Hospitality is in the blood for Charlotte
Hospitality is in the blood for Charlotte Karadag, a 23-year-old assistant front of house manager at a hotel on the outskirts of Bristol.
She has worked in the sector since she was 16, but her ties go back much further.
She said: “My parents owned two businesses so I have always been involved in the hospitality industry. My Dad’s passion gave me the motivation to study a hospitality degree.”
Now she is hoping that she can pass on this passion to other people, as the sector has been suffering from a severe staff shortage which is threatening the ability of some businesses to open fully and start to recover from the pandemic lockdowns.
Charlotte said: “I love working in this sector because I enjoy interacting with people and helping to create a memorable experience for every guest.”
During lockdown, Charlotte worked as duty manager at a supermarket while also completing her final year at university.
She said: “I wanted to keep busy during the pandemic and having the role at the supermarket enabled me to develop my leadership skills which I then hoped to bring back into the hospitality industry.
“At the start of the pandemic, I felt like the hospitality industry was really going to suffer, and while it has one, since re-opening there has been a massive boom.
“I think that, because of the pandemic, a lot of people’s lifestyles changed and many people found new jobs in different sectors.
“I think people were worried about working in this sector because they think it involve working long hours and different shifts all the time; this puts a lot of people off, as they feel they still want a social life.
“But if you are a sociable person, if you are a people person, then this is such a rewarding sector, because you can interact with clients and build great relationships at work.
“Being in the hospitality sector gives you the chance to learn a wide range of different skills, too.”
Raphael Herzog, Chairman of the Bristol Hoteliers Association, said: “We hear every day that, all around the UK, some hotels, restaurants and bars are not opening fully because they simply don’t have the staff they need. Some are operating at only 75% capacity, or even less, so more needs to be done to support our industry.
“A combination of the pandemic, which prompted many of our European workers to go back home, coupled with Brexit, which restricts their ability to return, has had a huge impact on staffing levels.
“Hopefully, when people hear how passionate staff like Charlotte are about working in hospitality, they might be inspired to take a fresh look at joining our exciting and vibrant industry themselves. There are plenty of opportunities available.
“Charlotte’s story is a great example of how quickly people’s careers can progress in our sector.
“She started as a receptionist and moved quickly up the ladder to become a supervisor when we re-opened after lockdown. Within a few months, the progressed further to become an assistant manager. She’s definitely a future leader in hospitality.
“Her story is just one of many examples of how careers can move quickly in this sector. There are many other benefits of working in hospitality, which can include excellent training, free meals, great service charges in restaurants and bars, complementary weekend stays and discounted rates at hotels.
“If you haven’t considered a career in hospitality before, now is the perfect time.”
