts. Thanks again!!</p>
<p>I'm not sure lifeguarding, retail, or ACS are THAT relevant to the service industry. Don't think that if you don't have a job at an upscale hotel or resort, you wont get in. Any job that keeps you actively serving customers should do (waiter, prep cook, clerk).</p>
<p>An admissions officer at the hotel school told our info session that they have the most respect for applicants who hold entry level jobs (ex: ice cream scooper). </p>
<p>It's about sucking it up and doing the work well, so that when you go through the hotel curriculium and get a high position job, you know how to treat your workers with respect (since you went through it yourself)</p>
<p>same thing happened to me. I called and emailed and begged and finally one was willing to accept me and i worked at a front desk for free for a month.</p>
<p>was good enough.</p>
<p>I feel you. I emailed, visited, applied, called, yada yada A LOT of hotels near where I live and STILL got zero replies. They give you a big loop to go around cause you're a high school kid and they dont' even bother replying. But I worked at a Subway and a hostess for 6 months at a Japanese Restaurant and also did two job shadow programs throguh my school at upscale restaurants and that did it for me. I think any little thing counts (though not really life guarding...), but I definitely showed how much this hostess job helped me get interested and decide on the hospitality industry though in my essay. so just make the most of whatever job you can get and show in your essay how much this meager-seeming job influenced you. good luckkk =]]]</p>
<p>If you go to the hotel school website and look at the specs for the practice credit requirement, you'll get an idea of what sort of jobs would be considered "experience."</p>
<p>Definitely includes all sorts of hotel and food service, but retail shops are included (and a small independent boutique would probably be better than Wally World).</p>
<p>the best thing is to start networking. i think if anything, knowing how to get, or already having social connections and networking will be far superior. Sometimes, randomly making friends (ex. through parties, class) will lead to something beneficial. im not a hotel major, but if i was, the connections i have with the Peninsula Hotel and Ritz Carlton London can give me an edge over someone else who doesn't have any. and since your young, you've got so much time, hell, you might end up working/interning at a company totally different than what you envisioned. good luck with future endeavors!</p>