Starting over... Looking for Advice.

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

Hi Everyone,

Have a few questions about the degree I’m pursuing, I am going back to Community College in Orlando after taking a few years off due to the need to keep a roof over my head and school was not a possibility. I’m 35 years old now, married, need to get our lives on track, and there are no career opportunities in Orlando, only low paying hospitality jobs. My wife and I are planning on moving to South Florida where there are much more opportunities, but I don’t want to make that move without completing my degree. We set a 2 to 3 year window to make this move and I want to be able to move with an Associates Degree, I do plan on completing my Bachelors, but WILL NOT invest in such expenses without securing at least an entry level position I can build on.

I have most of my Gen Ed. Courses completed and working towards an A.S. Degree in Business Administration with a Specialization in International Business and also earning a Technical Certificate in Finance. My main reasons for the Technical Certificate is that I believe at my age I need some additional credentials to get noticed, and the additional classes taken at the C.C. will knock off some classes needed when I go for the Bachelors.

Here are my questions:

  1. I need 6 credit hours in Business Electives or Internship. Is it wise to take 1 Elective and 1 Internship, or should I just go for 2 internships and build my resume up with it.

  2. Which would be more appealing to employers:
    AS in Business Admin specializing in Intl Business w/Financial Operations Certificate
    or
    AS in Business Admin specializing in Finance w/Intl Business Certificate
    Does it make a difference?

  3. I do have experience working in management in hospitality, an addition to server/bartender. Many times I have passed on the management positions in this industry because it was such a steep pay cut, but ended up with mgt responsibilities anyways. Does this experience carry any weight pursuing future work in the fields I’m studying for?
    I imagine I will have a very hard time explaining the lack of professional experience, and why they should hire me vs. someone else half my age with relatively the same education.

  4. I am desperately trying to move on from the hospitality industry, and that’s not going to happen in Central Florida, what is my best course of action by doing this upon moving? I moved to Orlando after High School and just fell into the industry and its all I really know right now.
    I’d appreciate any tips, stories, or advice from someone who can relate or been through this. I’m not looking for any specific blue print on this one,.

2

@wav6644 – you might want to repost this on the Parents Forum.

3

Just did. Thanks

4

I recommend 2 internships and specialization in finance. Work experience is the biggest thing with employers. All businesses are about money, but not all are about foreign countries.

Of course it does. And it is what puts you ahead of half-your-age candidates with the same education.

Enlighten me: Why is that industry so bad? And are you saying the very unexpected thing that people in hospitality management are paid LESS than non-management people in hospitality? http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#00-0000 (occupation code 35-0000) doesn’t show that.

5

I read that link, and all I can say about those numbers is they do not nearly reflect the actual pay rate for the area I live in, or the state of Florida. The site says the median pay for Supervisors is $15.11, well where I live its closer to $10.50 to $12 (if you can some how force their hands) for Supervisors. What they do to you as a supervisor is one of 2 things:

  1. Make your salary for something around 25,000 to 27,000, and work you 60 plus hours a week.
    or
  2. Keep you in your tipped position at your TIPPED PAY RATE and give you ALL management duties. This means working 8 to 10 hour shift on the floor, and then doing an extra 3-5 hours of management/administrative duties before you are done.

Honestly, Option 2 is the best because I can at least put it on my resume.

In hospitality you are going to be working on your feet 10 to 15 hours a day, many times without a break (eat a protein bar in the bathroom).
Labor laws?
This industry completely sidesteps them. You would have to leave your $500 bank where it is, and if something comes up missing at closing… it comes out of your pocket or your looking for a new job tomorow. You are constantly reminded by the higher ups that there are 20 to 30 applications sitting in HR for your position right now.

Weekends, Nights, Holidays?
You are working them all, I haven’t spent a Christmas or New Years with my family since 1999… and the money I make on the holidays is not worth it because people don’t come to sit in a hotel during those times… my “holiday pay” is still below federal minimum wage on holidays.

You are also ON CALL. If you don’t pick up the phone and cancel you plans on the drop of a dime, you are going to be scheduled the worst possible times and make no money until someone else screws up.

Again, it may be different in other parts of the country. Here in Florida, tourism and hospitality is an industry people are working in because they either need a gig just for now, or lack skills and education to work elsewhere. The money keeps many people there longer, its better than what you will be able to find without job training or educaiton. This industry does not require any degree or training besides basic math and social interaction skills, almost anybody can do it. The people who take pride in what the do, get promoted but never compensated. That makes everybody expendable.

Add to the new trends in hospitality that is killing themselves:
Wages for everybody is down, so people are traveling with less money to spend. Hotels are slashing prices, to fill the rooms, but that now draws the riff raff that destroy the rooms and cost more money to repair. Hotels/Bars/Diners are terrified of the mad yelper, so they give away the house. All that did is created a new generation of complainers who cry about anything and everything to get their stays/meals/drinks for free. Its not a sustainable business practice, but upper management is terrified of a bad review to see that they are grooming their patrons to be scammers. Upper management also punishes everybody below them for enforcing the policies they put in place that hurt the bottom line. This means, lower wages, no bonus, no benefits, longer hours off the clock.

My advice to anybody thinking about studying Hospitality Management:
DON"T!!!
You can walk in and get a job in hospitality, in any management department witn an Associates or Bachelors Degree in Management… but can you get a job in job in management elsewhere holding a Hospitality Management Degree???
I don’t know, but it seems to me it would be much harder.

6

All of what I just mentioned about highlights exactly why I want to move on from the industry. I dropped out of college because I was offered a management position with “professional training” form a major hotel chain that boasted career development and education assistance. I was pressured to drop out of college because they could not allow me to have ONE dedicated day off to attend college classes. I attempted many times to go back to school, but have had to pay bills, and no place would allow me to have that one day off to attend classes and work full time. I achieved nothing this way, the promises were just a lie to keep a body in the schedule. Each promotion I was up for, no matter how well my reviews were I either lacked this training, or that degree. When I asked for the training or time to pursue that degree, it was always, we will talk about ti later. 14 years in limbo, bouncing around from one dead end job to another is enough.

I am married now, and my wife just got a work permit (she is form Brazil). She was able to get a full time job that offers benefits and the added income lightens the load financially. This has allowed me to take job at a hotel Part Time, and it took me 9 months to find one that agreed to allow me to get that one day off I need to go to school. Every other one wanted 100% availability.

My wife as well is trapped in hospitality, dealing with reservations in a timeshare resort. She holds one Bachelors Degree in International Relations and has over 90% of her second Bachelors in Supply Chain Management form a university in Brazil, and speaks 5 different languages. She has much more education, skills, experience, and training but all she can get here is a call center job for $11 an hour. We are trying to get her transcripts sent over to WES right now to get an credit evaluation, so she can complete her Supply Chain Degree at the moment. Once I finish my AS Degree in Intl Business and Certificate in Finance (Which is pretty much an AS in Finance as well), I will be 1 or 2 classes shy of my AA Degree requirements. My plan at that moment to finish those classes and relocate to South Florida where the job market is more diverse, then complete my Bachelors in International Business.

I have been looking online BA options, and spoke with an advisor at FIU, she gave me everything I need to qualify to go there. I didn’t want to do the Phoenix/Strayer/Capella/Devry online schools, I have been hearing some not so pleasant things about them. Don’t know if they are true, but i was really impressed with FIU. My research on them turned up good things, they allowed me to look in at a live feed of a classroom, and the price was right.