Secret Hotel Pathways - Jenny C. Vanover
Hi!
My name is Jenny. I am
currently the Front Desk Manager at
Oak Tree Lodge in
Sevierville, TN. Working at a hotel had never really crossed my mind
prior to this job.
Before working in
the hotel industry, I was a Registered Medical Assistant. The thing I
enjoyed most was definitely helping people. Even the most minor
ailment or injury can be very distressing, both physically and
emotionally. I enjoyed being able to end my day knowing that I had
made a difficult situation easier for my patients.
I ended up working
at a hotel quite by accident. A good friend is the general manager at
the hotel where I now work, and I was looking for something temporary
while I searched for a nursing job closer to home. Little did I know,
a year later I would still be happily working there.
As with my last
job, the thing I enjoy most is helping people. Even though a pleasant
hotel stay is not as crucial in the grand scheme of things as one's
health and well being, it is still about the most important thing
going on for your guest at the time. Guests have usually travelled a
long way to reach us, what could make a travel experience more
pleasant than an accommodating host who make a temporary place feel
more like home?
A close second to
helping our guests, is the crew that I work with. We really are a
team, and sometimes a family. We always work together happily, and
are there to pick up the slack if one of us is going through
something difficult. I work with a wonderful bunch of women and, oh
yes, one man.
I believe that all
experience from previous jobs helps when working at a hotel. When
doing our best to provide hospitality to each and every guest, a
hotel employee has to wear many hats, far more than I would have
believed before I experienced it for myself.
For
many years, I worked as an operator at an answering service. This
brought me to my hotel career with confidence and courtesy when
speaking with guests on the telephone and in person as well. My
career in nursing taught me to listen; it's all in the details. Being
able to pick up on subtleties is as helpful when dealing with guests
as it is with patients. The little things mean a lot, and can make a
guests stay more satisfactory, and our jobs much easier.
I've had guests in
my lobby see me being chewed out over something minor, (the light
bulb in the lamp beside the bed is NOT a three-way bulb! It's
SUPPOSED to be a three-way bulb!) and then shake their head as my
aggressor walked away and say, "I could never do what you do."
That may be true. Working in the hotel industry is NOT for everyone.
But those who are patient and understanding, and have a strong team
spirit, I would definitely encourage a job in our industry. It's
rewarding and fun if you're doing it right.
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| Oak Tree Lodge - Sevierville, TN |
