13 answers
Avery
Student
Yuma, Arizona
1
Question
Updated
3002 views
For Hospitality Soft Skills what skills apply to working in the hospitality field or are they the same soft skills that apply to any job?
Im in the 8th grade and I wanted to figure out if Hospitality Soft Skills are just in the hospitality industry or if the soft skills apply to any job.
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13 answers
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
520
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
Building soft skills such as communication, teamwork, empathy, time management, and adaptability is crucial for thriving in any career and life in general. You can enhance these skills by practicing active listening, focusing fully when others speak, using positive body language like smiling and making eye contact, communicating clearly, accepting feedback gracefully, and staying calm under pressure. Managing your time well involves organizing and prioritizing tasks effectively. Break tasks into smaller steps, set specific deadlines, and use tools like planners, digital calendars, or apps like Trello or Todoist to stay on track and lower stress. Joining group activities or volunteering in school clubs helps build teamwork, responsibility, and adaptability, while regular self-reflection promotes continuous personal growth.
Engage in supportive methods like role-playing, mindfulness exercises, emotional intelligence training, and creating feedback loops to deepen your understanding and ability to collaborate with others. Attending communication workshops or online courses can further sharpen your verbal and non-verbal skills. By combining these techniques with consistent daily practice, you can steadily improve your soft skills and achieve lasting success.
Engage in supportive methods like role-playing, mindfulness exercises, emotional intelligence training, and creating feedback loops to deepen your understanding and ability to collaborate with others. Attending communication workshops or online courses can further sharpen your verbal and non-verbal skills. By combining these techniques with consistent daily practice, you can steadily improve your soft skills and achieve lasting success.
Rebecca Tang
Banking
2430
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. I am glad to know that you have interest in Hospitality Management.
Below are the suggestions of the soft skills required. It is also essential for other careers as well.
1. Communication - It is required to communicate with the clients and colleagues effectively. Also, active listening is important.
2. Time Management - You may work on multiple tasks or serving multiple clients at the same time. Also, work life balance is important
3. Emotional Intelligence - Not every client is friendly. When facing difficult clients, you needs good emotional control skills.
4. Team Work - Most careers work in teams. So, it is important to get along with teams.
5. Problem Solving - We may face problem and challenges from time to time. It is important to identify the problem, analyze the root cause of the problem and identify the feasible solutions.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Below are the suggestions of the soft skills required. It is also essential for other careers as well.
1. Communication - It is required to communicate with the clients and colleagues effectively. Also, active listening is important.
2. Time Management - You may work on multiple tasks or serving multiple clients at the same time. Also, work life balance is important
3. Emotional Intelligence - Not every client is friendly. When facing difficult clients, you needs good emotional control skills.
4. Team Work - Most careers work in teams. So, it is important to get along with teams.
5. Problem Solving - We may face problem and challenges from time to time. It is important to identify the problem, analyze the root cause of the problem and identify the feasible solutions.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Patrick Meyer
Executive - Data Analytics and AI
1058
Answers
Naperville, Illinois
Updated
Patrick’s Answer
Avery, that is a very important question. Especially in this day and age of social media and AI. Nonetheless, I think these skills are extremely critical when it comes to the Hospitality field for anyone to be successful long term. These are things that one will need to ensure that they can do really well.
1. Relationship building
2. Personal Interaction and/or touch
3. Ethics
4. Active Listening
5. Communication (Oral and Written)
6. Emotional intelligence
7. Critical thinking
8. Problem Solving
9. Creativity and innovation
10. Leadership
1. Relationship building
2. Personal Interaction and/or touch
3. Ethics
4. Active Listening
5. Communication (Oral and Written)
6. Emotional intelligence
7. Critical thinking
8. Problem Solving
9. Creativity and innovation
10. Leadership
Anthony Powell
Sales Recruiter
1
Answer
Bend, Oregon
Updated
Anthony’s Answer
Great Question!
Working in hospitality teaches you a set of soft skills that can carry over to almost any industry. When you think of soft skills, you might think of communication, problem-solving, multitasking, and staying calm under pressure—and those are exactly the skills that have shaped how I work today.
Communication – In hospitality, you quickly learn how to speak clearly, calmly, and professionally—no matter who you’re serving or what the situation is. That ability to communicate effectively and provide an excellent experience translates directly into any customer-facing or team-based role.
Problem-Solving – You don’t always have the answer right away, but you learn how to find it. Hospitality taught me to approach challenges with curiosity and ownership. I’ve always believed in the mindset of “How can I help?” instead of “That’s not my job.” That approach has made a huge difference in every role I’ve had since.
Multitasking – Working at the front desk of an upscale gym taught me how to juggle multiple priorities—answering phones, checking in guests, resolving issues, and keeping operations running smoothly. Today, those same skills help me manage multiple communication channels, projects, and priorities without losing focus.
Staying Calm Under Pressure – In hospitality, urgency is part of the job—whether it’s de-escalating an upset guest, fixing an issue on the spot, or keeping people safe in a stressful situation. That experience built my ability to stay composed, think clearly, and act quickly under pressure—something that continues to serve me every day.
If you can develop and strengthen these four soft skills, you’ll have a solid foundation not just for success in hospitality, but in any career you choose.
Working in hospitality teaches you a set of soft skills that can carry over to almost any industry. When you think of soft skills, you might think of communication, problem-solving, multitasking, and staying calm under pressure—and those are exactly the skills that have shaped how I work today.
Communication – In hospitality, you quickly learn how to speak clearly, calmly, and professionally—no matter who you’re serving or what the situation is. That ability to communicate effectively and provide an excellent experience translates directly into any customer-facing or team-based role.
Problem-Solving – You don’t always have the answer right away, but you learn how to find it. Hospitality taught me to approach challenges with curiosity and ownership. I’ve always believed in the mindset of “How can I help?” instead of “That’s not my job.” That approach has made a huge difference in every role I’ve had since.
Multitasking – Working at the front desk of an upscale gym taught me how to juggle multiple priorities—answering phones, checking in guests, resolving issues, and keeping operations running smoothly. Today, those same skills help me manage multiple communication channels, projects, and priorities without losing focus.
Staying Calm Under Pressure – In hospitality, urgency is part of the job—whether it’s de-escalating an upset guest, fixing an issue on the spot, or keeping people safe in a stressful situation. That experience built my ability to stay composed, think clearly, and act quickly under pressure—something that continues to serve me every day.
If you can develop and strengthen these four soft skills, you’ll have a solid foundation not just for success in hospitality, but in any career you choose.
McKenzie Stephenson
Assistant Merchandise Manager
3
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
McKenzie’s Answer
This is a wonderful question and it's great that you're thinking about soft skills well before you step into this field.
The hospitality industry is unique in the way that the soft skills you need, are incredibly versatile.
Stong communication skills, emotional intelligence, adaptability, a willingness to receive feedback, humility, empathy, open mindedness, team work, etc., are some of the skills that are most valuable.
In the hospitality industry, you will encounter all different types of people that you may or may not be accustomed to engaging with. Something that will always be a constant is guests. They're what fund the industry and being willing to adapt to and communicate with each guest individually will take you a long way. No one is the same and while one guest might be having a great time with no complaints, another might have negative feedback. Whats important in the negative guest interactions, is having a thick skin and understanding that it's not personal. You never know what is happening in the guest's life outside of that interaction so it's crucial to be able to have empathy for that. Putting yourself into someone else's shoes can help you gain perspective on the overall situation. Having empathy for another personal and truly listening to their concerns, can help you save the day for all parties.
Strong listening and communication skills help everything run smoothly. Being able to lead a team, not with a ruling fist, but with compassion, encouragement, and an understanding of everyone's strengths and opportunities, makes all the difference. Throughout your professional career, you'll have leaders who are fantastic and you can pull inspiration from them and how they lead but you'll also have leaders who aren't so great. Both can help you grow as a leader yourself.
Observing others and how they respond to you or how your team responds to them, provides invaluable insight into the type of leader you want to be and which behaviors you'd like to avoid.
You need to be able to put your ego to the side and accept feedback as well as praise. Not everyone is going to respond to you in the same way so being able to adjust and create an individualized approach to each member of your team is crucial.
The hospitality industry is great because it is rarely stagnant and each day can wildly differ from the previous. Your people skills have to be fine tuned though and you ability to accept a situation or a team is vital. The understanding that everyone is different and each circumstance will require something different, will take you a long way.
The hospitality industry is unique in the way that the soft skills you need, are incredibly versatile.
Stong communication skills, emotional intelligence, adaptability, a willingness to receive feedback, humility, empathy, open mindedness, team work, etc., are some of the skills that are most valuable.
In the hospitality industry, you will encounter all different types of people that you may or may not be accustomed to engaging with. Something that will always be a constant is guests. They're what fund the industry and being willing to adapt to and communicate with each guest individually will take you a long way. No one is the same and while one guest might be having a great time with no complaints, another might have negative feedback. Whats important in the negative guest interactions, is having a thick skin and understanding that it's not personal. You never know what is happening in the guest's life outside of that interaction so it's crucial to be able to have empathy for that. Putting yourself into someone else's shoes can help you gain perspective on the overall situation. Having empathy for another personal and truly listening to their concerns, can help you save the day for all parties.
Strong listening and communication skills help everything run smoothly. Being able to lead a team, not with a ruling fist, but with compassion, encouragement, and an understanding of everyone's strengths and opportunities, makes all the difference. Throughout your professional career, you'll have leaders who are fantastic and you can pull inspiration from them and how they lead but you'll also have leaders who aren't so great. Both can help you grow as a leader yourself.
Observing others and how they respond to you or how your team responds to them, provides invaluable insight into the type of leader you want to be and which behaviors you'd like to avoid.
You need to be able to put your ego to the side and accept feedback as well as praise. Not everyone is going to respond to you in the same way so being able to adjust and create an individualized approach to each member of your team is crucial.
The hospitality industry is great because it is rarely stagnant and each day can wildly differ from the previous. Your people skills have to be fine tuned though and you ability to accept a situation or a team is vital. The understanding that everyone is different and each circumstance will require something different, will take you a long way.
chaitanya Kanna
5
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
chaitanya’s Answer
Soft skills in the hospitality field are largely the same as those needed in any job, but they matter even more because you interact directly with guests and shape their overall experience. Skills like communication, teamwork, empathy, problem-solving, patience, flexibility, and professionalism are essential everywhere, but in hospitality they’re used more frequently and often under pressure. You need to listen carefully, speak clearly, stay calm when someone is upset, handle last-minute changes, and work smoothly with your team during busy hours. Cultural awareness also becomes important since you regularly interact with people from different countries and backgrounds.
These skills grow best through real practice — helping others, participating in group tasks, taking small leadership responsibilities, or volunteering in service-oriented activities. Simple habits such as using polite language, maintaining positive body language, offering help proactively, and responding with patience can make a big difference. Many students also improve through role-play exercises, asking for feedback from mentors, or observing how experienced service professionals handle challenging situations. Institutes that focus on practical learning, like Frankfinn, often emphasise these day-to-day interactions because they shape how confidently someone handles guests. Online courses in communication, customer handling, or emotional intelligence can also help sharpen these abilities. With steady practice and self-reflection, you’ll naturally develop the soft skills needed not only for hospitality roles but for long-term success in any career.
These skills grow best through real practice — helping others, participating in group tasks, taking small leadership responsibilities, or volunteering in service-oriented activities. Simple habits such as using polite language, maintaining positive body language, offering help proactively, and responding with patience can make a big difference. Many students also improve through role-play exercises, asking for feedback from mentors, or observing how experienced service professionals handle challenging situations. Institutes that focus on practical learning, like Frankfinn, often emphasise these day-to-day interactions because they shape how confidently someone handles guests. Online courses in communication, customer handling, or emotional intelligence can also help sharpen these abilities. With steady practice and self-reflection, you’ll naturally develop the soft skills needed not only for hospitality roles but for long-term success in any career.
James Constantine Frangos
SOFTWARE ENGINEER SINCE 1972; NUTRITIONIST SINCE 1976.
7094
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Good Day Avery!
Soft Skills can vary with:-
Nationality Age Gender Social Standing History Profession Customs
In hospitality there is a long history of looking after guests at your establishment.
You could be entertaining royalty.
These soft skills are more pronounced in the hospitality industry where you are dealing with good manners and refined behavior. Specialist behaviors appropriate to 'haute cuisine' are preferred when dealing with food in a hospitality setting.
The truth is that many sensitive people find the table manners of others intolerable!
Yes, senior citizens certainly know how to treat people nicely. Though you might get a bad apple now and then, or a person who is a dementia patient, most are excellent. Sometimes you will run into someone having a bad day, or who are in pain! The doctor could have given them bad news. Most of the time, senior citizens are great.
SEE https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/soft-skills-examples/
Hospitality Soft Skills
Communication, emotional intelligence, and cultural competency
Talk Soon.
Soft Skills can vary with:-
Nationality Age Gender Social Standing History Profession Customs
In hospitality there is a long history of looking after guests at your establishment.
You could be entertaining royalty.
These soft skills are more pronounced in the hospitality industry where you are dealing with good manners and refined behavior. Specialist behaviors appropriate to 'haute cuisine' are preferred when dealing with food in a hospitality setting.
The truth is that many sensitive people find the table manners of others intolerable!
Yes, senior citizens certainly know how to treat people nicely. Though you might get a bad apple now and then, or a person who is a dementia patient, most are excellent. Sometimes you will run into someone having a bad day, or who are in pain! The doctor could have given them bad news. Most of the time, senior citizens are great.
SEE https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/soft-skills-examples/
Hospitality Soft Skills
Communication, emotional intelligence, and cultural competency
Talk Soon.
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hospitality soft skills are very important in the hospitality industry, but many of them also apply to other jobs too. These skills are called "soft" because they are not about technical knowledge or specific tools, but more about how you interact with people and handle situations.
In hospitality, soft skills include things like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, patience, empathy, and staying calm under pressure. For example, a hotel worker needs to greet guests politely, help solve their problems quickly, and work well with the rest of the team. These same skills are useful in many other jobs. A nurse, a teacher, a store worker, or even someone working in an office all need to communicate clearly, be respectful, and solve problems when they come up.
So, while these soft skills are very important in hospitality, they are not only used in that field. What makes them special in hospitality is how often you use them and how important they are to making guests feel welcome and happy. The hospitality industry is all about service, and soft skills help create a good experience for customers. That's why they are sometimes called "people skills".
Hospitality soft skills are not only for the hospitality industry. They are useful in almost every job you can think of. However, in hospitality, these skills are especially important because the whole job is focused on making people feel comfortable and cared for. Learning soft skills now, even in 8th grade, can help you in school, future jobs, and everyday life.
In hospitality, soft skills include things like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, patience, empathy, and staying calm under pressure. For example, a hotel worker needs to greet guests politely, help solve their problems quickly, and work well with the rest of the team. These same skills are useful in many other jobs. A nurse, a teacher, a store worker, or even someone working in an office all need to communicate clearly, be respectful, and solve problems when they come up.
So, while these soft skills are very important in hospitality, they are not only used in that field. What makes them special in hospitality is how often you use them and how important they are to making guests feel welcome and happy. The hospitality industry is all about service, and soft skills help create a good experience for customers. That's why they are sometimes called "people skills".
Hospitality soft skills are not only for the hospitality industry. They are useful in almost every job you can think of. However, in hospitality, these skills are especially important because the whole job is focused on making people feel comfortable and cared for. Learning soft skills now, even in 8th grade, can help you in school, future jobs, and everyday life.
Martha Kramer
Corporate Training, Communications
480
Answers
Stamford, Connecticut
Updated
Martha’s Answer
What an interesting question, Avery! You have received thoughtful advice already, but I wanted to reiterate and expand on a few points:
- The "soft" skills mentioned already -- such as team work, active listening, and problem-solving -- are valuable for most jobs. But these skills (and others) may be especially important in hospitality, depending upon your role. If you work in administration - such as human resources, finance, or legal - you may have little contact with the public. But if you are in sales or reception, you may especially need patience, tact, and a bit of a thick skin. This is because travelers may be tired or anxious or even sick and may not be at their best, especially if they don't get what they want or expect.
- I also want to highlight that hotels use a lot of systems to run, such as to manage rooms, supplies, and revenue. As you consider a career in hospitality, become familiar with software and AI so you will have those "hard" skills as well.
The two links I put below are to validate what we have told you and provide more background about the field. Good luck!
Indeed.com - https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/top-hospitality-skills?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwh5vFBhCyARIsAHBx2wyr6luIcEaqYljuJKSKdrfV5Dj8J7MpIhw5PFb--N-ysUwwxG_AHXoaAr0zEALw_wcB&gad_campaignid=696031637&gbraid=0AAAAADfh6_uAdYt6JKOPQLQ56UP5X_0Uw&aceid=&gclsrc=aw.ds
Hcareers - https://www.hcareers.com/article/job-search-tips/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills-you-need-both-in-hospitality
- The "soft" skills mentioned already -- such as team work, active listening, and problem-solving -- are valuable for most jobs. But these skills (and others) may be especially important in hospitality, depending upon your role. If you work in administration - such as human resources, finance, or legal - you may have little contact with the public. But if you are in sales or reception, you may especially need patience, tact, and a bit of a thick skin. This is because travelers may be tired or anxious or even sick and may not be at their best, especially if they don't get what they want or expect.
- I also want to highlight that hotels use a lot of systems to run, such as to manage rooms, supplies, and revenue. As you consider a career in hospitality, become familiar with software and AI so you will have those "hard" skills as well.
The two links I put below are to validate what we have told you and provide more background about the field. Good luck!
Martha recommends the following next steps:
TOM JALASS
Chef
1
Answer
Omaha, Nebraska
Updated
TOM’s Answer
Just to get your foot in the door, go to a senior center or retirement community. They will let younger people assist in delivering food, cleaning. You may have to volunteer until your 16 then you can work in the food business and see if it's something for you.
Elena Hanson
Marketing
3
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Elena’s Answer
Hi there! As somebody who grew up with parents who have been working in the hospitality industry for over 30 years (catering and restaurant management), and has gone into hospitality myself (corporate event planner), I think there are several very important skills that a person needs to exemplify and master when looking to get into the industry. Although these skills apply apply to most jobs within the hospitality industry, I think they are very important, universal skills that are important and will be helpful in any kind of role or industry that you might end up getting into, and will also bring you success in your personal life as well outside of work.
1. Communication - Something you will do day in and day out, is communicate with other people (verbally, non-verbally, and written). Whether it is a team member, prospective customer or client, or even your boss or manager. They way you communicate will help determine your success in any role. Whether its expressing concerns or gratitude, sharing ideas, asking questions, or explaining expectations, it is always best to over-communicate than under communicate.
2. Flexibility / Adaptability - In most hospitality jobs/roles, things change quickly and often. No matter how prepared you try to be or how far ahead you try to plan, it's important to always be on your toes and expect the unexpected. The more flexible you are, the easier it will be to handle the challenges that will pop up when you least expect it.
3. Time Management - This is a very fast paced industry with a lot of unexpected challenges. It is important to make sure you are managing your time on various projects wisely to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. One way I do this is by creating a daily "to-do" list and time blocking my calendar to make sure I am allotting a certain amount of time to each task that I need to focus my time on. Things will pop up that may need to be prioritized over the things you plan on working on any given day/week/month, but having everything written down and planned out will help you adapt and make sure what needs to get done, will get done.
4. Teamwork - Most hospitality jobs work in teams, whether its your direct team that you work with on a daily basis to work towards your specific job/goals, or in broader cross-fuctional teams that you will work with on a more weekly/monthly/quarterly basis to make sure you are aligned on the larger vision/goal. Very rarely will you be working solo, so it's important to be a helpful, encouraging and motivating teammate whenever you can be.
5. Empathy - Whether you are dealing with a customer, a teammate or a vendor of sorts, try to always be empathetic. You may find yourself getting stressed or frustrated with people with they don't quite meet your expectations or don't follow plans, but if you can stay calm and try to see their point of view or understand their experience.
Hopefully you will find this helpful, wishing you luck as you step into the industry!
1. Communication - Something you will do day in and day out, is communicate with other people (verbally, non-verbally, and written). Whether it is a team member, prospective customer or client, or even your boss or manager. They way you communicate will help determine your success in any role. Whether its expressing concerns or gratitude, sharing ideas, asking questions, or explaining expectations, it is always best to over-communicate than under communicate.
2. Flexibility / Adaptability - In most hospitality jobs/roles, things change quickly and often. No matter how prepared you try to be or how far ahead you try to plan, it's important to always be on your toes and expect the unexpected. The more flexible you are, the easier it will be to handle the challenges that will pop up when you least expect it.
3. Time Management - This is a very fast paced industry with a lot of unexpected challenges. It is important to make sure you are managing your time on various projects wisely to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. One way I do this is by creating a daily "to-do" list and time blocking my calendar to make sure I am allotting a certain amount of time to each task that I need to focus my time on. Things will pop up that may need to be prioritized over the things you plan on working on any given day/week/month, but having everything written down and planned out will help you adapt and make sure what needs to get done, will get done.
4. Teamwork - Most hospitality jobs work in teams, whether its your direct team that you work with on a daily basis to work towards your specific job/goals, or in broader cross-fuctional teams that you will work with on a more weekly/monthly/quarterly basis to make sure you are aligned on the larger vision/goal. Very rarely will you be working solo, so it's important to be a helpful, encouraging and motivating teammate whenever you can be.
5. Empathy - Whether you are dealing with a customer, a teammate or a vendor of sorts, try to always be empathetic. You may find yourself getting stressed or frustrated with people with they don't quite meet your expectations or don't follow plans, but if you can stay calm and try to see their point of view or understand their experience.
Hopefully you will find this helpful, wishing you luck as you step into the industry!
Sophie Botko
Revenue Assurance/Corporate Billing
9
Answers
Orlando, Florida
Updated
Sophie’s Answer
Hi Avery,
Working in hospitality requires a lot of adaptability. I took a hospitality course in college, and my professor stressed that while the hours are long, they are rewarding. You need to be self-motivated because the field is competitive. There are many areas within hospitality, so it's a good idea to choose one or two that interest you most and focus on developing the soft skills that will benefit you. In summary, the key soft skills are flexibility, dedication, and ambition.
Working in hospitality requires a lot of adaptability. I took a hospitality course in college, and my professor stressed that while the hours are long, they are rewarding. You need to be self-motivated because the field is competitive. There are many areas within hospitality, so it's a good idea to choose one or two that interest you most and focus on developing the soft skills that will benefit you. In summary, the key soft skills are flexibility, dedication, and ambition.
Karin Peterson
Executive Concierge
2
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Avery,
Soft skills are in high demand! Most employers are looking for candidates that communicate well with others, have emotional intelligence, good time management, adaptability, team work, etc. You are in 8th grade and part of what some call the "digital generation". Some of us older employees started pre-Google so we had to rely on interpersonal communication for everything. Soft skills are important, some would argue as much as the technical skills. Soft skills that you would use in the hospitality industry carry over to many other roles and actually set you up for success - customer service excellence as well as team work, adaptability and strong work ethics.
Soft skills are in high demand! Most employers are looking for candidates that communicate well with others, have emotional intelligence, good time management, adaptability, team work, etc. You are in 8th grade and part of what some call the "digital generation". Some of us older employees started pre-Google so we had to rely on interpersonal communication for everything. Soft skills are important, some would argue as much as the technical skills. Soft skills that you would use in the hospitality industry carry over to many other roles and actually set you up for success - customer service excellence as well as team work, adaptability and strong work ethics.