Name: Miguel A.
Position: Rooms Division Leader
Hotel: The Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay, California

“What do you want to do for work?”

When adults ask this question to kids, the sky’s the limit for how the youngster responds. Whether the answer is an astronaut, marine biologist, President of the United States, or otherwise. Sometimes, intended job titles that kids dream up are creative. But for every nontraditional career, there’s a path. A child who wants to be a giraffe might have a future as a zookeeper, for instance. For someone who wants to be a world traveler, putting down roots at a worldwide company like Marriott fits the bill.

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That’s certainly been the case for Miguel, a Rooms Division Leader at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay in California. During Miguel’s eight years with Marriott, he’s worked at four hotels in three countries, which is fully in line with his childhood dreams.

“Since I was a kid, I dreamed of traveling the world, meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures,” he says. “And the hospitality industry has given me just that throughout my career.”

The impressive career trajectory that Miguel has experienced is common for Marriott associates. The company’s 30+ brands and myriad job opportunities combined with our acclaimed learning and development programs give associates the feeling like they quite literally have the world at their fingertips. One of these programs is Elevate by Marriott International, and it’s designed to help frontline associates and early managers build skills to help them succeed in their current role and prepare them for whatever is next. Miguel shared his own growth experience as a part of the program’s launch.

Learn more about Miguel’s experience as a globe-trotting Marriott employee.

What was your first experience with Marriott like?

I’m originally from Portugal, and my first job with Marriott was at the JW Marriott Houston by the Galleria. I was in the rooms division management program for a year, which was an amazing experience. I got exposure to so much in the industry throughout an entire year, which, coupled with the mentorship that I received, played an important role in shaping me into the leader that I am now.

What career moves landed you in your current role?

After my year in Houston, I got the chance to move to London to work as a duty manager at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. About a year and a half later, I was promoted to front desk manager. A few years later came an amazing opportunity to move to Santorini, Greece, to be a front office manager at Vedema, a Luxury Collection Resort. And that led me to where I am now, at The Ritz-Carlton.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I like to start my day with a run along the Pacific Coast. After I arrive at the resort, I like to check some of the main metrics for the property: How many arrivals and departures do we have? How’s the occupancy? I also attend several operational meetings. My main focus, though, is to ensure that the front of the house team is set up for success and that I am available to assist them.

One of my favorite things to do before leaving the property at the end of the day is watch our bagpiper who plays one hour before sunset.

What is your favorite part of your job now?

I love helping my team members develop new skills, imparting knowledge, and guidance. It brings me immense joy to be part of their career development. Problem-solving skills in front-of-house roles are important because things can change so quickly; you need to constantly adapt to the different scenarios that you face.

What advice would you recommend to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

The best advice that I could give is to stay curious and to try to take advantage of every single moment to learn and develop new skills. Also, take care of your most important resource: Your team.

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