‘This will do until I get a proper job’

Why we need to stop dismissing hospitality as second best

‘I’ll just work in hospitality until I get a proper job.’

If I had a pound for every time I’ve heard that, I could probably retire. And that’s the irony, really, because for thousands of us, hospitality is the proper job. It’s the lifelong, passion-filled, sleeves-rolled-up, wildly rewarding career we’ve chosen. And I wish more people saw it that way.

At Blyde Welcome, we train young people and adults to work in hospitality: to build confidence, learn skills, and find joy in making great coffee, hosting guests, shaking the perfect cocktail. But far too often, they’ve already absorbed the message that hospitality is a stopgap. Something to do until. Until you get a real job. Until your career ‘takes off.’ Until life starts for real.

That message is not only rude and dismissive, but also one of the biggest barriers we face. If hospitality isn’t seen as a valid or valuable career, how can we ever attract the talent, creativity, and respect our industry deserves?

Yes, the industry absolutely has its problems. The hours can be long, the pay isn’t always great, and the pressure is real. But so is the camaraderie. So is the satisfaction of a job well done, of a guest who leaves smiling, of a dish that sparks joy, or a flat white that makes someone’s morning. This is an industry powered by people: and people make it magic.

We don’t need to romanticise hospitality to recognise its worth. It’s hard work, but it’s also deeply human work. It’s where creativity meets service, where teamwork matters, where you learn fast, adapt constantly, and develop skills that are useful in any career: communication, problem-solving, resilience, leadership.

I’ve worked in hospitality since I was a teenager. I’ve done every shift from breakfast service to closing time. And I’m still here, not because I never found a ‘proper job,’ but because I did. This is it.

So, let’s retire the idea that hospitality is a fallback. It can be a first choice. It can be a forever choice. And it absolutely deserves our respect.