How can an employee turn a part-time, seasonal job into a full-time, permanent hospitality career?

In hospitality, passion paired with initiative tends to open doors faster than tenure alone. I’ve watched seasonal servers who requested mentorship in areas like bar management or event coordination earn full-time positions within months. The key is showing genuine curiosity—ask your leaders how operations work behind the scenes and volunteer to learn; it signals you’re invested beyond just the seasonal window.

The easiest way to transition from a seasonal job to a full-time career in hospitality is for you to approach every shift as if it’s an interview for the long term. We’ve retained a couple of seasonal chauffeurs and dispatchers full-time at Angel City Limo based on something other than experience: the over-and-above factor. One driver started as a holiday temp, but made himself indispensable by volunteering to learn the dispatch system and take on airport greeter coordination in his off time.

Hospitality rewards initiative. If you show interest in what’s happening beyond the edges of your role (ask how scheduling works, master the software that runs the operation, or jump in when things are crazy), you will stand out fast. Reliability and flexibility are more apparent to managers than resumes. The trick is to behave as if you already belong on the permanent team long before the opportunity actually opens, and by that time, they won’t want to picture running the place without you.

For me, the task of turning part-time hospitality roles into full-time careers means creating avenues to express a unique cultural understanding and community connections that traditional recruitment pathways can’t supply. Leveraging seasonal opportunities to work with local craftspeople and cultural communities brings more value than a magazine. For example, our Barcelona guide discovered flamenco from local teachers to provide an authentic experience that rivals can’t match.

Spot where the culture at your company is lacking, and interject; document procedures that improve race relations, language skills, and cross-cultural understanding. Present management with concepts for year-round programming that make use of your cultural literacy.

SPECIALIZE in hospitality and create sustainable careers with real connections to community. Consider seasonal jobs as internships, acquiring new skills and transforming cultural investments into a competitive edge for local economies and tradition.

The most effective method to transition into a full-time position in the hospitality industry is to become the person that others turn to when all other tasks become too busy, whether it is a high-stress shift or a staff shortage. Managers recall team members who remain composed, stand up, and maintain high standards of service even under pressure.

In one of my initial positions in the hospitality industry, I volunteered to cross-train in the front desk, housekeeping, and banquet service. However, I was employed to work in housekeeping. That ability resulted in me being the person to rely on whenever a gap would arise. Towards the end of the season, I was given the opportunity for a permanent position with input on scheduling. The balancing act, combined with reliability, is a quick way to secure a full-time position.

Part-time seasonal jobs are great opportunities for career growth! To turn a seasonal job into a permanent hospitality career, an employee should keep their resume updated with the key skills and results they mastered while in their seasonal role. Many seasonal roles are customer-focused, just like roles in hospitality, so a seasonal role offers the opportunity to gain valuable skills in customer service that are highly transferable to a hospitality role. These customer-focused skills should be highlighted on a resume and cover letter, as well as LinkedIn profile in order to land a permanent role in hospitality.

When I worked in hospitality, we had a lot of seasonal teammates. What stood out during their short time was their attention to detail, recognizing returning guests and getting to know them on a personal level. They would go above and beyond to ensure each guest had a comfortable stay at our hotel and would even give vouchers for 10% off at our restaurant to help with any check-in delays. Hospitality can have a fairly high turnover rate, so showing up and going the extra mile really makes someone stand out as a potential full-time hire.

It’s also important to stay in touch with management and supervisors because a lot of times, there may not be an opening at the hotel you worked at over the summer, but the hospitality industry is highly connected so you could receive a great referral from your manager for a full-time job at a partner location. It’s ideal to always perform your best, even if it’s part-time or seasonal work. It could land you a full-time job with potential for advancement in a rewarding industry.