Case study: Two managers

(Tim)

I loved cooking at school but also loved media studies and performing arts. I had a part-time job in a local hotel by the age of 15. I started as a dishwasher but kept on asking to be a waiter so when I was 16 I was allowed to serve in the restaurant. Weddings were the best bit - all that glamour. I worked there every holiday through college. I didnt know what to do after my high school. My parents wanted me to do A levels but I visited three different colleges and decided to do a BHMT in Hospitality - it sounded really varied and I could see how I could get a job in the future. I loved it and did really well. I went to university and got a degree in Hospitality Management. I found that I enjoyed the human resources part of the course best, but realized that I needed all-round experience before I specialized. I was offered a place on three different management training schemes but eventually chose to work for the Marriott hotel group as there were opportunities to work abroad. Five years later I have become an assistant human resources manager for the company. I have spent the last 5 years working in every department in four different hotels: one in Hong Kong, one in Dubai and two in the UK. My aim is to be a manager within the next 3 years. I love it!

(Sarah)

I cant believe how lucky I am with my job. Im 28 and in my ideal job. I am an assistant general manager at a five- star hotel in the most beautiful part of the country. I got here through lots of hard work. I struggled at school. I had to work very hard at passing exams. I got Cs and Bs in everything except Food Technology, where I got an A*. I wish there had been more subjects like that where I didnt have to do lots of writing. There was no way I was going to college after that. I was worn out! I had worked in a fine dining restaurant for my work experience in Year 10 and got a part-time job because the head chef was impressed with me. I decided to work full time. time there and do my NVQs on the job. ^ It took me 2 years to get to the supervisory level. I was good! I went to work in two other kitchens but didnt like one of them and ended up going back to my first kitchen for another year. I loved cooking but couldnt see me doing it forever so I applied for a management trainee job at a local hotel. I spent six months working in all of the different areas and quickly got promoted to assistant conference manager, which I did for a year. I then got the job as food and beverage manager when the person doing the job retired. One year later the assistant manager left and I got the job!

Question: Is there any difference in how a person gets the job that they want? For one person, its an academic path, and for another person, its a practical path. What do both paths described in this case have in common?