hi everybody, I am looking at changing career from General Manangement of restaurants into human resources and L & D specifically. I have spent a large part of my career training others and would like to develop these skills further as they are not qualified. Just wondered what advice anyone can offer on where to start and the best qualificatiosn to have. I am looking at doing the CIPD L&D course, is it worth it? Where is the best place to get entry level jobs? Who should i be talking to? Any info is much appreciated.
3 Responses
my three ha’penceworth
Hi Charlie
you don’t mention whether you are financially sorted (ie got a job) at present or unemployed, so the level of "urgency" isn’t clear.
I’d suggest having a look at the Learning Practitioners Association; they run a "Certified Learning Practitioner" course that may compete well with the CIPDs offering.
You are also going to have to answer lots of questions (for yourself) about sourcesof income and specialisms, have a search through the past questions here for lots of advice on these topics.
Are you planning to go self employed and specialise in the restaurant/leisure industry or get a "proper" job (I know you ask about entry level jobs but that may be challenging if you are not an entry level aged person)?
I hope this helps and good luck
Rus
http://www.coach-and-courses.com
Check your industry first
Hi Charlie. I’d always suggest checking the state of play of the training industry that supports your sector as a first step.
Hotel & Catering
Charlie
As you probably know, you are in a sector with a vast range of different types of businesses from small start-ups to big corporates. People 1st provide some subsidised training for SMEs and are worth checking out. Getting entry to the big corporates often comes through a personal contact or through working with a training company who has won a contract. You may want to approach some training companies who may welcome your specific skills to find out whether they might like you on their list of associates. Membership of the Institute of Hospitality may add to your credentials but probably won’t directly lead to any work.
As you describe your experience as general management, my guess is that this is the area where you wish to train others. This is a competitive field. As a sweeping generalisation, I’d suggest you think about a specialist niche where there is a need that may be undersupplied and where you have a particular interest. Alongside that have some breadth too – be able to offer skills in range of areas to help spread your risks. Although I was brought up in this industry I am well out of touch with how things work at the moment but my perceptions are that preparatory management (being well organised, having contingencies especially for staffing, buying, etc) and crisis management are key – and most businesses are better at one than the other. Marketing is a specialism in the corporates but small businesses often flounder. Understanding your customers and delighting them is perhaps the top issue – the old ‘have a nice day’ approach, I’m pleased to say, seems to have been overtaken by bringing out the natural personality of individuals and nurturing that extra spark that helps you stand out. In the current climate, costs – where you can make savings and where to keep investing – is vital. It may be that smaller companies need more of an holistic approach to training to address how these elements all fit togetherand that means your skills in needs analysis/diagnosis will be critical. I offer this merely as a view, not as a seasoned insider. But it is that sort of thought process that may help and if you have better evidence of where to target your efforts, so much the better.
Best of luck
Graham
Graham O’Connell