This handbook provides students with an essential understanding of the skills and knowledge needed to work in the tourism, hospitality and events industries. It offers reflective, reflexive and critical analysis on personal, academic and professional development.

Not only looking at how to develop the skills, attributes and prospects for employment in these competitive industries, this handbook also focuses on what the employers in tourism, hospitality and events sectors require of graduate employees. Highly illustrated, the chapters contain think points and activities, and case studies are integrated throughout offering first hand advice from both employer and graduate perspectives.

The first book to focus on skills and employability in tourism, hospitality and events, this is a must read for all students studying these fields.

Dr Miriam Firth has worked, researched and taught in tourism, hospitality and events management programmes for over 15 years. Building upon a career in hotel, restaurant and festival management she specialises in supporting the employability of students, and professional development for management in these sectors. From working, and the continued research, in these industries, her publications are informed from both published research and active experience in the contexts into which students will graduate. She is currently Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester (ranked 27th in the world in 2019), Programme Director of BA (hons) Management, Leadership and Leisure, and Director of Teaching and Learning Strategy.

Part One: Employability skills for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management

1. Introduction to the textbook

Introduction

Textbook scope

Key definitions: Employability and Skills

Using the textbook for professional development in Tourism, Hospitality and Management

Summary

References

2. Sector Overviews

Introduction

The scope of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management Businesses

Leisure and Recreation: Overarching sectoral and research positions

Research strands in support of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management Employability and Skill Development

Summary

References

3. Graduate Employment

Introduction

What is graduate employment?

Types of employment: SME, MNC, Non-profit, Public and Self

Employment and labour markets

Employment in Tourism, Hospitality and Events

Summary

References

4. Skills for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Employment

Introduction

Core, key, and transferable skills

Being entrepreneurial 24/7

Matching skills to job descriptions in the service sectors

Summary

References

5. Text Structure

Introduction

Structure of the Textbook Chapters

Added support: Case study, Activity, & Think Points

Revision Questions, Additional Sources and Reference Lists

Learning gains from Learning Outcomes

A note for academics and teachers

Summary

Part Two: Personal Development

6. Personal development in Tourism, Events and Hospitality

Introduction

A Personal Skills Appraisal

Skill mapping for Tourism, Hospitality and Events

Summary

7. Self-awareness

Introduction

Definitions of Self-awareness

Critical thinking and neuro-linguistic programming for self-awareness

Personal performance and presentation

Summary

References

8. Relationship skills

Introduction

Personal Relationships

Soft and interpersonal skills for professional relationships

Cultural, cross-cultural and intercultural tenets of relationships

Emotion, Aesthetics and Sexualisation in relationships

Being a citizen of the world

Summary

References

9. Time Management

Introduction

Time management as a personal ability

Strategies for time management

Summary

10. Learning Styles

Introduction

Approaches to learning

Learning styles

Learning forms and styles to aid academic and professional

Summary

References

11. Effective communication

Introduction

Forms of communication: verbal and non-verbal

Written and Digital communication

Summary

References

Part Three: Academic Development Strategies

12. Goals and Targets

Introduction

Framing your goals and targets through research approaches and philosophies

Types of academic goals and targets

Strategies for meeting goals and targets

Summary

References

13. Finding academic articles

Introduction

Forms of published academic material

Themes and key words

Methods for searching

Search techniques and choosing the literature

Summary

14. Reading academic texts

Introduction

Motivations for reading in personal, academic and professional contexts

Inductive and Deductive Reasoning for Reading

Surface and Deep reading

Strategies for effective reading

Summary

References

15. Academic Writing

Introduction

Conventions within academic writing

Writing using judgement, power and balance

Strategies for academic writing

Summary

16. Secondary and primary sources

Introduction

Types and categories of sources

Using Primary and Secondary sources in different Research Methods

Sources used in academic and professional contexts

Summary

References

17. Motivating yourself

Introduction

Nurturing and developing your motivation

Motivational theories applied in academic and professional contexts

Summary

References

18. Group work and alternative assessments

Introduction

Group work in studies leading to team working in industry

Forms of academic assessment for group work

Summary

References

Part Four: Professional Development

19. Reflective and reflexive thinking and learning

Introduction

Learning and thinking reflectively and reflexively

Reflecting upon leadership, management, manipulation and influence

Reflexive positions on leadership, management, manipulation and influence from THE management contexts

Summary

References

20. Networking

Introduction

Networking for academic and professional development

Skills for networking

Methods and processes for individual networking

Summary

21. Coaching and Mentoring

Introduction

Performance Management

Coaching and Mentoring

Utilising coaches and mentors for your career planning and development

Summary

References

22. Forms of employment experience

Non-traditional locations for THE employment experience

Summary

23. Career Mapping