For some students, having a full semester of courses can be busy enough, but not for John Jordan; the senior HRTM major balances two demanding jobs with his full schedule and considers it a valuable investment in his future.

John’s first experience in the hospitality field was his freshman year at Carolina, when he was still a pre-law history major. He started working as a busboy at Dianne’s on Devine hoping to earn extra money. He then took a second job in the kitchen at DiPrato’s Delicatessen.

“I realized that I enjoyed the hospitality industry, and upon returning to USC, I changed my major to HRTM and haven’t looked back since.”

“I realized that I enjoyed the hospitality industry, and upon returning to USC, I changed my major to HRTM and haven’t looked back since.”

After returning to USC, John decided to scale back on his responsibilities and left DiPrato’s. He started waiting tables at Dianne’s and picked up new skills and knowledge of the hospitality industry.

“The greatest skill I have learned is how to interact with guests while providing the highest level of hospitality possible,” says John. He also learned about wine service, fine cuisine, cooking techniques and managerial responsibilities.

“When business is good, customers stream through the doors, providing the wait staff with a seemingly endless source of tips. It speeds up shifts, raises employee morale and makes the whole operation run smoothly,” says John. “The opposite end of the spectrum is when the restaurant is dead. Not only do tips go down, but shifts seem to drag on for hours, which lowers the staff morale and makes the restaurant less fun.”

Not only does John work in the restaurant business, but he also has experience working in hotels. A summer practicum assignment required that he interview a hotel manager, and the meeting led to a job opportunity.

“I met with the Homewood Suites general manager, Juan Torres,” says John. “We talked for a while, thanked each other and parted ways. Almost three months later, I received a call from Juan about a job opening. I interviewed and got a position at the front desk with guest services.”

Working at Homewood Suites exposed John to a different area of the hospitality industry. Not only did he learn how to handle reservations, guest issues and housekeeping, but he also holds a lot of responsibility since he is often the only employee in the hotel.

“The stress and long work hours take a toll on my mental and physical resources, but I stay motivated knowing that I am paving the way for future success,” says John. “I feel lucky to be earning a living while I pursue a degree in the field I love.”

As much as John’s work experience will help him in his future career, he says that his classes at USC helped prepare him for the jobs he has now. He cites Quantity Food Production as his favorite class and explains that Hotel Management was helpful in preparing him for his job at Homewood Suites.

John, who would like to eventually manage a resort in Asia, encourages other HRTM students to follow his lead and get as much experience in the industry as possible.

“Nothing will better prepare you for school or the post-graduate work environment more than experience in the field,” says John.