By: Lesley Simental
SHRM/CHCI Summer 2017 Scholar-Intern
“Take care of your employees, and your employees will take care of your guests.” This is one of the strongest statements that I am taking away from this summer. In a hotel/resort like The Gaylord Texan, customer satisfaction and customer service are key to success.
I was one of four scholar-interns in the SHRM/Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Internship Program for the summer of 2017. In this experience, I was able to work with amazing leaders who took the time to really educate me in the time I interned. My supervisors were mentors to me, teaching me aspects of human resources in the hospitality industry that I had not been exposed to.
I had many projects, but one that made the experience one-of-a-kind at the Gaylord was a project to oversee the progress of and assist with engagement surveys. At such a diverse hotel, I could learn how to deliver exceptional service to our Hispanic community when they needed assistance in not just English but also Spanish.
I was able to work with many people from all over the world such as El Salvador, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, Thailand and many other places. This was such a culturally diverse place to work and that made the experience all the more educational.
While in Dallas this summer, I also received support from the local SHRM chapter, Dallas HR, as well as from our contacts with national SHRM, who were there to help with questions, provide career path advice and show me the “HR ropes.”
I highly encourage other students to apply to the SHRM/CHCI Internship Program because not only does it provide experience, it also offers insight into a potential market for future employment opportunities. One of the things I liked the most about this program was that it was HR focused but opened my eyes to an entire business sector. To apply, please click HERE.
As I move on to my senior year of my bachelor’s degree program, I have a better appreciation for the valuable role that HR plays in an organization—and especially in the hospitality industry. Whether I’m working with guests of a hotel, clients at a company or employees at an organization, I know the value of engagement and customer service.
- 0
- 1886 views
Add new comment