Waitresses, God bless them, were offered substandard salaries, often harassed by their management, possessed little knowledge of the law, were abused and the turnover was high.
Since then, as the politicos say, we have "evolved." Marketing has been dragged out of college class rooms into hospitality, sales has been over taught in the hotel industry, and in the intervening years, staffs have grown, the science has increased the profits of the industry, and sometimes, under limited circumstance - the money generators responsible for the revenue, the sales people.
Management has consistently considered sales people akin to the "rowers" in the hold following the drum beat. Metaphorically, when the captain sees the water level rising, the rowers will inevitably get thrown over the side, still attached to their chain.
The Obama induced panic drive, Socialist economic slide toward oblivion we are now embracing as a nation, I fear has so ruined the economy, that the cyclical nature of the "hotel business" may be inextricably been wounded fatally.
The Halcyon days are gone. Thick sales staffs and their luscious expense accounts, travel budgets I believe are pared down forever. Here in Tucson, Arizona, a microcosm of reality, now, even the luxurious resorts, once touted as above the fray, are in deep trouble financially, and are up for sale at bargain prices.
Once Tauted Marriott resorts, Weston, and others, deeply nestled high in the mountains high over the city, are all flagging and losing money. When the ship goes down, the masthead is the last to slip below the waves.
These resorts are indeed the masthead. They will indeed draw a bargain price for some future owner albeit a bank, finance company or some foreign dignitary, Arab, or financier.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a career in the pretigious hospitality industry was a much sought after profession. To be a "hotelier" was fashionable, classical, and provided an excellent career.
Not now. Those days are gone, in my opinion. To work in the hospitality business, in any white collar capacity, one should have an attitude that the position is only temporary. Hold onto it while you are still seeking a more firm form of employment elsewhere, hopefully not in a hotel. And, never, never work for a "management" company - not ever.
If you are applying for a white collar job in a hotel or a resort, do your homework, check the backgrounds of the General Manager, the company who owns or runs it. Ask if they are attaining their budgets. If not, why not? If they don't answer you, run for the door.
###
