Table of Contents

1. More hats = More money
2. More hats = More personal fulfillment
3. More hats = More job opportunities
4. More hats = More opportunities for promotion

The ability to be adaptable and to align your skills with what the market needs are key to short-term job survival in a difficult moment like the one we find ourselves in now. Joblessness due to coronavirus, even if only temporary as some predict, is at record-breaking highs, which means that it’s never been more important for candidates to find new, creative ways to stand out to employers and make themselves indispensable members of an organization.

By having multiple avenues through which you can advance and demonstrating a willingness to step out of your usual comfort zone and contribute however you can, job seekers can still see positive results even in the most difficult of times.

Whether you’ve worked at a hotel, resort, casino, or restaurant, you have likely found yourself with the opportunity to fill more than one role. Most hospitality employees are used to “pitching in” wherever they can. For example, a front desk clerk with a good head for numbers might have been offered the chance to take on some accounting duties. Or a waiter who is skilled in the kitchen might have been asked to fill in as a prep chef from time to time during his career. In both cases, these professionals will have had to manage extra work and maybe even additional shifts. This can be challenging, but the skills you have learned by wearing multiple hats on the job

More hats = More money

While it’s not always the case, demonstrating a history of or willingness to take on more than one role at your work could put more money in your pocket as well. Extra shifts or duties certainly result in larger paychecks. But even successfully completing new duties during your standard workday can make you more valuable to your employer and put you at an advantage the next time you want to negotiate a raise or if they are trying to decide your future with the organization.

More hats = More personal fulfillment

Let’s say you’re a whiz at customer service and instinctively know how to put a smile on the face of any guest. That’s an invaluable skill in any hospitality field for sure. But maybe you’re also really good at fixing things, chopping vegetables, or organizing inventory. Many of us are happiest when we’re utilizing all of our skills to their fullest, and taking on more than one role at your hospitality job can enable you to do this, and it gives you a great leg-up over your competition when you can demonstrate that you’ve happily and successfully stepped in when extra duties were needed.

More hats = More job opportunities

It’s common sense that the ability to wear more hats or fill more roles will naturally increase your value to potential employers and job opportunities when you’re looking for a new job. The job titles you qualify for will instantly increase, and you will have more options to choose from if you can demonstrate you have experience in multiple aspects of an organization.

More hats = More opportunities for promotion

There’s a reason many leaders and managers, especially in hospitality, got their starts as dishwashers and desk clerks: it enabled them to learn the business from the ground up. If you have any desire to move up in your career path or make yourself invaluable to an organization so that you are well-positioned for future promotions, taking on multiple roles at your current job will help you get there faster.