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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

Joelyn Caprine: 20 in Their 20s (Young & Prosperous)

Senior Sales Manager Hyatt Regency Valencia Age: 27 After earning a college degree in hospitality management, she became front office manager for a hotel in Santa Clarita and soon moved to the sales side of the business. At Hyatt, she arranges meeting space, amenities and rooms for corporate and association events at the hotel. Biggest Accomplishment: From a personal standpoint, my biggest accomplishment is my husband, my 18-month-old daughter and my newest little one due in May. My family brings me so much joy. From a professional standpoint, I am extremely proud to have obtained my bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Cal Poly Pomona’s Collins College in 2014. While working toward obtaining my degree as a full-time student, I was also hard at work finding ways to pay for and expand on my education. This included applying for and being awarded multiple academic scholarships and grants while simultaneously working full-time in the hospitality industry. The skills I learned and developed during this time is what has provided me the opportunities and experiences I have already had so early in my career. Most Interesting Aspect of Job: Every single day is different. You have no idea what challenges or opportunities you will encounter or who you will meet.  Personality on the Job: A few key traits help set you apart from the pack: being outgoing, personable and the ability to listen to the needs of others.  Of course, there is also something else you need to be truly successful, regardless of your position or industry, and that is passion for what you do. When working in an industry dealing with the public, not every day is rainbows and lollipops – you have your own challenges of working with many different personalities and trying to match the needs of the client with the goals of the business. Biggest challenge: Overcoming the perception people often have of me based solely on my age. I have often held positions that were previously occupied by people several years older than myself. This has led to people underestimating my skills, abilities and accomplishments. I address this by putting by best foot forward every day and proving myself through my actions. Attraction to Career: I actually fell in to this career by accident. I was attending College of the Canyons and was working towards my goal of earning a degree in kinesiology, as I wanted to be a physical therapist. After I obtained a job as a front desk agent at a hotel in Stevenson Ranch, I immediately fell in love with the industry. How This Generation is Different:   First, our ability to leverage technology. Communication and marketing has forever changed. We’re living in a world where there is a lot more email communication than phone calls. Second is our generation’s desire to make work/life balance and flexibility a reality. The hospitality industry, like many others, is a 24/7 business, which may not fall in line with the cookie-cutter idea of the perfect 9-to-5 career. This is a tough industry in which to find that balance and I think as millennials we will do everything in our power to be part of a successful business but also find the perfect balance for family. There are so many aspects of our industry that make this want and desire difficult but I am a strong believer that, no matter your role, you have the ability to be successful while still having this balance.  Career Advice: Age does not define you; your work, impact and drive can. Also, I am a proud CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) so I am also fluent in American Sign Language, which is actually considered my first language. I come from a family with incredible parents who are extremely successful in their careers and have set a wonderful example for me and my siblings.

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