HOW TO MAKE A CAREER CHANGE TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GUIDED BY YOUR MENTOR (ELEANOR)

ELEANOR ERICKSON

HOSPITALITY SPECIALIST, MEETING FACILITATOR, LEADERSHIP COACH

Wilmington, NC

MENTOR SESSIONS:

• Hourly:  Phone / Skype/Zoom
• $75/ Hour
  

• On-Site: Half, Full or Multiple Days
• N/A

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Eleanor Erickson is a graduate of TS Wootton High School in Rockville, MD. She received her B.A. in Sociology from Ithaca College. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality at East Carolina University.

Eleanor began her hospitality journey with C3 Investments when she joined the team of Hampton Inn Southport when it opened in the summer of 2000. She was employed as a Guest Service Representative from 2000-2002 and as the Assistant General Manager/Director of Sales from 2002-2004. In the spring of 2004, she was offered and accepted the role of General Manager. In 2018 and 2019, she helped to oversee the construction of a new 88 room Hampton Inn & Suites. In 2020, she managed the successful conversion of the older Hampton property into a Fairfield Inn & Suites.

Eleanor has served as a Regional General Manager, serving both hotels. She oversaw the day to day operations of the hotels, including guest service, human resources, marketing and PR, sales, revenue management, and financial controls.

She served as an Ambassador of Hamptonality for the Hampton Brand from 2014 - 2018. In this role, she traveled throughout the US and Canada, training and mentoring hundreds of team members at Hampton hotels. Eleanor is a past president of the Rotary Club of Southport and served on the Board of Directors of Communities in Schools for five years.

In 2022, Eleanor embarked on a new journey as a leadership mentor/coach for hospitality professionals.

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Great! That is what I am here for. Let me tell you a bit more about me.

I am a veteran hotel manager who now provides leadership mentoring/coaching for hospitality professionals.

  My work experience includes workshop facilitation, hotel management, bartending, ribbon-barrette-making, and sales. I've sold hotel rooms, holiday giftware, dinner specials (and ribbon barrettes!) among other things.

I have worn a name tag and smile for most of my working life, and I am most at home when we are talking face to face.



Here is a list of things I believe in:

• The power of an infectious smile.
• Eye contact.
• Personal pep talks.
• The importance of dreaming aloud over extra-large cups of coffee.
• A positive attitude and cheerful outlook can get you anywhere.

As you have an interest in the hospitality sector, you may want to talk about:

• What do you see as your new role? What excites you? Some that you may want to dig deeper into are customer service, sous chef, front office manager, spa director, restaurant manager, or name your own choice here.
• Identify your transferable skills.
• How would you rate your communication skills?
• Are you concerned about the recruitment process for someone going into a new field?
• Are you a student or recent graduate who wants to find your place in business, but are clueless on how to achieve it?
• Are you already in this sector but want to shift your hospitality career to a new job?
• Are you excited about the opportunity to work a non-traditional work week?
• These are the types of subjects that we could discuss as you consider a career change to the hospitality industry.

Let’s go over a few of the reasons why I should be your choice for a hospitality mentor.

1. I want you to succeed in your career change to the hospitality industry.
2. I have more than twenty years of experience working in the hospitality industry.
3. I have curated a network of hospitality contacts that spans the globe.
4. I will help you identify the ways you can play to your strengths in your new role.
5. I will motivate you to set big goals.

So here I am, a self-proclaimed *positive attitude advocate*. Let me buy you a cup of coffee. Tell me your dreams. I'm going to help you realize them. 

And it's going to start with that smile.

So looking forward to it!

Eleanor