Meet Razman, the F&B Supervisor for Four Points by Sheraton

Sep 14, 2022

We sat down with Razman to chat all about his experience in the hospitality industry and what it is like pursuing a career in hotels, or, in his case, finding it unplanned!

From beginning as a food and beverage attendant to becoming a Manager of one of the Largest hotel chains in the world, Razman explains that there is more to hospitality than meets the eye.
“Hospitality was not a plan for me, to be honest, I came down to New Zealand for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and decided to stay back for the love of All Blacks and to start a career for myself."

Everyone begins somewhere in hospitality – it’s a journey that shapes, gives, and opens doors. A lot of people start their hospitality career as wait staff or kitchen stewards out the back of house, but everyone has to start somewhere.
Within two years, Razman found himself as a team leader and gradually moved on to become a banquet manager and then restaurant manager and at the present he is the food & beverage manager at four Points by Sheraton Auckland. “Hospitality takes time,” Razman explained, along with one's diligence and drive to progress in the industry.

When asked what fuels your determination and motivation Razman’s response was “Patience and commitment will definitely take you there” while you are working in the hopso industry, he says. There are always chances to upskill yourself for the better, for such opportunities to present themselves to you in ways you might least expect it.

Whether you are in hospo because it was an accident like Razman, or because you needed that extra cash on the weekend, or you want to pursue it as a career, sacrifice remains one of the biggest challenges. Razman talked about flexibility: “Something different from other jobs is having to sacrifice some of your weekends. It’s [hospitality] not as flexible as other professions. Every job has its own challenges, but I don’t see anything that can stop you or you will struggle with.”

Hospitality is, arguably, one of the most sociable and creative professions there is. With consistent customer interaction, experience and training in etiquette, cleanliness, health and safety, and thinking on your feet, hospo offers many opportunities to make connections and grow. Razman detailed, “Networking and connections is one of the key things in hospo. Keep updated with the job opportunities and growth opportunities.”

In turn, we asked Razman what these opportunities look like working for Four Points, to which he responsed  “There are so many benefits of working for the largest hotel company. No matter where you travel, you get discounts everywhere with Marriott – this, along with internal opportunities. For us success is not about ‘keep hiring’, when we are struggling with staff, it’s not because somebody has left, it’s because somebody has moved up. Marriott is all about building the pipeline for the future. Marriott is all about living fully in the sense that it’s not all about work, it’s about upskilling yourself.”

Four Points Sheraton emphasizes the importance and needs of their employees, those of which they do not label as “staff,” but instead as “associates.” Razman explains, “associates in the sense that they are a part of us.” This translates into broader opportunities, such as working for Four Points globally and seeking positions at other locations across the world. As kiwis working for Four points, by using your employer I.D, there are definitely chances of growth in terms of moving to Europe or the U.S.A. 

During COVID, Four Points did not let one single associate go – placing their employees in high regard. Razman emphasizes the importance of caring for their associates more as a team and as family, rather than people in a business. And they are all individuals, “all different,” and Razman understands the vitality of training and caring for everyone differently: “it’s the support you have to give” when leading a hospo team, when creating the right environment for people to flourish. People shouldn’t be deterred from hospo because they may feel different – this is one of the main drivers of the industry!

If you would like to start your career in hospo and gain experience in the hotel industry like Razman, or start a part-time gig alongside your study, have a look at these current availabilities, See here for open jobs available near you.