I always knew this day would eventually come, and I knew even more so that it was impending the moment I tendered my resignation on Friday before the Lunar New Year public holidays. My four year journey as a hospitality worker ends (possibly just for now or forever, who knows) and along with it, the attractive employee rates for luxurious IHG hotels, and on a more humorous note, the serious all-black outfits with structured black blazers, at 6pm this Friday evening.
I’ve embraced this dynamic industry, even as I sometimes stuck out with my non-matching suit separates and slightly rebellious disregard for the hotel grooming standard nude or black sheer pantyhose. I even once had (really outrageously bright) red hair to the chagrin of my former General Manager and utter distress of my Director of Human Resources. I’m surprised I survived and lived to tell of great times and challenging times.
I constantly joke that the Marketing Communications department is “Everybody’s bitch.” Yep, that’s the slogan and I still stand by that! But grumbles aside, I have no hard feelings. It’s been one hell of a ride! Three General Managers and three Sales and Marketing Directors later, I’ve proven to myself, and in the process, to my coworkers, that I am never defined by my label of being a “millennial” and “Gen Y” (which I was affectionally referred to by said former GM and several leaders from that GM’s “era”).
The Holiday of My Career
In my Early Adulthood
As I reflected on the past four years in the last few days, I thought to myself how much of a “holiday” stepping into the hospitality industry was. I joined after one and a half years of intense, stressful agency life and before that another one and a half years of working at a start up swim school with crazy hours and tiring split shifts, plus I was learning everything from ground up. I contributed what I learnt from those three years to the hotel and in return I picked up people skills I never knew I had, guided and coached others and practically built my knowledge bank on hotel processes, systems and branding from scratch.
It does sound like quite a “break” from the hustle, doesn’t it? It’s not like this four years weren’t a challenge of course, it just wasn’t the same and the environment carried less “risk”. It was all a different kind of pressure.
Making Up My Mind
To Leave My Expanding Comfort Zone
The decision to leave the hotel and the industry was one that also pushed me into overdrive. I initially felt a little fear of leaving behind my comfort zone, one that I have built and expanded with each new lesson and as familiarity grew. Life is funny that way, when in doubt, it never fails to show me a door, and then its my choice to take it, enter and close it behind me, or ignore that door and stay where I am.
Me being me, before I made any decisions, I got clear on what was really holding me back. Once I had clarity, I placed my hands on the doorknob, peeked through the door, said hi a few times to the people inside, and then decided, “It’s time.” Once my mind was made, it needed no further convincing.
It’s hard to say goodbye. Honestly. Those close to me know that the last couple of months have not been easy, but I kept putting up a good fight. Even to the very last day, I know in my heart, that I will want the best for the company I work for. It is with no regrets on my last day that I leave and I know that can say, “I did everything I could to make things the best they can possibly be even with me leaving.”
Onwards to New Challenges
A New Industry in which Once Again I Have ZERO Experience
Of course, I’m insanely excited to start on my next chapter because I’m moving into a competitive industry – telecommunications – and in a role that I’ve been dying to take on – community manager (with a content strategy component). Again, as with all my jobs, it is with great gratitude that I accepted this one. I take nothing in my career so far for granted.
Every step of the way, I had such amazing mentors and great opportunities, it’s almost unreal. For many my accomplishments may be insignificant when compared to those of top scholars in government agencies or investment bankers and business consultants, so this level gratitude must come across as strange, but let me just put it out there that no man is truly a hundred percent “self-made” and I believe that it is always on the shoulders of giants (in this case, mentors), that we grow and become who we are.
One thing though, after years of sticking to a predominantly monochrome wardrobe, with the occasional loud dress, I’m not quite ready for Monday to Friday in intense colour. Looks like I’m just in time for some shopping over the weekend on Shopbop. Plus, the Spring Sale is on!
If you were wondering, they’re offering great savings with their code BIGEVENT16.
15% off orders of $250+
20% off orders of $500+
25% off orders of $1,000+
The sale is on from now till 5 March 2016, 11:59pm Pacific Time.
Edit: I previously referred to myself mistakenly as a hotelier. That is an owner or manager of a hotel. Someone kindly explained that I had the definition wrong and I have revised it to hospitality worker. Thanks Genevieve!
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