EP #33 – Rocco Bova Shares Career Advice for Aspiring Hoteliers

Seasoned hotel professional, Rocco Bova shares career advice for aspiring hoteliers. Whether you are new to the hospitality industry or have been working in the field for some time, if you want to advance your career, you will want to consider the career advice of someone who has already experienced great success and can share strategies that will help you to get to where you want to go.    Finding career success never follows just one pathway and is dependent on your own personal set of circumstances.  With that in mind,  I’ve asked another successful hotelier to share his insights on what it takes to get ahead in this industry.  Rocco Bova joins us in this episode of Hospitality Academy to share career advice on how to move ahead in the hospitality industry, building an exciting and fulfilling career. Rocco earned his diploma in hospitality management from Westminster College in London as well as a Certificate of Hospitality Management from Cornell University.  He has held various positions at some of the finest hotels in the world and is currently the General Manager at the newly opened Chablé Resort in located in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.     Topics discussed in this episode include: * How much emphasis to place on formal vs. informal education. * Should you consider seeking international experience? * Managing your personal social media footprint. * The elements of a CV that will get you noticed. * The importance of email etiquette. * How to leverage your social networks. * And much more Rocco got his first job in hospitality at the age of thirteen cleaning tables in a pub in his hometown in Italy.  That job lasted only three days.  After breaking too many dishes, the owner decided he could not afford to keep him.  Feeling the sting of rejection, Rocco became determined.  His next job lasted a full month, and the one after that, three months.  Remember, he was just thirteen! Motivated by a passion to travel the world, Rocco moved to London when he was twenty-one and began work at an Italian restaurant. His hard work and a positive attitude caught the attention of his next employer who offered him a position in a hotel in Egypt.  Seeing the great opportunities that the hotel industry offered, he went back to London to earn his degree at the age of twenty-nine.  The combination of an informal and formal education in the industry opened new opportunities for him to advance into upper management positions. [ctt title=”If you do something with your network, do something that is meaningful! @RbBova #HotelCareer” tweet=”If you do something with your network, do something that is meaningful! @RbBova #HotelCareer https://ctt.ec/YkWmX+” coverup=”YkWmX”] From there Rocco made many moves, with different companies. Eventually reaching the general manager position that he has today at the Chablé Resort, part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ portfolio of hotels.   His path to success has included working in some of the finest properties in amazing destinations spanning three continents.  The details of his journey, along with career advice for aspiring hoteliers is shared in this episode.   Important Links, Mentions, and Resources From This Episode * Connect with Rocco on LinkedIn * Connect with Rocco on Facebook * Chablé Spa & Resort *