Determination to learn all aspects of the resort industry, backed by a supporting employer, allowed multiple doors in the hospitality industry to open for Paulina Alexander.
After five years of working at the Tigh-na-mara Resort & Spa located in Parksville, taking on positions including front desk agent, resort reservations agent, night auditor and front office supervisor, Paulina had the opportunity to assist another department, its award-winning spa, over the busy Christmas season.
Two short years later, Paulina has gone from a lead spa coordinator, spa guest services manager to where she is now – the Grotto Spa's spa director – proving that hard work can truly lead to success.
And not only is her success evident through the various awards the spa has accumulated over the years, such as being ranked #1 Spa in Western Canada by Spas of America, but also through the prestigious awards Paulina received herself including the Tourism Vancouver Island’s Employee of the Year 2008 and the 2008 Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) National Awards for Tourism Excellence.
“These awards demonstrate the power of mentorship, support and growth opportunities – and shows that when people are set up for success, they truly can succeed,” says Paulina, who says the Tigh-na-mara and her family have been the best support system a career mom could ask for.
And mentorship, support, education and growth opportunities are provided by Tigh-Na-Mara in a variety of ways. While settling into her new spa position, Paulina focused each day on learning and continuing to grow through development workshops offered by the resort. To this day, she continues to learn through her guests' feedback, ongoing leadership development training, supervisory and managerial training, career development courses, International Spa Association and Leading Spas of Canada seminars and tradeshows, and various spa magazines and publications.
As a spa director, Paulina’s duties include: supporting the guest services manager and operations supervisor in their roles, including creating and developing feature spa treatments, spa menu changes, and evaluating protocols and procedures; setting the spa's high service standards and assisting the team in maintaining these expectations; completing the spa payroll bi-weekly; ordering and receiving all professional and retail items; assisting her managers and the general manager with month- and year-end duties such as inventory and the annual spa budget; attending monthly team and executive meetings; performing and/or assisting in recruitment, training, performance appraisals and performance management; negotiating with suppliers for the best pricing on products; and most importantly, aiming to be a leader who motivates and inspires the team to excel by leading through example.
Paulina describes an ideal spa provider as “very giving by nature, with strong interpersonal skills where understanding, communication skills and empathy become extremely important.” “In my experience,” she continues, “successful spa team members are kind, caring, compassionate, considerate and professional.”
And she says there are a wealth of rewarding moments that come with her job: “Welcoming back regular guests – both from the local community and the resort; seeing our spa team work together to provide wonderful and memorable guest experiences every day; and hearing comments from guests such as 'that was the best massage or best facial I have ever had!'”
But it hasn't always been an easy path. She had to overcome obstacles including believing in herself, setting and achieving goals, and learning to balance her family and career.
And there are also challenges to her job. Because she doesn't come from a spa provider background, she does not always feel qualified to make decisions regarding treatments and products.
“At times like this, I call upon the operations manager for guidance and education so I can learn as I go,” she says.
For those interested in a career in the spa industry, she offers this advice.
“The golden rule is: stay guest-focused at all times! Flexibility, eagerness to learn, and respect and attention for your guests and your fellow team members and a true dedication to your position will help you rise to the top.”
She adds that finding a mentor in your field of choice or finding the opportunity to do a co-op at a spa to gain insight of the day-to-day business operations are both very important aspects that shouldn't be overlooked.
“I encourage you to explore all areas of hospitality and learn as much as you can about each position. With so many career choices in the hospitality industry, you are guaranteed to find a position that feels tailor-made just for you. And never stop learning!”
Photo provided by Qualicum Parksville News.
