Being born into the business has certainly helped 24-year-old Adrian Grealy, conference and banqueting supervisor at Fitzpatrick's Castle Hotel, Killiney, Co Dublin. Back in the 19th century, his great grandfather bought an inn in Roscommon town - Grealy's. In the early Sixties his grandfather bought a few acres outside the town, built the Abbey Hotel and phased out the hotel in the town. Today, the Abbey is a three-star, family-run establishment.
Adrian Grealy started working in the business as a 14-year-old - "when I was old enough to be useful," he says. He liked it and decided to make it his career. After the Leaving Cert at St Mary's College, Galway, he headed for New York, to work in a country club on Long Island.
Then, in 1994, he embarked on a three-year certificate course in hotel and catering supervision at Athlone IT. "It was a very realistic course," Grealy recalls. "There was a very strong emphasis on practical employment and skills. For example, we were put into a professional kitchen and assigned tasks to cook and service a restaurant."
Such experience is essential, he says. "From it you learn how to encourage staff to achieve the best results. There's a right and a wrong way to ask people to do things. It's easier to get results if you can put yourself in to the other person's shoes."
As part of his work placement he spent time at the Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny. "It was very enlightening and I learned a lot there," he says.
After college, Grealy was appointed to his present job. As a conference and banqueting supervisor, he is assigned specific functions - conferences, weddings, funerals and christenings, for example. Weddings, he says, are the most fun to do.
"I'm given a function sheet which specifies the client's requirements," Grealy explains. "I brief the staff about these requirements and liase with other departments - the kitchen, reception or the bar. I meet and greet the organisers and the guests.
"I'm the go-between. If the programme is running late, I have to inform the chef so that the food is served at the appropriate time. If there are any unexpected requirements, I'm on hand to ensure they're met and that the function runs smoothly."
What does he enjoy about the job? The buzz and the fact that you can gain a very real sense of satisfaction from a job well done, he says. What about the long, anti-social hours? A thing of the past, he says. "Things have improved greatly. The era of having to work from morn' till night has gone. I work shifts. I might come in at 3pm and do a wedding and be home by 2.30 am. It's a long day, but I get time off in lieu.
" This week, for example, I have three days off together and taking holidays is not a problem. The shortage of skilled labour has greatly improved the lifestyle of people in the industry."
Grealy is hoping to achieve a more senior level of management. There are two ways someone in his position can get to the top. "You can work your way to banqueting manager and then to deputy-general manager or you can go back to college and do the diploma and return to the industry at a higher level," he explains.
"Hands-on experience is very important and moving around can be helpful. If you stay in one organisation you may close yourself off to different ideas. We have a lot of very professional people in Ireland and it's a good idea to study what they're doing and learn from them."
A liking for and understanding of people is essential. You need to be highly motivated, flexible and be ready to accept challenges. "You have to give it 110 per cent. New outlets are opening all the time and the emphasis on service is paramount." It's hard work, he says and can be physically demanding, "but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages."
