การปรับปรุงกลไกขององค์กรตั้งแต่ต้นจนจบนั้น เป็นเรื่องยาก และมีปัจจัยแวดล้อมจำนวนมาก แต่นั่นก็เป็นงานที่อยู่ในมือเรา การสร้างกลไกใหม่ให้แก่องค์กรต้องใช้เวลาหลายเดือน และเป็นฐานที่เราสามารถนำมาผลิตซ้ำเพื่อหาความสามารถใหม่ๆ ซึ่งอาจจะได้แก่ หน้าที่ใหม่ของฝ่ายบริหารงานบุคคล ศูนย์บริการ การจัดการฐานความรู้ ศูนย์ข้อมูล เป็นต้น จุดสำคัญก็คือ เราต้องไม่หยุดการขับเคลื่อนในขณะที่เครื่องจักรกำลังทำงาน ยิ่งองค์กรใหญ่และขับเคลื่อนยากมากเท่าไรก็ยิ่งต้องใช้เวลามากขึ้นเท่านั้น (ผมรู้สึกเหมือนจะปวดหลัง) และเมื่อเริ่มงานไปแล้ว ก็ยังต้องมีการจัดการอย่างชาญฉลาดเพื่อให้กลไกยังคงทำงานต่อเนื่องไป ซึ่งก็มักจะต้องมีการทำงานซ้ำๆ ตามวงจรการพัฒนาระบบ (SDLC - System Delivery Life Cycle) ตัวอย่างเช่น การส่งมอบงานในขณะที่ยังมีปัญหาในขั้นการทดสอบ สิ่งเหล่านี้ชี้ให้เห็นถึงความด้อยคุณภาพในการส่งมอบ และรูโหว่ในการออกแบบในรายละเอียด วิธีการส่งมอบงานแบบใหม่ๆ เช่น “DevOps” จะช่วยให้ออกแบบได้ดีขึ้น จัดการกลยุทธ์ได้สอดคล้องกันยิ่งขึ้น (มีคุณภาพในการใช้ทรัพยากรมากขึ้น การนำ Open Source มาใช้ และการปรับปรุงหรือนำเอา APIs กลับมาใช้ซ้ำ)

คณะทำงานเพื่อการเปลี่ยนแปลง

โดยทั่วไปทีมงานที่เข้าไปปรับปรุง “โรงแรม” ก็อยากจะย้ายที่ไปทุกๆ 2-3 ปี ซึ่งนั่นก็เป็นเรื่องที่ดี ในองค์กรมักจะมีคนที่อยากอยู่ที่เดิมไปนานๆ แต่ก็จะมีคนอื่นๆ ที่ตื่นเต้นและตั้งตารอการเปลี่ยนแปลง ทั้งสองกลุ่มต่างก็เป็นสิ่งจำเป็นในการผลักดันการเปลี่ยนแปลง จากประสบการณ์ผมพบว่า ทีมที่รับผิดชอบโปรแกรมขนาดใหญ่ และมีความสามารถในเรื่องนี้ มักจะผ่านข้อจำกัดทางการเมืองในองค์กรและสามารถขับเคลื่อนต่อไปได้ ซึ่งปกติแล้วที่ปรึกษามักจะอยู่ตรงแกนกลางของงานแบบนี้และจะทำให้งานง่ายขึ้น ทักษะที่ต้องมีก็หลากหลาย แต่บุคคลากรหลักแต่ละคนก็จะต้องมั่นคงมาก สำหรับผมแล้ว มันหมายถึงการที่พวกเขาทำงานใกล้ชิดกัน ลงลึกในรายละเอียด ไม่ใช่แค่การดูเอาจาก powerpoint และในความเห็นของผม การมีทีมเล็กๆ ที่มีทักษะดีๆ เพียง 5-10 คน ที่ช่วยกันจัดการกิจกรรมหลักในการปฏิรูปองค์กรจะได้ประโยชน์กว่า

ทรัพยากรที่สำคัญที่จะนำไปสู่ความสำเร็จก็ได้แก่ source code ที่เพียงพอ โครงสร้างการจ่ายเงิน และความยืดหยุ่นของบัตรเครดิต และทีมงานจะเป็นตัวเชื่อมระหว่างแนวคิดของคณะกรรมการบริษัทกับคนทำงานในส่วนปฏิบัติการ ถ้าไม่มีทีมแบบนี้การเดินทางนี้ก็ล้มเหลว

มีหลายครั้งที่งานแบบนี้เริ่มต้นอย่างยิ่งใหญ่และเต็มไปด้วยผู้จัดการอาวุโส สมาชิกในคณะทำงานก็จะไม่ติดดินอีกต่อไป (พื้นดินคืออะไรหรือ บนสวรรค์นี่สวยกว่ากันเยอะ) คุณก็รู้ว่าโครงการอย่างนี้ต้องใช้เงินหลายร้อยล้าน แต่นั่นจะไม่ให้ประโยชน์อะไรเลย กิจกรรมที่ได้ผลมักจะเป็นกิจกรรมงบน้อยๆ แต่มีทีมฉลาดๆ และในทางกลับกัน โครงการที่มีงบประมาณมากๆ แบบที่เงินไม่กี่ล้านบาทยังไม่ทำให้รู้สึกอะไรเลย โครงการเล็กๆ ที่ให้ประโยชน์ตรงๆ หลายๆ โครงการนี่แหละที่เป็นกุญแจสำคัญ อาจจะจัดการให้สอดคล้องประสานกันได้ยากสักหน่อย แต่สิ่งนี้ก็เป็นประสบการณ์ที่ต้องสร้างขึ้นมาให้ได้ นี่ก็ทำให้ผมคิดขึ้นมาได้ถึงการปฏิรูปองค์กรที่ GE ตอนนั้นผมรายงานตรงต่อ Global CIO ผมโทรหาหัวหน้าโครงการทั่วโลกในเวลาแปลกๆ เพื่อจัดการเรื่องการตั้งค่า ทำขั้นตอนการทำงานและ APIs กับ vendors รวมไปถึงการเจรจา เพราะทุกๆ วันมีค่าและวันส่งมอบก็ถูกกำหนดไว้แล้ว

1748 Gordon Lane
Tobyhanna PA 18466
USA

ผมขอแนะนำ ผู้ที่สนใจมีอาชีพทางธุรกิจท่องเที่ยว หรือผู้ที่อยู่ในธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวอยู่แล้ว ติดตามอ่านบทความของ Kimberly "Tourism Exposed" ได้ใน www.TourismExposed.com รับรองว่าไม่ผิดหวังครับ ผมนำ บทความหนึ่งที่น่าสนใจมากมาให้อ่านเป็นตัวอย่าง ยังมีอีกมากครับ ที่น่าสนใจและเรียนรู้เป็นอย่างมาก ถึงแม้นจะเป็นธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวใน USA ก็ตาม ถ้าเรามีความเข้าใจก็สามารถนำมาปรับใช้ในประเทศไทยได้ การท่องเที่ยวประเทศไทยก็จะเจริญรุ่งเรื่องไม่ตกต่ำเหมือนเช่นปัจจุบัน

ม.ล.ชาญโชติ ชมพูนุท

27 ธ.ค.2557

5 Reasons Why You Should Work in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality

Quitting.

There’s something about quitting that doesn’t sit right with me.

Everyone always says, “never quit and never give up,” but sometimes you just have to.

After graduating from college I worked at a company that programs music and produces music-related content for digital cable television. When I first started, I loved my job. I was 22 and excited because after all, my job was dealing with music all day. What’s not to love?

I spent my time there being the best employee I could be. I’d come in early, work late and sometimes work weekends. I was grateful for my job, but my feelings of excitement faded fast.

Here’s why.

There came a point where I wanted to investigate the travel, tourism and hospitality industry as a field to get into work wise because I always loved traveling, meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds and wanted to learn more about why destinations chose to promote themselves the way they do.

As a result, I decided that the best next step for me was to go back to school full-time to learn more about the overall industry. However, I stayed at my job another year because of the stability it provided.

And I stayed because I was scared of the unknown.

Now unfortunately, something happens when you become clear about what you really want. What you don’t want seems to become unbearable.

Everyday I would come to work literally sick to my stomach. I was so depressed, I wanted to move ahead, but I kept listening to everyone’s opinion about it being hard to get a job so I shouldn’t quit the one I already have.

The nail in the coffin was when I overheard some of my coworkers talking about how long they worked at the company. One of them said, “What was supposed to be a two-year job turned into 10 years.” I sat there thinking, “That is NOT going to be me. There is something more for me, I just have to find it, and I won’t find it being stuck here.”

With that, I gave my two weeks’ notice. I felt like the world was being lifted off my shoulders. I was nervous and excited at the same time.

As I went into the next chapter of my career, I didn’t have everything planned and I definitely didn’t have all of the answers. But all I knew was that I wanted to have a career in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and in order to have that I had to let go of my fear of the unknown that was holding me back.

Many people asked me…

Why do you want to work in tourism?

What could you possibly do in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry?

What’s so great about the industry?

Well there are 5 reasons why I was interested in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry all those years ago that continue to be good reasons why you should work in travel, tourism and hospitality today.

1. A Powerful Industry

Tourism is the world’s largest and fastest growing industry with a total economic contribution to the world’s economy of $2 trillion and over 100 million jobs!

Many people think of tourism as something that only touches their lives when they travel away from home. In reality, tourism is much broader and influences everyone’s life on a daily basis.

Travel, tourism and hospitality generates a great amount of spending, jobs, incomes and federal, state and local tax revenues in destinations ranging from rural villages to cosmopolitan cities. This money often provides the additional revenue needed for local businesses to be and remain financially viable.

2. Dynamic Work Environments

The diversity of career paths within the travel, tourism and hospitality industry is so great that you can basically work in any type of environment you want.

Positions range from front-line or operational jobs involving significant contact with the traveling public, to supervisory and management positions that involve people management skills, to influential and challenging positions at the executive or entrepreneur level in national and international organizations.

All positions are challenging and rewarding and few positions are nine-to-five jobs. However, each and every position in travel, tourism and hospitality has one responsibility common, the total satisfaction of every visitor or tourist.

3. An Innovative Industry

Travel, tourism and hospitality is one of the most dynamic and competitive industries in the world. Destinations worldwide must ensure that their tourism and hospitality infrastructure, products and services always anticipate the visitor or tourist’s changing needs and preferences in order to stay ahead of their competition.

New ideas and skills are constantly being developed across every area of the industry, from innovative mobile applications and distinctive menus to creative hotel room design and imaginative tour itineraries.

4. Endless Opportunities

A career in travel, tourism and hospitality is one that can literally open up the world for you, especially if you want to combine your work with travel. Nearly all of the occupations in this industry and skills that you can develop by working in this industry are transferable across the U.S., as well as on an international basis.

This is an industry that will enable you to learn about and interact with people from a wide variety of cultures and lifestyles from around the globe. More and more emerging destinations such as countries across Eastern Europe and Asia for example are beginning to actively promote themselves to potential tourists.

If you prefer to remain in the U.S., the world is now coming to us in record numbers, which means that career opportunities are being created every day.

5.  Easy Entry and Advancement

Travel, tourism and hospitality is an industry you can get involved in easily and immediately. Whether you start as a volunteer, helping your own neighborhood to develop a festival, or work part-time in your community’s welcome center assisting visitors, you can start accumulating valuable experience now!

It is so important for me to encourage you to enter and develop a career in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry because this industry desperately needs you. It needs passionate professionals at every level, from entry to executive.

In return, you will have a challenging and fulfilling career in the world’s largest and most diverse industry and employer. It is an industry that contributes to world understanding and is an important economic activity in most countries around the world.

I know I made the right choice all those years ago to enter this industry. It has allowed me the chance to travel and see the world and meet so many fascinating people, all the while growing my professional career quicker than I ever thought would be possible

Happy Holidays Chanchot! It's just a few short days until Christmas and I can't believe how this year has flown! While you're shopping for last minute gifts, making your home guest-ready for the holidays or just taking this time to chill out and relax, I just want to tell you how grateful I am to have you as part of our fast growing community here at Tourism Exposed. I have loved hearing your stories which have inspired me to create more material on Tourism Exposed like the 3 Apps You Must Download Today to Find a Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Job and How to Get a Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Job Without Experience, just to name a few. Thank you Chanchot and I look forward to helping you even more in 2015. Happy Holidays and a Prosperous New Year. To Your Success, Kimberly  Tourism Exposed www.TourismExposed.com

1748 Gordon Lane
Tobyhanna PA 18466
USA

ผมได้รับ e-mail จาก Kimberly ตามข้อมูลด้านบน ทำให้นึกถึงผู้ที่สนใจจะมีอาชีพด้านธุรกิจท่องเที่ยว หรือผู้ที่อยู่ในธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวอยู่แล้ว รวมถึงผู้ที่มีส่วนเกี่ยวข้องกับการท่องเที่ยวทั้งภาครัฐและเอกชน ได้อ่านและทำความเข้าใจในบทความของ Kimberly ที่ให้ความรู้ด้านการท่องเที่ยว อย่างมากมาย ถึงแม้นจะเป็นการท่องเที่ยวที่เกิดขึ้นใน USA แต่ถ้าเราทำความเข้าใจและนำมาปรับให้เข้ากับประเทศไทย ก็จะทำให้ธุรกิจท่องเที่ยวเรารุ่งเรื่อง และมั่นคงไม่เป็นเหมือนเช่นปัจจุบัน ที่ตกต่ำจนน่าใจหาย ประเทศไทยเป็นประเทศที่รวยทรัพยากรท่องเที่ยวประเทศหนึ่ง ไม่ด้อยกว่าประเทศใดๆในโลก แต่เราอ่อนเรื่องการบริหารจัดการ เราไม่รู้จักการบริหารจัดการอย่างเหมาะสม จนทำให้ทรัพยากรของเราถูกใช้ไปอย่างไม่เหมาะสม ขาดจิตสำนึกและการวางแผนที่ดีทั้งภาคเอกชน และภาครัฐ พร้อมกันนี้ได้นำบทความตอนหนึ่งของ Kimberly มาให้อ่านเป็นตัวอย่าง ถ้าสนใจของแนะนำให้เข้าไปที่ เวปไซด์ และลงชื่อสมัครเป็นสมาชิกซึ่งไม่มีค่าใช้จ่ายใดๆทั้งสิ้น

ม.ล.ชาญโชติ ชมพูนุท

27 ธันวาคม 2557

..... อ่านต่อได้ที่: https://www.gotoknow.org/dashboard/home#/posts/583159

How to Get and Keep the Attention of Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Professionals

In Part 2 of how to break into the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, we talked about where the best places are that you need to be in order for you to meet and connect with professionals in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and how to separate yourself from other job seekers.

Now let’s talk about how to stand out and what to say to make a good impression, either in person or via email, so that you start a relationship with important people who can help you break into the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and gain exposure.

How do you get the attention of a travel, tourism and hospitality CEO, Vice President, hiring manager, potential mentor or someone who is doing what you want to do in the industry?

People in positions of power, those who can point you in the right direction and who can open up doors for you, are busy people by default. They get dozens of emails, phone calls and overall requests on a daily basis.

What does this mean for you?

It’s harder to stand out and make a good impression. And it’s easy for you to get overlooked or ignored.

If you know how to get busy, powerful people in the travel, tourism and hospitality to notice you, talk to you and help you, you’ll have a major competitive advantage over every other industry job seeker out there.

Saying the right thing either in person or via email could lead you to the perfect job opportunity. It could save you months or years of knocking on doors or sending out resumes, hoping and praying for a lucky break.

Getting and keeping the attention of travel, tourism and hospitality professionals does not mean that you need friends-of-friends to introduce you to someone. With the right strategy you can reach out to industry insiders even if you don’t know anyone in common.

Unfortunately, most people go about talking to or emailing influential people in the industry all-wrong. They end up ruining potential relationships before they’ve even started.

Today, I’m going to show you how to get and keep the attention of travel, tourism and hospitality professionals and start a relationship with them the right way. And I’ll be providing actual conversation guides and email templates on how to specifically do this.

Approaching Industry Professionals In Person

We already covered the 4 places that offer the best opportunities to meet professionals in travel, tourism and hospitality. Those places are important for you to attend so that you can learn through the people you meet, what’s happening in the industry, which companies are doing well and which companies are hiring.

But at one time or another we’ve all been to places, events, or meetings where we don’t know anyone and there is a professional we really want to connect with. We don’t know how to make that initial approach and introduce ourselves because we either become tongue-tied or intimidated and we don’t know exactly what to say or how to start a conversation.

What to Do Before An Event

What most people don’t realize is that the majority of the work in trying to connect with industry professionals is done before the event even occurs. Most events have an attendee list on their registration page. See if a person is on the list that you would want to connect with. Look them up via their LinkedIn profile to learn about them prior to seeking them out at the event. In planning for the event do the following two things:

1. Practice a short introduction about yourself. Notice I said the word “short.” Sharing too much information about yourself with a potential connection you just met can be annoying, so condense your background into literally about a minute long sound bite. The key points you should cover are your career goal, recent professional background and an explanation on how your background prepares you for new opportunities.

2. Prepare yourself for conversations with travel, tourism and hospitality professionals. Spend time researching and reading about industry news, trends and recent events so that you’ll be prepared to spark conversation and ask for their thoughts on topics that are interesting to both you and them. Taking the time to learn about issues and current events in the industry will give you the information you need to ask intelligent questions and join conversations already in progress.

What to Do During An Event

You’re now ready to engage as soon as you meet someone, with conversation topics, questions and stories, stored in the back of your mind that you’ve developed from your pre-event research.

Below are some conversation guidelines to make sure the conversation doesn’t lose steam and gently gets you to the goal of having the travel, tourism and hospitality professional give you their business card willingly:

1. Small Talk: Every conversation should begin with a little bit of small talk because you can’t just go directly into asking industry professionals for their business cards right when you meet them. It’s rude and too abrupt. The problem is that most industry job seekers keep their conversation with industry professionals at the small talk level where they don’t get past the basic introductions.

2. Common Point of Interest: Telling the CEO of your dream company that you love their work or admire their approach to business will not invite stimulating conversation past a simple “thank you.” Your goal is to really start inquiring in ways that are relevant to how you might be able to add value.

The easiest way to do this is to determine a common point of interest or CPI. The CPI, allows industry professionals, no matter how high they may be up on the ladder, feel more comfortable talking to you. The CPI will also help you avoid those awkward “how’s the weather” type of conversations.

The key to determining a CPI is to ask engaging, open-ended questions, such as “What did you think about the latest book on…” or “When was the last time you…” or “What is your favorite industry event?” In other words, questions that don’t elicit a yes or no or one word answer. It’s all about guiding the conversation away from how are you to who are you. When you ask engaging questions a CPI is almost always discovered.

3. Wrap-Up: Simply and politely end the conversation by saying how nice it was to meet them and then exchange business cards.

To summarize, first engage in small talk and get a rapport going. Then find out what the person is up to, what’s important to them and what you have in common. Lastly, direct the conversation in ways where you think you could add value. Remember, there are three things that you can give that are deemed valuable to people you’re trying to connect with and bring into your community.

No matter what you want to learn or know, finding the CPI, or the common point of interest, sets you apart from the rest of industry job seekers and makes it easier for you to then continue the communication with industry professionals after the event.

Reaching Out To Industry Professionals Via Email

What’s the best way to reach out to travel, tourism and hospitality professionals that you’re unable to initially meet in person through an event or reconnect with those that you did meet at an event?

Write and send out emails to them requesting an informational interview.

We’ve all heard about “informational interviews” but few of us do it. What is it? How does it work? And how can you use subtle techniques to make an informational interview help you?

An informational interview is an opportunity to meet someone you’re curious about in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and learn from them, ask them questions about their job and get the inside scoop on the industry overall.

For example, maybe you’re curious about what a Hotel Sales Manager really does or you want to know what the culture at a particular company is like.

This is what an informational interview allows you to do.

But what is it that makes a professional in the industry respond or not respond to your email request? How do you get this person to care about you? How do you make sure that your email isn’t going to annoy them or take up their valuable time?

How to Set Up an Informational Interview

If you want to meet with a potential mentor or boss, you don’t just email the person blindly, barely knowing anything about them. When you do this you’re basically saying, “Hey, you don’t know me at all, but can you meet with me and give me an hour of advice for free?”

How far do you think this approach will get you?

I want you to know how to write an email that will begin a relationship and leave a lasting impression. Here’s the first step of that process: Doing your homework.

Google them. See what comes up. Spend some time on their social media accounts to find out what’s important or interesting to them. See who is interconnected between you and them on Facebook and LinkedIn. Go out and buy their book and read it, if they have written and published one. Investigate what events they go to or view what groups they belong to on LinkedIn.

You now have a frame of reference in which to base your email content and develop a CPI.

Now here’s the second step of the process: Writing and sending the email request for an informational interview.

The time of the travel, tourism and hospitality professional you admire is valuable. Show that you respect their time by being mindful of what you ask of them and how you ask it. Your email must always include a specific reason as to why you’re contacting them. By having a specific reason, you will eliminate the need to use the vague question, “Can I pick your brain?”

Informational Interview Request Email Templates

Template #1

Subject: Would love to chat about your work in the tourism industry.

Hi ______,

My name is ______ and I’m a 2010 grad from ____. I came across your name on LinkedIn, where we have a connection in common (_______).

I’d love to have a quick 30 minutes of your time, buy you coffee, and ask you a few questions about your career successes. I’d especially love to know how you made your choices after graduating from _____. I’m in the process of shifting my career focus from ______ to a niche of ______ and would value your advice.

I can meet you for coffee or at your office, or wherever it’s convenient.

Would it be possible for us to meet?

Thanks,

Your Name

Template #2

Subject: Temple University Grad: Would love to chat about your work at NYC & Company.

Hi ____,

My name is ______. I’m a 2010 grad from Temple University and I came across your name on our alumni site.

I’d love to get your career advice for 30 minutes. I’m currently working at XYZ Company, but I have always wanted to work in New York City in the destination marketing area of tourism.

Based on my research, NYC & Company is the premier destination marketing organization in NYC. Do you think I could ask you what motivated you to choose NYC & Company? I’d especially love to know how you made your choices after graduating from Temple.

I can meet you for coffee or at your office, or wherever it’s convenient.

Would it be possible for us to meet?

Thanks,

Your Name

These two emails show that you are someone who does your homework and takes into the consideration how important the travel, tourism and hospitality professional’s time really is. Both of these emails followed some important guidelines for making a good email first impression.

• The emails are brief and concise.
• A CPI is immediately explained in order to establish instant credibility.
• A specific request is made of the industry professional, in which they could simply say “yes” or “no” to (don’t make the industry professional do the work by making them figure out how they can help you or what you want).
• Pointless questions were not asked of the industry professional up-front.
• The job seeker didn’t write a lot of detail about themselves.

Most people wait for an event to meet professionals in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry but it’s far more effective to be proactive and not be afraid to send out an email. The majority of job seekers in this industry are not doing this and this act alone will set you way ahead of your competitors.

Remember, by doing the hard work up front, you will reap the major benefits down the line later. If you write and send out 100 emails and 10 informational interviews come out of it, the work alone will be completely worth it. As you send out more emails, you’ll become more comfortable and confident with the writing and you’ll start to get response rates that are much higher.

Not only do successful travel, tourism and hospitality job seekers have the ability to reach extremely busy people in the industry and get access to their most precious resource, their time and attention, but they also can turn a one-time meeting into a long-term relationship. And over time, that’s worth more than almost any technical skill or amount of experience.

The Art of The Follow-Up

Staying in touch with the connections you make is crucial to your career success in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. The connections you make aren’t a series of one-time meet-and-greets. The connections you make form a community that you must continuously strengthen through regular contact.

But once you’ve connected with someone you admire, whether it’s at an event, via email or in an informational interview, what’s the secret to turning that one-time meeting into an ongoing relationship?

The secret is following up.

You see, the biggest mistake people make when connecting is simply not following up. Do you know how many people have asked to “pick my brain” then once we have a conversation, I never hear from them again?

If you’re going to meet someone who you really want to connect with in the industry, why go to all that trouble…and then drop the ball by not following up?

I’ll tell you why.

It’s because when we talk to someone who is in a place where we would like to be, especially top-level professionals in the industry, in the back of our minds, we think, “There’s no way I can help this person. She is a Vice President! She knows way more about (whatever) than I do! I should just get her advice, send her a quick “thank you” email and then not bug her again.”

This is exactly the wrong way to think about and approach following up. Contrary to popular belief, a simple “thank you” message isn’t enough. Everyone sends that! It’s become a basic requirement. How do you go beyond that to actually make the travel, tourism and hospitality professionals want to help you?

Here’s how.

Introducing the Maintaining the Momentum Technique

The Maintaining the Momentum Technique is a series of emails that you send over a certain period of time that helps you stay in touch with industry professionals you’ve met once and turn a one-time meeting into a long-term relationship. Here’s how it works.

Email #1: The Thank You (send within 24 hours of initial meeting)

Hello NAME,

Just wanted to thank you again for meeting with me. I’m definitely going to get in touch with NAME OF ANOTHER INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL like you recommended. I’ll keep you updated, and of course, please let me know if there’s anything I can do to repay the favor!

Regards,

YOUR NAME

Email #2: The Value Added (send 1-2 weeks later)

Good Afternoon NAME,

I saw this article in the INDUSTRY PUBLICATION and it reminded me of what you said about IMPORTANT POINT YOU MADE DURING OUR INITIAL MEETING. No response needed, just thought you might find it interesting

Regards,

YOUR NAME

Email #3: Maintaining the Momentum (send 2-3 weeks later)

Hello NAME,

Wanted to give you an update: I did end up talking to NAME OF ANOTHER INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL, and you were right, NAME OF COMPANY is definitely a fit for me. I plan to learn all I can about NAME OF COMPANY before I apply. If there’s anyone else you think I should speak to, please let me know.

Thanks again! I’ll let you know how it goes.

YOUR NAME

How you can use the Maintaining the Momentum Technique

Once you have someone you’ve connected with once, it’s important to maintain the momentum and build that relationship by constantly adding value.

Who can you help and what would be most interesting and useful to them? Send them that. Put them first, not yourself. When you repeatedly show that you’re investing in them first, you’ll separate yourself from everyone else trying to break into the travel, tourism and hospitality industry who rarely reaches out to anyone for advice or help, and only reaches out when they need something.

Stand out, and you will instantly have more credibility and higher-level connections with travel, tourism and hospitality professionals, who will want to help you.

By carefully using the Maintaining the Momentum Technique and revising it for your needs and circumstances, you can turn yourself from a frustrated industry job seeker, into a top performer who easily demonstrates why you’re different.

In the end, when properly implemented, the Maintaining the Momentum Technique actually makes industry professionals want to recommend, help, or even hire you.

How Can You Apply All of This Today?

Now you how to really break into the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. You know how to truly connect versus just network with industry professionals, where to go to meet them and what to say to them either in person or via email.