BITK - Fresh Linens, Fresh Perspectives: Is Your Hospitality Career Due for a Deep Clean?
Bring a Fresh Perspective to Your Career.
Spring has officially sprung in Memphis! Soon, the city will be filled with blooming flowers, the sounds of music festivals, and the enticing aroma of barbeque. Our favorite patios are opening, and menus are being updated with fresh seasonal vegetables and choice selections.
If you've ever worked in a hotel or restaurant, you know this also means the "Deep Clean Checklist" is about to be posted. You probably also remember the "Spring Cleaning" weekends at home. Now, before I bring up any more memories of adolescent trauma, I have a question for you as a hospitality professional: While you're busy polishing the silver and steam-cleaning the lobby carpets, when was the last time you took a vacuum to your own professional goals?
The decisions we make (or don't make) about advancing or changing our careers are just as important as the reasons we shove boxes into the attic or postpone planting those rose bushes. We get caught up in the everyday routines of work and life, and suddenly, there never seems to be enough time for that important project. The same often happens with our careers.
However, spring is a season of new beginnings that offers us a fresh perspective on the world. I suggest we apply those same fresh eyes to our professional lives. Using the concept of spring cleaning our homes as a guide, let's explore how we can be spring cleaning our careers.
The "Attic" Audit: Assessing the Clutter
In a house, the attic is where we shove things we don't want to deal with. In a career, this is your "junk drawer" of old habits or roles that no longer fit. Is your current role a perfect fit, or are you just "storing" yourself there because it's familiar?
The Chore: Identify the "mental cobwebs"—the tasks that drain your energy or the outdated processes you’re still following just because "that’s how we’ve always done it." Could there be a new routine that addresses those daily tasks? Maybe “the old way” is the reason you always feel so tired or irritated at work. Now would be a good time to address the issue and come up with a constructive way to address it.
Opening the Windows: New Air and Upskilling
Feeling stagnant or suffocated in your current hospitality role is a clear sign that it's time to seek a fresh perspective. Consider opening a "window" to new opportunities and "breathing new air."
This might involve professional development, such as:
Learning New Technology: Become more marketable by mastering a new Point of Sale (POS) or Property Management System (PMS).
Gaining Certifications: Pursue credentials like a Sommelier Level One or a Certified Hospitality Supervisor (CHS) designation.
Additionally, expand your network. Talk to mentors outside your immediate department to understand the "view" and potential paths from other areas of the organization.
Beating the Rugs: Shaking Off the Dust
Sometimes vacuuming isn’t enough. To get a true clean, you have to get at the dirt that is deeply set in. What if you haven’t moved up in your career because you are holding on to something an old boss told you years ago? Have you allowed the last promotion denial to rock your confidence so bad that you never wanted to try again?
Listen, sometimes denials are really just delays. Don’t allow your talent to stay on the shelf and collect dust. Update your LinkedIn profile, rewrite your bio, and "shake off" the fear of applying for a promotion.
Open Up the Window and Let in the Light
The day after a deep clean is my absolute favorite. Stepping into the house, you're greeted by fresh scents, everything sparkling and new. The clutter is gone, and you feel genuinely welcomed, as if you're experiencing your home for the very first time.
Applying this idea to your career, spring cleaning doesn't necessarily mean quitting your job or starting a whole new venture. It might simply involve shaking things up, gaining a new perspective, and allowing yourself the freedom to dream and think expansively about your professional life.
Old houses become musty when too much is left stagnant and closed off for too long. Don't let your career fall victim to that kind of existence. You deserve better!
So this spring, it's time to open the windows, dust away the cobwebs, and discard the old junk. Go ahead and make a "reservation" for your refreshed, new self.
Don’t forget Welcome to Memphis is Always Here to Support You
Spring cleaning is about more than just organizing—it’s about shining. Stand out in the Memphis job market by completing the Welcome to Memphis training. Whether you're a server, a front-desk agent, or a manager, this certification shows employers you are committed to excellence and the Memphis community. Best of all? It’s completely free and available online.
Cleaning brings a freshness to your home. You can also freshen up your career.