First day on new job sets life on unplanned course
Carly de Jong is the curator (aka general manager) at Radisson RED Rosebank hotel
What do you enjoy about the hospitality industry?
This industry is constantly changing — from technology to booking systems, no two years in hospitality are ever the same.
However, guests are at the heart of the entire operation.
No matter how many years you spend in the hotel industry, it is the guests that make your job worthwhile. I love the impromptu conversations I get to have with guests around the hotel.
It also means a lot to see the hotel become a real part of guests’ lives as a space for them to celebrate special days, anniversaries and successes at work.
What led you to the work you do today?
I studied communications and had no plans to join the hospitality industry.
Shortly after finishing my degree I moved to London, where I found myself working at the front office for a five-star hotel — and from the first day I knew that it was for me and I have not looked back since.
How has lockdown affected the way you work? And what lockdown work habits do you plan to keep?
It has completely changed so many elements of my work.
There have been two big positive results that I have noticed.
The first is that during the past year we have seen inspiring changes as locals begin to discover the joy of visiting hotels for nights out, staycations and socially distanced events.
The second is that we have truly embraced technology as an integral part of the industry. From hybrid meetings, social media content and digital communications, this has all helped us to stay connected to our guests.
This has been vital as, although we have always been extremely focused on health and safety protocols, the pandemic has had more of an impact on our interactions with guests.
What big mistake led to your most important work lesson?
One of the biggest lessons that I have learnt in my career is to trust my gut. Mistakes have often happened when I ignored a feeling or intuition in favour of someone else’s advice.
Though I recommend having strong mentors and listening to the people around you, good leadership is trusting your instincts when it comes to making decisions.
Avoiding mistakes is always better than making them, and the way that I try to do this is by communicating with the intent to listen — you do not always need to have a response.
What qualities do you need to be part of the hospitality industry?
I believe that the most important part of hospitality is believing in being of service to others.
To do this you need to be humble and have plenty of energy.
I would also say that a healthy addiction to adrenalin is a bonus, because no two days are ever the same.