Am I Eligible for a Correspondence Hotel Management Course After an MBA in HR?

I have completed an MBA in HR (Human Resource Management) in 2014 through correspondence from Sikkim Manipal University. Now, I am interested in pursuing a Hotel Management course through correspondence. I would like to inquire if I am eligible to enroll in such a program. If so, could you please suggest which university I should consider?

Thanks & Regards,
Priyanka Tiwari

As a career counselor, I would like to know if you are planning to pursue Hotel Management after an MBA in HR first. You must have good reasons for the same. I hope you have a career plan in mind, or you must be clear about how and where you want to be in your career in the next few years.

Considerations for Pursuing Hotel Management

If you are seriously considering Hotel Management, then doing this course in regular mode would be best. This field involves maximum practical exposure, contents, topics, etc., which can be learned through a practical or physical approach only. Therefore, try to find some good universities nearby or search for the best hotel management courses provided by universities/colleges online and proceed accordingly.

I must emphasize again the importance of outlining your career desires and expectations, and then proceeding accordingly.

Regards,
Manish Srivastava
ISO Consultant & HR (QMS/EMS/FSMS)
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The Reality of Hotel Management

Hotel Management! The industry or the education is not as glamorous as it looks from the outside. The education itself is fourfold, and one has to be literally on his or her feet to achieve fame in this sector. You may be in any department in the hotel industry, but the physical and mental challenges are twofold.

By no means am I undermining the efforts in any other industry, but it's tenfold in the hotel industry. If you have it in you to learn from scratch the rituals of hotels, only then should you go into the hotel industry. It's one thing to clean your home toilet and another when you have to learn to clean the toilets of others. This is just one example.

I am both a Hotel Management and MBA HR professional. Therefore, I can say that if you do choose hotel management, kiss your social life goodbye completely.

Regards,
Ashutosh Thakre

Thank you for your suggestion in your feedback. I have decided that I should not choose the Hotel Industry. I am going to prepare for my UGC NET Exam.

Thanks & Regards,
Priyanka Tiwari

I am in agreement with the opinions expressed by both of my friends. Let me first add that after HR, transitioning to another line (such as hotel management, etc.) will require your re-orientation to that particular discipline. This will entail setting aside your HR education and knowledge for that purpose. HR itself is a vast discipline with various available avenues, so finding a suitable job should not be a problem.

If you have come to the conclusion that pursuing HR has not aligned with your aspirations, and that Hotel Management would better meet your requirements and expectations, then I would advise you to pursue it through a regular course from an established and reputable institution. This is because a lot of institutional activities are involved, which you may miss out on if you opt for distance education.

Thanks and regards,
S.K. Johri

Dear Priyanka, It sounds very unusual that you wish to pursue Hotel Management after your MBA. I have worked in this industry (in Taj, IHHR, Bharat Hotels & Leela) for 38 years, and my experience is that this is a good career, provided you have the aptitude for it. One of my colleagues mentioned above that your social life gets compromised in this industry, which is partly true to a great extent. However, it all depends on your mindset and what you are looking for in your career. It is tough, no doubt. However, there are many people (both males and females) who are passionate about this industry and are doing extremely well.

There are many women I know who have been excelling in their careers in this industry and they are not regretting it because that is what they are looking for in their careers. Initially, it is a very tough career because you need to learn everything yourself to master the skills and job knowledge, which helps tremendously for your future career growth. Once you master your department's job knowledge and skills, and develop leadership skills (which reputed hotels teach in-house), then you will not look back in your career. It becomes a fast-track career, and your MBA in HR will help you with leadership skills and qualities.

I would advise you to get your aptitude test done in a reputed institute, which will tell you whether you are suited for a career in the Hospitality industry. This will also give you an idea of which department in this industry you are suited for. In case you are creative and enjoy cooking, you will shine as a Chef. You will also get to know about other career options through the aptitude test.

If you decide to pursue Hotel Management, please do it in a reputed institute or join the Management Training Programme of a reputed hotel chain, in which case you need not pay. In fact, you will earn a salary. However, you need to have a good academic record (with mastery in any subject you enjoyed during your academic career) and good communication skills.

Information Regarding Institutes

In India, 24 institutes providing training in hotel management are affiliated with the National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT). There are other institutes run by hotel chains and private hotel management institutes with foreign affiliations. For the student, the best option is to try for courses offered by reputed hotel chains or institutes under the National Council.

Read more at: Hotel Management Admissions 2014, Hospitality Courses Entrance Exam 2014

You may contact me for further information.

Regards, Madan Salgaunker.

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