When you think 'hospitality industry' what are the jobs that immediately come to mind? Maybe Serving? Front desk? Housekeeping? Whilst '9 to 5, Monday to Friday' doesn’t immediately spring to mind as being synonymous with the hospitality industry, did you know that there is hundreds of 'office jobs' working behind the scenes in every hotel? From Human Resources to Marketing to IT, and everything in between, the options for career progression in your chosen field are endless - with the awesome perks of hospitality to boot!
We sat down with Jordan Thompson to understand more about why Jordan chose to progress his career at one of Fairmont's Mountain Resorts. Jordan has a dream job as a Regional Marketing Manager and gets to work across the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge resorts.
Thanks for joining us, Jordan! We have a few questions to understand why you decided a move from corporate life in Toronto to hospitality in the Mountains was right for you!
Why did you decide to join the hospitality industry?
The adventure!! I was working in Marketing in the Greater Toronto Area and I loved my job, but I didn’t feel fulfilled with the lifestyle I was living outside of work. With Fairmont’s Mountain Resorts I saw an opportunity to live in the mountains and thought this would give me the work-life balance I was searching for. I loved the idea of being able to adventure outside of work while also working for a company with enough growth opportunities that I didn't have put my career on hold.
Why did you decide to join Fairmont?
Well, firstly, the locations are unmatched. When I first joined Fairmont, I had the opportunity to work in a hotel on the shores of Lake Louise. Now, I get to work in a real-life Castle, and the windows of my office overlook some of the most picturesque mountains in the world. How many people can say that?! Secondly, there is so much career growth potential with Fairmont. Whether in the hospitality side, or in the administration side, where I work. Fairmont loves to hire internal colleagues and is a huge promoter of growth within the company. Ask any of our Fairmont General Manager’s, the majority of them will tell you they started as a dishwasher or housekeeper or front desk agent and worked their way through the ranks. It’s incredible.
What is one unexpected perk of working in the hospitality industry?
I’d love to say the travel… But that’s to be expected when you join the hospitality industry. One ‘unexpected’ perk would probably be all the resort benefits you get access to. As a colleague you get access to the resort’s restaurants, spa, golf course and even some of the activities guests get to do, but for a deeply discounted price! It’s amazing getting to experience these incredible luxury resorts for a fraction of the cost.
What did your work-life balance look like before you joined Fairmont Mountain Resorts?
I lived a pretty standard lifestyle, my Monday - Friday would start with getting ready for work then about a 45 minute commute to work, after work I would go to the gym, commute home, have dinner, make tomorrow’s lunch and usually watch tv until it was time for bed. Weekends would usually involve hanging out with friends, maybe go into the city for a night out. In the Summers we would try to go to a cottage or go camping, but it was always a 2 or 3 hour drive to get there.
What does your work-life balance look like now?
My life is a lot more action-packed. My commute is only a short 5 minute walk to work now, so with the time I save commuting I can usually knock-out a morning gym session followed by a soak in the hotel's heated outdoor pool before getting ready for work. The hotels have a staff cafeteria so I don’t have to worry about making a lunch anymore. After work I usually make dinner and then get outside for an evening activity. In winter that might be a cross-country ski or skate. In summer, it’s usually a small hike, a bike-ride to a nearby lake or sneak in a round of golf at the resort's course. Weekends are more lively. Winters are all about Snowboarding for me. I try and get out to the hill at least once a weekend for a day of riding (or both days if there’s good powder!). Winters are also a great time to relax and take advantage of our employee travel program, getting to stay at Fairmont resorts all over the world! Summer weekends for me are filled with either camping, hiking or a mixture of both (backcountry camping!). There are an infinite amount of mountains to be explored so these hobbies never get old.
What would you tell someone thinking of joining the hospitality industry?
I would say try it!! You don’t have to commit to a lifetime. But, try it for a year or two and see if it’s for you. You might just be surprised.
Thanks for sharing with us, Jordan!
We asked Jordan to share some of his favourite memories since moving to the mountains:
This is the story of just one of many colleagues enjoying working in their dream “9 to 5” career fields whilst having access to all of the awesome perks of the hospitality industry. What about you? Ready to swap out your cubicle for working at a castle; traffic for travel perks, and long days for lounging by the lake? You can reclaim your work-life balance here: Leadership & Admin Positions.
Ready for an adventure? Visit FairmontMTNJobs.com to learn more about what it's like to live, work and play in Fairmont's Mountain Region.
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