Industry: Leisure Graduate Jobs

How do you get a graduate job in leisure?

Graduate jobs in Leisure vary quite significantly from those in the sports industry to hospitality and everything in between such like travel and tourism. In order to work your way into a graduate job in leisure you need to first choose which niche of the sector it is you are aiming for.

For most areas of the industry a graduate degree is not a requirement however it can certainly improve your prospects. For example, if you wish to get into sports training then a degree in sports science, PE or Biology gives you a big boost because it proves that you have the required knowledge of the subject. If your degree is not in a related field then there are a host of conversion courses that can set you on the desired career path.

A graduate degree with regards to the travel and hospitality industries will act as a fast-track pass. You can expect to take an entry level job but get quickly promoted to an assistant manager position or equivalent.

What can I expect to be doing in the leisure industry?

Due to there being so many different avenues it is hard to say exactly what any one person will be doing however, there is a lot of admin and management positions in the hospitality and travel industries. For this reason organisational skills are key and you should be doing your utmost to demonstrate them from an early point in your career.

Career progression

As a member of a company in the travel and hospitality sectors you will have decent job security within a team and can easily display and demonstrate your assets so that you can be promoted and work your way up the company. If sports training or something similar is what you aspire to get into then you can try to find permanent employment at a gym, school or some other institution requiring of your services or you have the option to go freelance. Here there is less job security but your career progresses as quickly as you want it to and can manage; you can take on more work with bigger clients and manage your income that way.

The challenges

Sports is a popular sector to break into so there might be fierce competition that you have to defeat in order to get where you want to. This can be true even once you have secured a career in the industry if you want to progress and especially if you are a freelancer; you have to tactfully beat your business's competition.

Meanwhile, the travel and particularly the hospitality industries can mean long and irregular hours that demand a lot of you. Prepare for a hard graft if you have just graduated from university! It can also be a bit off putting to see people enjoying themselves so much whilst you are working your back off. On the other hand, you could see it as a positive environment to work in!

Expected salary

Due to the varying nature of the industry salaries can range at the beginning from about £18,000 p/a right up to £60,000. However, if you are running a five star hotel you can expect to be receiving a lot more.