Hospitality into Marketing

Five valuable skills I learnt while working in retail and hospitality.

During my six years in customer-facing retail and hospitality, I have gained some crucial skills from working in places like McDonald's, small business retail and hotel housekeeping to now an office-based marketing role.

After being in my marketing for over a year, I am reflecting on the strengths I've gained from my past positions and how I apply them here.


🗃 Organization
🔎 Attention to detail
😌 Empathy and patience
🗣 Communication
💡 Problem-solving


🗃 Organization
In fast-paced, time-constrained roles, I honed my organizational skills by running stock takes, cashing up, and planning housekeeping schedules to meet check-in deadlines. This experience instilled in me the ability to efficiently manage time, meet deadlines, and uphold a keen attention to detail to the highest standard.

🔎 Attention to detail
Double-checking food orders, housekeeping sheets, and cash handling at the till showed me the importance of attention to detail. Emphasizing the significance of thoroughness and care, it ensured seamless operations and happy customers; ultimately creating less stress for yourself.

😌 Empathy and patience
In customer-facing roles, you can often become a metaphorical punching bag for the customer's frustrations. I learned to navigate this with Empathy and patience, recognizing the crucial role these traits have play in providing exceptional customer care. Effectively managing customer frustrations can transform negative experiences into positive ones.

🗣 Communication
Before, I spoke directly with customers, understanding their needs to create an enjoyable customer experience through customer service. Now, I'm communicating through email, blogs, and social campaigns and guiding customers through their digital brand experience.

💡 Problem-solving
From addressing special customer requests to streamlining branding and data management, I developed a knack for creative problem-solving. Whether accommodating unique customer needs or devising strategies to enhance operational efficiency, my experience has been instrumental in identifying and implementing practical solutions.


Drawing upon these skills cultivated in retail and hospitality can help give you a basis for other roles. I'm leveraging my diverse expertise to drive success and deliver exceptional customer experiences. 😁

Remember to look back on your career journey, remembering what you have gained! Retail may not have been my desired career destination but I have taken the value in it and used this to add value where I am now.