5 Internship Ideas for Hotel Management and Hospitality Majors

  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Boutique Motels
  • Local Small Businesses
  • Summers Abroad
  • Youth Camps and Organizations

Hospitality is one of those industries where networking is key. It is crucial to begin seeking internships early in the academic experience. The more internships you complete by graduation, the higher your chances of landing a decent job shortly thereafter. Here are five creative internship ideas for hospitality majors.

Related: Top 15 Hotel and Hospitality Management Online Degree Programs

1. Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations are consistently putting on fundraising and awareness events. They do not have the money to pay regular staff members to plan and manage these events. This means that there are frequent internship opportunities of varying lengths. It also means that these interns have a great deal of responsibility and freedom in these roles, strengthening their resumés and portfolios. This is also a great opportunity for interns to combine professional development with causes close to their hearts.

2. Boutique Hotels

Hospitality majors wishing to take their hospitality careers into the hotel industry might consider completing internships at boutique hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other smaller locations. The tendency is to want to pursue internships at fancy resorts and famous conglomerates. However, these places are already fully staffed in regard to their hospitality needs. Interns end up getting coffee and filing papers. Future employers are much more interested in seeing actual hospitality duties on resumés, which students will have at more intimate locations.

3. Local Small Businesses

Local small businesses need a lot of help getting their name out and convincing customers to choose them over the big names they know and trust. They rarely have the funds to pay hospitality professions for these services, so they are highly likely to take on interns. These interns will have full control over advertising and marketing for these small businesses, making these internships solid addition to resumés. Landing an internship in this setting can be a little tricker, but Forbes offers some great tips for making it happen.

4. Summers Abroad

Summer is the perfect time to jumpstart your career while still pursuing your hospitality degree. Cruise ships and travel companies pick up speed in the summertime, creating more internship opportunities and more challenging tasks for interns to learn and perfect. This is an excellent way to travel without taking a step back in your academic and professional progress. You will be able to add to your resumé multicultural experience and, if you work hard enough, basic proficiency in a second language. These internships are highly coveted, so get an early start on preparing stand-out application materials.

5. Youth Camps and Organizations

Hospitality majors who love working with kids and adolescents might consider looking for internships with youth camps and other youth organizations. These organizations require full-service hospitality assistance, from advertising to planning and executing the entire experience. Most of them turn to interns rather than professionals for financial reasons, affording interns a great deal of valuable experience.

These five internship ideas for hospitality majors each have something unique to offer. What they all have in common is the opportunity to gain professional-level experiences and responsibilities. Thinking outside the box and pursuing internships in these categories such as these five is a sure way to stand out among your peers.