Building a career in the hospitality industry – interviews with Reigate Manor’s General Manager, Vikas Shirvastava and Reception Manager, Greta Adel Thornton
As part of our series of content about building a career in your chosen industry, this time we’re focusing on hospitality, thanks to the wonderful team at Reigate Manor / Manor Collection.
In this article we delve focus specifically on the roles of both a General Manager and a Reception Manager, to give you an idea of paths you might like to follow yourself, through to the skills needed to work in hospitality and why it’s such a great industry to work in.
We get started with Vikas Shirvastava, General Manager at Reigate Manor / Manor Collection.
What career progression path have you followed to date in your career in hospitality?
“I did a catering hotel management degree and on completion my first job in hotels was Food & Beverage Associate in a 5-star Hyatt Regency in India in 2002. Following this, I worked in Dubai for a short while and came to England in 2004 on a sponsorship programme with Hilton worldwide hotels, who offered me a role to work in Hilton Newbury.
“Roles I covered in the past are Conference & Banqueting Manager / Operations Manager / Food & Beverage Manager. I have worked for IHG hotels, Accor Hotels and Jurys Hotels in my previous roles, before joining Reigate Manor as a General Manager in March 2017.”
What specific qualifications do you need for your role in hospitality?
“I wouldn’t say there is a specific qualification needed to be able to work in hospitality, but definitely a right mind set, positive attitude and passion for customer service if an employee wants to develop his/her career to work in higher positions”.
Is there any additional training that has helped you to progress in your chosen career?
“I would say rather than training; a positive motivation and striving to do better and achieve more in my career are a few of the things that have helped me to reach my current destination.”
What are the main interpersonal skills needed for a career in hospitality?
“A positive attitude and listening to your superiors or mentors, while having a passion for helping others. Always be humble and kind to others.”
What are the things you love most about working in the hospitality industry?
“I love the challenges it brings on a daily basis. The massive diversity and ethnicity of people I work with and the opportunity to meet thousands of people. I particularly enjoy a focus on customer service, team building and team development.”
What advice would you give to others trying to get into the hospitality industry?
“Hospitality is definitely a very rewarding industry for those who have patience to work in it for a few years and strive for improving guest services. Hospitality requires hard work and those who work hard and smart are sure to succeed. I’d say that hospitality isn’t for people who prefer to work in an office environment, in 9-5 roles, or to just sit in front of a computer.”
Reception Manager in Hospitality
Following on from Vikas’ excellent insights on his experiences as a General Manager, Greta gave us a look into her career highlights and advice for those looking to get into Reception Management.
What career progression path have you followed to date in your career in hospitality?
“I started my hospitality career as a part time housekeeper back in 2015. A few months later I moved over to the food & beverage team and worked behind the bar/waitress. Later, I had the opportunity to become a Receptionist as part of the Front of House team. I chose to follow this path and started working on my NVQ qualifications. As a result, I became a Senior Receptionist which was a great recognition for my work. After the pandemic I had the opportunity to take over the Reception Manager role and now, 7 years later, I am part of the Management team here in Reigate Manor.
What specific qualifications do you need for your role in hospitality?
There are no specific qualifications required to become part of the Front of House team. We are looking for good written and spoken English knowledge as we have to deal with lots of emails and phone calls. We give all the necessary training when someone joins our team.
Is there any additional training that has helped you to progress in your chosen career?
There is training to help you perform your duties to a higher and better standard. For example, I finished my NVQ Level 2 in Hospitality Team Member-Reception and now I am undertaking the Level 4-Hospitality Manage qualification. The company also provides in-house training and there are opportunities to take part in extra external training.
What are the main interpersonal skills needed for a career in hospitality?
I believe good communication skills are not enough in hospitality. We need to be able to perform active-listening and show empathy as part of our job. We need to be able to work as a team and motivate each other in order to achieve good customer service.
What are the things you love most about working in the hospitality industry?
I love meeting new people and enjoy talking with them.
What advice would you give to others trying to get into the hospitality industry?
It is a rewarding career if you enjoy being around other people. Personally, as soon as I step through the hotel’s doors, I don’t feel like I’m at work and that is not to be taken for granted. If you are a people person, hospitality is definitely the right place for you.