Jen, Deputy Hotel Manager, Premier Inn
Getting back into the working world after a while, or embarking on something new can be daunting. Fear, self doubt and questioning whether it’s even possible is holding people back from starting a new chapter in their life. At Whitbread, we want to turn around the negatives and help you change your story – both the stories you tell yourself about lack of confidence, ability or employability, and your future ambitions too. You’re at the best place to #ChangeYourStory, with the UK’s leading hospitality business.
"I am a shy person, but hospitality just brings out a confidence in me I don’t normally have.
Since I joined Premier Inn I’ve brought my customer service and empathy skills from my previous jobs into the hotel and I think skills from any industry could be utilised here. Hospitality is definitely an option for everyone.
My career started in my mum’s pub, serving pints. After a while I decided to try my hand at some other things that were more related to the qualifications I had. I worked in a Pharmacy for a few years, but it was too slow for me. After that I became a trainer, travelling round the country training people on EPOS systems (digital check out systems). Again, all the time I was doing this something was missing, and it was my love for the interaction that you get with guests in hospitality.
I’d never worked in a hotel, but I applied for a housekeeping role at Premier Inn. When I went for the interview the manager offered me a Duty Manager role! I couldn’t believe it. He looked at my CV and the experience I had and he saw something in me. He told me he thought my skills would be best used leading a team.
There were new things to learn, especially the restaurant element of the hotel, but the team were so supportive and with a willingness to learn I picked it up in no time at all.
Things moved fast, I was only in the role seven months when the Regional Operations Manager approached me about a Deputy Hotel Manager position. I told him I wasn’t ready yet, I was still learning the business and thought I didn’t have the skills to do it, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer! In my experience, Premier Inn are always on the look out for your potential to grow.
So perhaps it was no surprise when I was approached again. I felt reassured that I’d have support and that he believed I was more than capable of doing the role. My moto is ‘if you don’t try you will never know’, so I set aside the negative thoughts I was having and said yes.
It was nice to be recognised but I was so nervous! I told myself ‘change is good’… That was over a year ago and I can say I absolutely love my job. Leadership is so key in this role, I am only as good as the team who are with me. I love the team, we work so well together. It’s a great company to work for, I didn’t even believe in myself, but they believed in me. I was encouraged into this role and I was glad I was.
At the beginning it was tough, understanding the compliance, stock orders and profit and loss of the hotel, but I love learning. And I learn best from doing and that’s how they do it here. I can go on courses to learn new things and I just like to be with the team and guests to understand what they need.
I’ve never felt support like it here, yes, it’s busy and it’s a 24-hour business, but I don’t think I would have it any other way. I love the fast pace of it all, I learn something new every day, no two days are the same.
I’m a mother of two children, who are older now, so while in the past I had to pick jobs that were right for them and their needs, now is my time. Time to focus on my career path and I know that I can do that here. I want to keep learning and developing, I would even like to do an apprenticeship, and I know I can do all that here at Premier Inn."
#ChangeYourStory with shifts to suit everyone at the UK’s leading hospitality business here…