Hello dear HTMi students,
My name is Boryana Georgieva and I just graduated the BSc Course with 1st class honors. I started my education in 2011 and in the meantime I did two internships at Courtyard by Marriott Zurich Nord. First as F&B Trainee, where I gathered valuable experience in the restaurant, bar and banquets. For my second internship I went back to the same hotel for Front Office Internship. I learned a lot about communication with guests and complaints handling. Additionally, I had several cross trainings in HR and was responsible for the management of the Grab&Go Market, located next to the front desk. After finishing the BSc course in June I started my current internship as HR Trainee at Sheraton Zürich Hotel. Very quickly I got a number of responsibilities and currently I am in charge of the Application Management. It includes the whole process from reviewing applications, discussions with the responsible managers, organizing interviews to preparing contracts and continuous correspondence with the new employees. We also organize many small events for charity or teambuilding.
I believe I was lucky getting the internships at the departments and hotels I desired. However, luck is not enough. If you want to find the right place for you, you have to search a lot, be patient and work hard with dedication towards your goal. Additionally, I find my language skills quite important, as fluent German is a requirement for administration positions such as HR. Nonetheless, it was also a huge advantage when I worked in Service and Front Office, as it allowed me to develop faster and earn the trust of my superiors so that they would let me work independently. And last but not least, the vast knowledge and practical experience that I got in HTMi prepared me to work hard, be flexible, always punctual and very organized.
To conclude my advice to all of you; set a goal,work hard and never give up, as you are the only one who can get you there!
“I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it” – Thomas Jefferson
Kind Regards,
Boryana Georgieva
