Jump to a section:
- Roles and Work Environment
- Skills and Training
- Industry Timeline
- Find Opportunities
- Applying and Interviewing
- Additional Industry Resources
Roles and Work Environment
The tourism, food and beverage industry relies on the creativity of makers. While many advertised roles in the industry focus on providing friendly, efficient and attentive customer service, it’s important to look past those roles to the craftspeople, event planners, and experience designers that allow a leisure experience to be truly unique and memorable. Though some of these organizations may be small and family-run, most organizations are likely to employ financial professionals, marketing staff, and administrative staff. Specialized knowledge of the certain area and excellent communication skills are highly important in the industry.
Below is a sampling of roles you might find:
- Banquet & Conferences Planners
- Spa and Wellness Managers
- Wine Buyers
- Travel Agents
- Event Photographers
- Wedding Planners
Skills and Training
- Budget Planning
- Communication
- Destination Planning
- Marketing
- Research
- Tourism Development
- Visitor Management
Industry Timeline
The recruitment timeline in this industry is based on position vacancy. The following example is an organization who offers tourism internships to UVA students.
The non-profit organization Sea Turtles 911 hosts an Educational Tourism Internship Program in Hawaii which provides students and young professionals with experiences working on the 'frontlines' of endangered species conservation and research. Students gain unique work experiences while giving back to the community and living on the tropical Paradise island of Hawaii. Educational outreach and tourism interns tackle the challenges of creating effective eco-tourism programs which not only imparts information but also inspires the participants to action. The summer internship program starts in June and ends in August. The application deadline is December 31st.
Find Opportunities
On-Grounds
- Morven Kitchen Gardens
- Campus Kitchen
- Green Dining
- Greens to Grounds
- Slow Food
- UVA Food Collaborative
- UVA Community Garden.
Off-Grounds
- Charlottesville Food Justice Network
- Careers in Food
- Good Food Jobs
- Farm and Ranch Jobs
- BlueSkySearch.com
Applying and Interviewing
Resumes and Cover Letters
Your professional resume should address skills needed in your desired field and special accomplishments or results-oriented tasks you performed in previous work. Depending on the specific job function you hope to fulfil, those skills might include:
- Critical Thinking
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Broad Content Knowledge
- Ability to Improve with Feedback
- Savvy with Technology
(SNAAPShot 2013)
When it comes to choosing a format, some arts or media organizations may be more tolerant of design-heavy resumes that use color, graphics, or otherwise veer from the traditional one-page resume. Keep in mind that, regardless of the field, hiring managers are more interested in quality content (what have you done?) than visual appeal. In fact, some employers view non-traditional resumes as a tool for masking a lack of experience. Don't let this be you! Use work samples and your online portfolio to show your design skills so you can keep your resume content-focused.
Interviewing
The interviewing process varies with positions in this industry.
The following are some sample interview questions.
- Describe a situation where you have had a conflict with a co-worker and how you have worked to resolve the situation.
- Describe a situation where you had to learn a significant amount of information and give a presentation on that topic.
- Describe your experience in hiring, training, scheduling, and supervising employees.
- Describe your experiences working with students from diverse backgrounds.
Additional Industry Resources
Blogs and Industry Research
- Association of Food Journalists
- Chefs and Head Cooks Job Descriptions
- Culinary, Restaurant, and Hotel Career Opportunities
- International Association of Culinary Professionals
- The Gastronomes: Good Food Jobs blog Blog and professional community for food lovers who want to put their passions to work. We profile the most interesting, engaging, and unlikely food professionals out there, and we publish them here to inspire you.