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Dropped
The Course
Dear Sir,
I am working in the industry for the last two years basically training
in the main departments of the hotel. I had discontinued my diploma
course earlier and after working in the industry, feel that I made
a wrong decision by dropping the course.
I would like to gain more insight into the industry and feel should
take up some certificate courses related with the hospitality industry.
Presently I am 28 and I understand that getting into an institution
or taking up regular courses would be a problem.
I would be grateful if you can help me in this direction.
Looking forward to your reply.
Shekhar Rai, Kathmandu
By e-mail
Dear Shekhar,
After going through the details provided by you, we would suggest
that you should continue working in the industry and gain experience
in all the relevant operations areas.
As far as courses in Kathmandu is concerned, currently we do not
have details on the same. There would be a problem in enrolling
for a full-fledged recognised course as you have not completed your
diploma and have also crossed the age criteria. Try getting in touch
with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for their
distance education courses, or you could enroll for some part-time
courses in Kathmandu itself.
You can also enroll for the courses offered by the Educational Institute
of American Hotel & Lodging Association (EI-AH&LA). For
well-recognised correspondence courses, they are a bit expensive,
you could get in touch with K V Simon, regional vice-president,
EI-AH&LA at eiahma@vsnl.com or visit their website www.ei-ahla.org.
Hope this helps. All the best.
Guidelines
For OCLD
Dear Sir,
I am a third year student of hotel management and a regular subscriber
of Express Hotelier & Caterer. I am interested in specialising
in food and beverage service.
I wish to appear for the Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development
(OCLD) exams. I would be grateful if you could kindly suggest any
books that I can refer to or any website that could help me preparing
for the same.
Your prompt reply would be highly appreciated.
Arijit Basu
By e-mail
Dear Arijit,
You are definitely on the right track and have queried us at the
right time in your learning cycle. The Oberoi Centre of Learning
& Development (OCLD) has the unique distinction of being the
Alma Mater to some of India’s finest hoteliers since its beginning
in 1966.
There are two aspects you must consider: getting selected is just
the first step, and by this I mean clearing the various selection
rounds. The second dimension is more challenging and this deals
with excelling in the programme. The time, detail and effort that
is invested in selecting associates, automatically ensures a high
peer group standard over the two-year course of all three programmes
offered at OCLD.
I would suggest you should concentrate at this stage on moulding
your overall knowledge and personality over the months ahead, instead
of just preparing for an interview. My answer below is hence designed
to help you do that.
In my humble opinion, as a past student from this fine institution,
I feel it owes its unparalleled success to some of the principles
it stands for and hence engrains it into every individual who carries
its stamp. Let’s try and explain these in four simple attitudes
below:
1. This industry is all about ‘passion’, hence those students
who have a passion about mastering this trade do well. This shows
not just in the crispness and correctness of learning but can also
be seen in the confidence radiated by the eyes of the potential
associate. Go beyond your curriculum and try and learn more about
the business you wish to be a part of. Read, research, visit hotels
and live in the state of incessant inquiry over the months ahead.
2. Having been with the Oberoi group for over eight years, I have
seen nothing more omnipotent than a commitment to ‘quality’.
In today’s business world, this is the air organisations must
breathe. Develop an acute sense of quality in everything you do.
Be it in your awareness of the world today, communication skills,
hospitality knowledge or your own demeanour and personality.
3. Every student says this is a ‘people’s business’.
Very few understand what that means. This business is about making
others happy. It is about being comfortable with people and making
them comfortable with you. Warmth in your heart, genuineness and
caring in your attitude and a smile on your face is what this people’s
business is all about.
4. ‘Focus’. This is a tough one in today’s world
of attraction and distraction. Know where you are today, who you
want to be tomorrow. I see many students chasing designations or
the faster buck and hence throwing away the opportunity of a good,
solid career. Meet a few OCLD alumni and learn what they did, then
form your own developmental goals and focus on making them a reality.
Specific to your query, OCLD does not offer any specialisation in
F&B service, and the programme you should aim to join is the
guest services management (GSM) programme. The GSM programme grooms
in each associate, the capability to manage a variety of operational
assignments both in food and beverage as well as in rooms division,
over a fruitful career with the Oberoi Group.
Hope this helps.
By Gyan Nagpal
(The advisor is working as training manager with the Oberoi Hotels
& Resorts and is based in Mumbai)
Financial
Details On Leading Companies
Dear Sir,
Please send me names of books that would carry information of all
business group regarding their management, net profit, product,
growth. All these things should be in summarised form and should
include all the leading companies like (Tata, Birla, HLL, IBM, HCL
etc).
I am looking at doing a business management course (MBA) and would
need information on all the above aspects.
Looking forward to your reply.
Varun
By e-mail
Hi Varun,
As we are a hospitality publication we would not be in a position
to provide you with the information you need. But what we could
certainly do is guide you about how to get the required information.
What you can do is to try out the websites of the companies you
have mentioned in your query and also on various others you need
information on. The websites would assist you in gathering all the
details. You can also refer to the business dailies like the Financial
Express and Business Standard, Business Line and Economic Times
amongst others. They would also have the necessary details.
If you know anyone in the list of companies you have mentioned in
your query, request them to provide you with their annual reports,
this report will be a definite source to offer you the required
details.
We hope the above would be helpful.
Spa
Training
Dear
Counsellor,
This is with reference to the article on Spa Training published
by Express Hotelier & Caterer. I would like to get more details
about the same. The article mentioned about the training module
which is going to start in August. Would you have details about
the hostel facilities, the fees structure and duration of the course.
I
would be grateful if you could provide me with the above details
or a source which can assist me in getting all the details.
Looking
forward to your reply.
Rajeshree
Joshi, Vadodara, Gujarat
By e-mail
Dear
Rajeshree,
It always makes us feel better when we get inquiries for stories
published by us. This is mainly because it motivates us to take
initiative and research on further topics which can prove to be
a prospective career option for our readers.
As far as the details required by you is concerned, please get in
touch with the following person who will assist you with all the
details.
Miriya Chacko
Manager - Communications and Events
Mandarin Oriental Ananda, The Himalayas
Bawa Potteries Complex
Aruna Asaf Ali Marg
Vasant Kunj
New Delhi - 11070, India.
E-mail: anandaspa@vsnl.com
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com
MBA
In Hospitality
Dear
Sir,
I
am a diploma holder in hotel management and catering technology
(three-year course recognised by the government of India). In all,
I have undergone 15 years of education. Now I wish to pursue a master
of business administration (MBA) course in hospitality.
Could
you provide me with the necessary details viz eligibility criteria
etc. If I am not eligible how can I make myself eligible.
Ramprasad
By e-mail
Respected
Sir,
I
have completed my hotel management course from AICTE recognised
institute and presently working in a beach resort in Goa. I am looking
taking up a MBA course in hospitality. Please assist me and provide
information on whether I am eligible for the same or not as I don’t
have bachelor’s degree but I do have a work experience of two
years in the industry.
Rajib
Das
By e-mail
Dear
Ramprasad and Rajib,
As far as doing MBA in hospitality in India is concerned , there
is no institute which offers such a programme. If you are looking
at just doing a MBA the issue dated July 2nd 2001. Please refer
to that column for more details and prepare yourself accordingly.
From
Dubai To India
Dear
Sir,
I am a BSc graduate in hotel management. In addition, have also
completed my diploma in human resources management.
I
have been brought up in Dubai and have done my higher secondary
over here. I am planning to settle down in India. I would like to
know about job opportunities in India. Presently I am undergoing
my training in the Jebel Ali Hotel and Gulf Resorts in Dubai. I
also have worked with the Inter-Continental Hotel Dubai.
I
would be grateful if you could help me in this direction.
Awaiting
your response.
Thanking you I remain
Yours Sincerely
Vinod Krishnan
By e-mail
Dear
Vinod,
It is very critical for us to understand whether you are undergoing
the training in the human resource set up at Jebel Ali and Gulf
Resort or being trained in the hospitality segment (front-office,
store keeping, kitchen, etc).
Although there have been a lot of initiatives on the macro level
in the hospitality sector in India, sentiments are generally low.
Hotel properties across India are struggling hard to survive, leave
alone generating good profits.
Overall, the economy is expected to grow at five per cent annually
against the original figure of 6.5 per cent. This, obviously is
not a good sign and is reflecting a negative shade across industry
verticals. Retrenchments and lay-offs are predominant, especially
in IT and finance industries.
Organisations are reluctant to absorb new recruits right now. Analysts
and researchers see an upswing in the economy early next year.
Hotel properties in Mumbai are not very bouyant with the idea of
recruitment, so I personally do not see the current scenario as
the right time to scout for opportunities. Nevertheless, you can
email your profile to the concerned people in human resources in
all the leading hotels out here.
There is ample information available on the Internet, so I do not
think you would have a problem. Also, the human resource function
within the hospitality sector has still not assumed a very dynamic
role. Unlike other industries, HR setups in hotels are seen as ‘time-keeping’
and ‘personnel’ departments with little emphasis on people
management, benchmarking, shared vision, training, etc. But you
can leverage your HR skills not only within hospitality but across
the service sector (airlines, call centres, executive search).
To summarise, look at all possibilities. The service industry is
large and growing, so it can provide you with opportunities in the
area of human resources. Focusing on hospitality - HR as a function
may not be the right area but other functions/roles would come your
way.
By Kumar Abhishek
The advisor is a placement consultant, Personnel Search Services
- specially catering to the hospitality industry and Information
Technology)
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