IT’S A NUMBERS GAME

If you like the sound of tourism but you’re not sure about being ‘front of house’ dealing with guests and customers every day, never fear. There are plenty of jobs where you can work behind the scenes to help power tourism businesses. HELEN LACEY, 22, tells us about her role in the accounts department of the busy Connacht Hotel in Galway.

Fact File

**Name:** Helen Lacey
**Job:** Accounts Assistant
**Works:** The Connacht Hotel

“My favourite part of my job is learning... There’s something new to learn everyday.”

Why did you choose tourism?

I didn’t opt to study hospitality or accounts in college. I went down a different route entirely and studied Archaeology and English. I always loved history and English in school, and I enjoyed reading so it seemed like a good option for me. I loved the course – it was so interesting – but when I finished my degree I realised that it was very hard to get jobs in archaeology in Ireland.

I worked as a Purchasing Assistant in The Connacht Hotel during my summer holidays throughout college, which involved taking in the deliveries every day, checking all the purchases were delivered and priced correctly, and liaising with different departments to see what they needed. I really enjoyed the role and I loved the buzz of working in a hotel, so when I finished college I applied for a permanent job.

When did you move into finance?

I joined the finance team as an Accounts Assistant last October. It is a really interesting role and it comes with a lot of responsibility. I handle a lot of cash for the hotel, check the bar takings, process wages, send invoices, chase debtors and set up new accounts for suppliers.

I never would have guessed when I was younger that I would go on to work in accounts or hospitality. This was never part of my career plan but it has worked out well for me. I loved maths in school and I found that I have an aptitude for accounts. I enjoy problem solving which is a big part of working in finance.

What’s the best thing about your role?

My favourite part of my job is learning. I’m here almost four years now and there’s something new to learn every day. I plan to start taking accounts exams soon and I will be able to study and work here in the hotel at the same time. I also enjoy working with the hotel’s Green Team to find ways of operating more sustainably and efficiently. Part of my job is taking lodgments and I noticed that I was always throwing out envelopes after one use so I sourced reusable bags which has helped cut back on a lot of waste. I also introduced a PDF printer to reduce paper usage. It has been great working with the Green Team. Everyone is trying come up with solutions to have less impact on the environment.

Do you enjoy tourism?

Working in hotels can be a lot of fun. There are 358 bedrooms in The Connacht so it is a huge hotel that requires a large team to keep it running. There is great camaraderie among the staff and we all get on well. There are 10 of us in the accounts department so we’re a tightknit team.

Would you encourage others to join the industry?

I recommend giving tourism a go; you never know where it will take you. There are plenty of jobs behind the scenes if you don’t want to work front of house with guests. Try a summer job first, then you can see if it is the right industry for you.

See where Helen works at theconnacht.ie