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Wanting a successful career in hospitality while you deal with social anxiety can seem nearly impossible. The good news is that it is absolutely possible. Almost everyone has experienced some sort of anxiety before. Meeting someone’s parents, a job interview, giving a speech, a party, a dinner – who hasn’t been there? But when you consistently face a battle against social anxiety, what can you do?
In this blog post, we will explore the different hospitality roles you can opt for if you live with social anxiety. Ready to find out? Read to the end.
Social Anxiety: What It Means
The human body is amazing, and yours will have you ready to deal with danger before you’re even aware that there’s anything to worry about. It responds the same way every time it feels under threat, and it’s been responding that way since our cave ancestors.
The problem is, sometimes what it senses as a threat isn’t really a threat, but it responds as though it is anyway, surging your body with cortisol (the stress hormone,) adrenalin, and other neurochemicals to fuel you up to run for your life or fight for it. If there’s no actual danger, then you don’t have to run or fight, and there’s no way to burn off the neurochemical fuel that’s surging through you. It builds up and causes each one of the physical symptoms that come with anxiety.
Social anxiety is physiological and psychological. While you work your way through it, you cannot pause other aspects of life, especially your career. So what jobs can you take up if you are dealing with social anxiety?
Hospitality Jobs For Those With Social Anxiety
Below are roles you can consider in the hospitality industry if you prefer little to no interaction with the guests and are more comfortable working independently day-to-day rather than in a team-heavy role.
#1 Maintenance Tech/Engineer: Maintenance workers interact less with guests than in most hospitality roles. This position is very hands-on with the building and equipment, and while you still interact with other team members, there is very little to no interaction with guests of the hotel or restaurant. If you enjoy fixing problems and learning about different technical equipment, this role is perfect for you!
#2 Housekeeper: Housekeeper is another role that focuses less on direct guest interaction, but has a huge impact on the guest experience. If you enjoy working more independently and have strong attention to detail and time management, this role would be a great fit for you. Housekeepers are in charge of preparing all rooms for incoming guests and maintaining the standards of the hotel in common areas like the lobby or fitness center.
#3 Laundry Attendant: A laundry attendant is a great position if you would like a career in the housekeeping department or operations of the hotel but are just starting out. Laundry attendants are in charge of washing, folding, and organizing the hotel linens for the housekeeping department, sometimes working side by side with the housekeepers to clean the rooms, giving you a lot of opportunities to see the housekeeping process without being responsible for all of the guest room turnover.
#4 Marketing/Social Media: You can be the voice of hospitality companies without having to interact face-to-face with guests. All you need to do is to acquire the right skills needed for content creation, and marketing for these companies using Facebook ads, Instagram ads, or Google ads. With your detailed services, you can help hospitality brands generate more revenue and gain more credibility online.
#5 Finance: Those on the finance team work closely with other team members of the finance department, but you will likely be working in the corporate office and not interacting with guests. If you enjoy working with numbers and budgets, this is the perfect role for you. Finance also offers a great career path for those who are starting at a more entry-level position up to director-level roles.
Social anxiety shouldn’t limit you from living a successful, worthy life. Explore the various options and stick to the one you feel most confident with. You can build a successful career in hospitality with no limitations. The sky is just the starting point for you.