Placement Review at Four Seasons Hotel

The Role

Role Description

I started off within the Lobby Lounge at the Four Seasons hotel Dublin. I was responsible for serving the guests of the Four Seasons. The Lobby Lounge served a light menu and I was also trained to serve Afternoon Tea. When doing the evening shifts I served the hotel guests after hours sometimes staying as late as 6am!

I then moved to the fine dining Seasons restaurant where I learnt the duties of the pass. This is where all the food for the hotel came out and I was responsible for knowing which dish was to go where within the cafe, seasons, lobby lounge, room service and ice bar.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Although I found the job to be extremely tough and the hours extremely long I would not have changed anything and I can't wait to return upon graduation.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was impressed by the knowledge of my colleagues of myself before I even arrived. I loved that my manager in the Lobby Lounge had such confidence in me and was touched by the lovelie leaving party that I recieved!

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

If I was ever stuck a manager would always be there to help me as too were my other colleagues. As soon as I started in any different department I was trained up by management so that I wouldn't feel lost.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Due to the nature of the hospitality industry there are times when your feet barely touch the floor, bizarely I loved this anyway.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I was left to run sections on my own and towards the end I was left in charge of running the pass. This was an important job; if I messed up the hotel wouldn't get food!

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The skills that I learnt both mentally and physically can't be taught by a book and I will keep this experience with me for the rest of my professional and personal life as I've grown and matured as a person due to the placement.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The team in which I worked were extremely close, not only did we work together but we also socialised together and so we all cared for each other. This was fantastic as it meant that we all helped each-other as much as we could and had a real laugh in the process! The bizarre thing was that the funniest times were when we were rushed off our feet, instead of complaining we'd make it fun!

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was never left alone and I was asked where I wanted to work or if the place in which I was worked was suitable for me. I didn't want to leave the Lobby Lounge team but was pushed to join the Seasons restaurant. Although at the time I did not like this decision I am glad they pushed me as I met even more great people and learnt more.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

When talking to my manager about my experiences within the hotel I was told that I was a Four Seasons girl and that if I wanted a job with the company upon graduation I should easily be able to get one.
I also had a big project to write whilst on placement which the whole hotel helped me out with!

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Company Parties/Events
• Healthcare/Dental

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I really hope to work for Four Seasons when I graduate. I have already started to look into this and have succeeded in getting a part time job within the Hampshire Four Seasons so that I can keep contact with the company.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

When I arrived on my placement I met two other girls who were also on placement. It was the start of a fantastic friendship which also gave us the confidence to talk to others. Our other colleagues always invited us out too which is why we were such a close team

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

Dublin was a very expensive city to live in. However if money is managed correctly which luckily i succeeded in doing then going out and having fun was not difficult to do.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was lucky enough to be in a big city that catered for pretty much everything! I also found my favourite restaurant in Dublin which ironically was right next to one of my favourite clubs!

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

It was difficult to join any clubs due to my work schedule. We did not have a fixed work schedule as it was shift work and so each week I had different days off and would work different times.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

I would definitely recommend Four Seasons to and perspective hospitality students. I had the best year of my life working for the company and I miss it a great deal. It is important to note that the hours are long and the work is tough but if this is what you want to do then Four Seasons is the place to do it!