PDAE FINALS MODULE
Topics:
Career Pathways for Tourism Professionals
Key Success Factors
Career Movements, Mobility, and Priorities
Career Development Plan
I. Career Pathways for Tourism Professionals
- many possible career pathways
- industry is dynamic that a person may work on his own timeline
- Some pathways are as follows:
A. Vertical
- move up the management ladder, follows an upward liner pattern
Ex: From staff level to supervisor or team leader after gaining experience and delivering commendable performance
B. Horizontal or lateral
- transferred to almost the same position or different position but of the same level
- reasons why an employee would agree to this: higher compensation and benefits, better working conditions, more
chances to be promoted
Ex: a reception team leader is transferred as a VIP lounge supervisor with a slightly higher salary and better working
environment
C. Intra-organization cross-training
- transferred to a different position in another unit within the organization with the view of eventually permanently
moving him in that unit in the future or when the need arises
- provides an employee with an option or a fallback should the original career not take off
Ex: Ground attendant is cross-trained for 3 months as a flight attendant. She was immediately reverted to her regular
position after training. After 1 year, there was a shortage of FAs hence, she was permanently transferred since she is
already familiar with the work.
D. Inter-organization transfer
- leaving an old position and company in favor of another job waiting in another organization
- May be a risky move since one has already resigned and has no assurance of coming onboard the new company; it is
critical to have an assured offer
Ex: A supervisor resigned to join a new restaurant chain in Singapore.
E. Change sector
- shift to another sector in the industry to find one’s true passion or calling
Ex: Transferring from a hotel to a restaurant, or to an events company, government or academe
F. Secondment
- employee is shared with an affiliate for a specific period and is reverted to the original company
- Reasons: employee’s expertise is needed, an emergency or manpower needs
Ex: An internal auditor of a chain of hotels is seconded by its Manila property to its Ho Chi Minh property for 2 years to
set up its internal audit function. After which, he returns to Manila.
G. Detour
- An employee takes a break from his current career to do something outside their career or profession
Ex: An F&B manager in a hotel has been having personal and health issues thus, takes a break to recuperate. After a year,
he returns to the industry fully recharged and more enthusiastic.
H. One step backward
- Taking or accepting a position slightly lower than the current position
- To fill the gap in the organization or to prepare him for a bigger challenge
- can solidify a well-rounded experience in preparation for future promotions
Ex: The assistant financial controller (2nd highest ranking officer in the Finance Division of a hotel) assumes the role of a
department head for 1 year. Then, he becomes the financial controller when the incumbent retires.
I. Circular
- Employee gets to experience all possible job positions to sufficiently prepare him for an ultimate destination position
Ex: A manager is assigned to the front office, housekeeping, sales, and marketing within 5 years with the goal of preparing
him/her as a future general manager.
II. Key Success Factors
- measures success or failure in a career path
1. Track record- very good indicator of a career’s success- progressive, retrogressive, stagnant, or erratic
2. Executive leadership- employees who have manifested outstanding work performance and strong leadership potential;
they will undergo a rigid management development program to prepare for the challenging roles in the future
3. Work competencies- measured and evaluated using an objective performance appraisal instrument
4. Preparation- preparation for managerial role is the sum of one’s education, qualifications, relevant experiences, etc.
5. Longevity- ability to stay put in an organization for a prolonged period, a clear manifestation of company loyalty,
dedication, resilience, and perseverance
6. Claim to fame- in rare instances, an employee’s career is highlighted by a critical incident that instantly puts him/her in
the spotlight in a good way
III. Career Movement, Mobility, and Priorities
- career movement in the industry is common because most tourism workers are young, mobile, and employable around
the country or overseas
- A large percent of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are in the industry working for hotels, resorts, airlines, cruise ships,
etc.
- May happen domestically or across regions of the country to find more comfortable environments
- May happen from one’s country to overseas for economic prospects yet risky due to needed adjustments
IV. Career Development Plan
- a road map that details an employee’s career journeys in a company
- a personalized strategy to assist employees in achieving their career goals (short and long term )
- a written document that identifies:
Where an employee is currently situated
His / her long term career goals in the company
Steps or roles he/she can take to attain career and personal goals
- Purposes of a Career Development Plan:
Companies must invest on its employees
It motivates employees
Provides assurance of security of tenure and fair recognition of an employee’s contribution