App Smackdown: HiTask

HiTask is a calendar based app. It helps create a sense of organization to all school assignments, work assignments and keeps your team on track. HiTask allows its users to create a calendar to help make your day flow easier. On top of creating a calendar, you can also add teammates to the calendar and they can add to it as well. Also, on top of calendar events, you can add projects to the app and have others edit it. The app sends out emailed reminders to fellow staff members about any task, event or project as well. This app is very useful, especially in the Hospitality industry because, this field is very busy and can become chaotic. HiTask will keep me organized between meetings, interviewing, hiring and other work related projects I will need to do in my future career.

Chapter 5 Blog

In Chapter 5 of our book, it summarizes many different websites on how to expand our personal learning networks. Blogs, websites, wikis, podcasts, microblogs and tagging are all important topics in this chapter. Chapter 5 gives examples on what each website is about and how to use them.

For example....if you would like to start a blog, similar  to this one, you can use the websites Blogger, Edublog or Tumblr. A blog is a journal based website, in which the writer will create a posting about a specific topic and it posts in chronological order. These are great for people who like writing and making posts about their day, a hobby or even their school assignments.

The chapter also talks about how to manage your online reputation. This is extremely important. Some of the best ways to manage your online reputation is to remain professional through all of your postings. Always proof-read your work, look for spelling errors and grammar errors. This is extremely important, especially if you are trying to obtain a new job position. Employers sometimes look on a person's personal social media accounts before hiring them.

This chapter ties to my future career in Hospitality, because just as I mentioned above it has to stay professional. Working in the Hospitality and Tourism industry, you have to constantly remain in a well put-together manner. Part of our jobs are constantly working with people, and if you do not act professional, your clients will not take you seriously. Networking through Podcasts, Blogs and other websites are extremely important in this field. Emailing is also a big part of working in Hospitality. You wouldn't send an improper email, and expect to receive a professional one back.

For example....if you were checking into a hotel and the manager was on their phone, not paying attention to any of their work, and ignored you while you were in line...would you stay there again?
Probably not! That is because first impressions, especially on a professional level are always key to success.

App Smackdown: Hosco

Hosco is a Hospitality based website/app that is similar to LinkedIn. The difference between LinkedIn and Hosco, is that Hosco is specifically designed for Hospitality students, educators, employers, employees and corporate executives. In Hosco, you have the ability to create your personal profile with your headshot, email and contact information, resume with references, language skills, work related skills and a brief biography on yourself. By signing up for this app, it gives Hospitality professionals the chance to network around the world with others. This app is wonderful for people seeking new jobs around the world and for employers looking to hire new employees. This app also offers videos and articles that gives tips on how to succeed in your career and your networking profile. Besides networking, the articles gives tips on how to prepare yourself for traveling to other countries, how to fully prepare yourself for your dream job interview and even you get to watch a video from the CEO of Marriott. This app/website is extremely helpful for someone like me, in the hospitality field. This app will definitely help me expand my networking abilities, not just for school, but down the road in my career path.

Ch 6 Blog

In Chapter 6 of the book, "Building Your Connected Learning Community" it talks about how to expand your networking abilities, how to use social medias to broaden your network and evolving your community. All of these topics in the book are great ways for me to broaden my personal network in the Hospitality Management field.

The Hospitality and Tourism Management field works solely on networking. A popular saying in the hospitality world is, "it's not what you know, it's who you know". All of my professors this far in my educational career have told me this. I transferred into Stockton University back in Fall 2018. Since then, every Hospitality professor I have had, has told me networking is important in this field. All of my professors have shown me different ways to make the most of your personal brand.

For example, in one of my hospitality classes, Career Development, we started our personal brand by creating resumes, going to career fairs to network with companies and we created LinkedIn accounts. My professor, told my class how important it was to network with people not only in the Hotel Industry, but Restaurants, Theme Parks, Corporate Teams, Airlines, Transportation Agencies as well. The more broad your network is, the more doors will open for you in your future career. Also, Dr Albano took us to a Career Fair to network with companies for potential hire. We dressed in professional attire, resumes in hand, and spoke confidently to the employers about our career goals were and exchanged business cards with all of them. I really enjoyed that day, it was so much fun to learn more about what my major has to offer!

Growing and Nurturing your Personal Learning Network is important because, you want to make sure your personal network is safe and efficient. On LinkedIn, there are suggestions offered to you on what the website feels is a good fit for connecting you with others in your same industry. Even if you know these people, it is important to always check their profiles to make sure they are exactly who they say they are. There are so many unfortunate events going on in this world, where people pretend to be other people. If you consistently check profiles for accuracy, it will only create a more efficient network for you and will open a more efficient network for others when they want to connect with people you may know.

The design of your network page is also very important. For example, on LinkedIn there are many different sections on your profile page. These include your professional headshot, your resume with references, skills, past experience, and letters of recommendation from former colleagues. Making sure your profile page has no spelling and grammar mistakes is very important. It does not look very professional if you are trying to sell yourself and you have many errors on your resume. Employers will always look for mistakes and it can cost you your dream job!

In conclusion, creating your personal brand can be challenging but oh so rewarding! The hospitality field is one of the most customer service based industries out there. Branding and networking are one of the top priorities when a person wants to broaden their career paths. Growing your network takes time and deciding who you want as a part of your network takes work. With some patience and hard work, anyone can create their own personal network. All of the hard work will be worth it in the end!


Source: Nussbaum-Beach, S., & Hall, L. R. (2012). The connected educator: learning and leading in a digital age. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.