Make It Count! Getting the Most from a Hospitality Internship

Employers agree-to be successful, graduates of Hospitality Management programs need to have meaningful, hands-on industry work experiences to complement their classroom education. Consequently, nearly all Hospitality Management degree programs require students to complete an internship or practicum experience prior to graduation. The challenge is that the quality of these work experiences vary widely. Make It Count! Getting the Most from a Hospitality Internship provides step-by-step guidance through the entire internship process, from identifying opportunities through the intern's final evaluation of the internship site. This handbook may be utilized as a complete, turnkey internship guide from start-to-finish or simply utilize the appropriate sections of the text to help students, coordinating faculty, and employers outline and deliver meaningful experiential learning activities and outcomes. Features of the book include the following: The Hospitality Career Mosaic helps students more fully appreciate the full range of exceptional career opportunities available within the hospitality industry-not just in the traditional lodging and food service segments-but in destination marketing; health, nutrition, and wellness; technology and e-commerce; and more! The Internship Checklist will ensure that students establish a realistic timeline for completing an internship experience-from the initial search for an appropriate opportunity, through the interview and selection process, the professional work experience itself, and the evaluation process-so that students remain on-track to complete their internship on time. The section of the manual dedicated to Preparing an Effective Resume helps students put together a resume that employers will notice-even if they have limited previous work experience. Guidance is provided to prepare students to successfully navigate the Interview process since the text explains how students can anticipate and prepare responses to potential interview questions-improving their ability to secure the ideal internship experience. Detailed Suggested Learning Activities and Learning Outcomes are defined for each area within a hospitality operation-from the administrative areas, including sales and marketing; human resources; and accounting, to the operational disciplines, which include guest services; housekeeping and laundry operations; and food and beverage-so that students and employers, working together, may establish appropriate learning outcomes for the experiential learning experience. Students are instructed on how to create Service Blueprints and Flow-Charts so that they can properly diagram and evaluate common industry practices and processes. To be effective, the Experiential Learning process must require that students reflect upon the learning experience and relate it to the theoretical concepts delivered in the classroom-this handbook helps facilitate this transformation of experience to deep knowledge and applied skills. A complete collection of Evaluation Forms is provided to ensure that the intern, facilitators, and internship site are each evaluated during as well as at the conclusion of the internship, which ensures continuous improvement, while also bringing closure to the internship experience.

Table of Contents:
Dedication About the Author Section 1: The Internship Experience: An Overview Introduction Definition of Experiential Learning The Breadth of Hospitality Lodging and Accommodations Meetings, Conferences, and Events Food and Beverage Services Tourism, Recreation, and Entertainment Health, Wellness, and Nutrition e-Commerce, Distribution, and Revenue Optimization Branding and Product Innovation Real Estate and Asset Management Purpose of an Internship Gaining Skills, Application of Knowledge, and Perspective Diagraming Processes and Creating Flow Charts The Experiential Learning Process Practices Critical to a Meaningful Internship Experience Section 2: The Internship Process: A Step-By-Step Guide to Completing an Internship How to Utilize This Handbook Internship Checklist Securing an Internship Identifying Internship OpportUnities Breadth or Depth of Experience Compensation, Legal, and Ethical Considerations Quality of an Organization Preparing an Effective Resume Preparing Cover Letters Pre-employment Assessments Interview Preparation Interview Follow-up Selecting an Internship Offer Internship Agreement Section 3: On-Site Internship Guide: Suggested Learning Activities, Learning Outcomes, and Evaluations Learning Goals and Outcomes A Word of Caution Learning through Adversity Assigning Specific Learning Activities and Outcomes Student Submissions Unit 1: Understanding Organizational Structure and Relationships The Structure of Hospitality Organizations Organizational Vision, Mission, and Values Identify the Players Business Unit Structure Specific Areas of Inquiry: Suggested Learning Activities and Learning Outcomes Unit 1: Understanding Organizational Structure and Relationships Learning Outcomes Unit 2: Guest Services Unit 3: Housekeeping and Laundry Operations Unit 4: Revenue Management Unit 5: Restaurant Operations Unit 6: Beverage Operations Unit 7: In-Room Dining (Room Service) Operations Unit 8: Banquet and Conference Service Operations Unit 9: Culinary and Food Production Management Unit 10: Recreation Management Unit 11: Managing Staffing and Labor Productivity Unit 12: Sales, Marketing, and Customer Relationship Management Unit 13: Hospitality Technology, e-Commerce, and Distribution Unit 14: Human Resources Management Unit 15: Engineering and Facilities Maintenance Unit 16: Accounting and Administrative Unit 17: Owners and Investor Relations Professional Industry Experience Assignments and Projects Assignment 1: Flow Charts and Service Blueprints Process Analysis Assignment 2: The ""Service-Profit Chain"" Assignment 3: Mutually-Profitable Human Interactions Assignment 4: Internship Reflection Log or Diary Assignment 5: Best Practices and Management Recommendations Employer Provided Requirements and the Protection of Proprietary Information Assessment of Learning Grading Rubrics Overall Assessment (grading) of a Professional Industry Experience (internship) Evaluations: Student, Internship Site, and Supervising Faculty Supervisory Evaluation of the Student Intern Intern's Evaluation of the Internship Site Supervising Faculty Evaluation Documentation of Professional Industry Experience Work Hours Appendices Appendix A: Internship Checklist Appendix B: Internship Agreement Appendix C: Sample Resumes Appendix D: Evaluation Forms Appendix E: Professional Industry Experience Work Hours Glossary