Food Services and Hospitality

Chef – Job Description

Posted by Simon Thompson on

Chefs are everywhere, from takeaways to television studios, pubs to palaces, cafes to cruise ships. Long hours are a fact of life, as is relatively low pay unless you’re a Michelin-starred gastro-king, but there are a lot of jobs out there.

Chefs are the boss of any kitchen. They devise menus, make sure the kitchen is running as smoothly and efficiently as possible, order stock and negotiate for best price, hire and fire kitchen staff and do whatever it takes for the customers to leave happy and return hungry for more. Oh, and they cook sometimes as well.

Food Services and Hospitality

Bar Manager – Job Description

Posted by Simon Thompson on

Bar managers work in one of the ultimate people jobs – you’ll have daily contact with both your customers and your staff and, if you’re good at it, you’ll be seeing a lot of the former.

The front-of-house work is the most demanding and rewarding, but there’s always plenty of backroom work as well. From stock resupply to staff rotas, recruiting and training new workers to running promotions and advertising your bar, your work will never be done.

Business and Strategic Management

Management Consultant – Career Advice

Posted by Simon Thompson on

A management consultant is usually employed by large firms to help and advise on in-house management problems.

The job involves research, surveys and interviewing staff, so good analytical and people skills are a must. Once a company’s working/management practices have been investigated, management consultants will analyse, compile and explain the information (and any recommendations derived from it) through written reports and presentations.

Marketing and Product

Product Manager – Job Description

Posted by Simon Thompson on
Product Manager – Job Description

A product manager is responsible for the overall planning and development of a product’s marketing strategy. It’s a job where keeping the customer happy keeps the client happy.

Day-to-day tasks involve researching both a product and its market, checking the success of a campaign and also the effectiveness of rival products and their marketing strategies. Overseeing the development of existing and new products and seeking out potential new clients is also part and parcel of the job.

Marketing and Product

Jobs in Direct Marketing – Career Advice

Posted by Simon Thompson on
Jobs in Direct Marketing – Career Advice

Direct marketing involves the promotion of products, brands and services straight to a potential customer, whether it’s through mail-outs and flyers, emails, competitions, giveaways, tokens, coupons, vouchers or point of sale displays and promotions.

New and eye-catching ways to grab the attention of a target audience are the Holy Grail of direct marketing, and to try and achieve it you’ll be meeting with clients, coming up with ways to market the client’s products or services and putting those ideas into action. And throughout the process, you’ll be expected to remain on-budget and on time.

Travel and Tourism Careers

Travel Agent – Career Advice

Posted by Simon Thompson on
Travel Agent – Career Advice

Travel agents can make or break a customer’s holiday. It’s a job where listening skills are just as important as in-depth knowledge of the sector because it’s all about finding the perfect match between holiday and holidaymaker.

And once the destination has been agreed on, the real work begins, with travel agents expected to book flights and sort accommodation and insurance, advise on travel issues such as visa requirements, process payments, send out tickets and deal with any complaints.

Travel and Tourism Careers

Holiday Rep – Job Description

Posted by Simon Thompson on
Holiday Rep – Job Description

Holiday reps have to maintain a tricky balance between being the life and soul of the party and being the first point of contact when something goes wrong. It’s part customer service, part cheerleader and part information bureau, and the pay is really not that special.

Then again they get to work in (usually) warm, sunny and beautiful places through summer and winter.