Little-known jobs in the hotel industry

Picture the people working in a hotel, and your mind will flash to the usual front desk, doorman, and housekeeping. Hidden in the shadows, however, are a plethora of equally-important roles not many expect to see in the hotel industry, like 3D cake makers and motion graphic artists.

Here are 9 of the most unlikely jobs you can find in Singapore’s hotel industry.

1. 3D Cake Maker

The next time you’re having a birthday celebration at a Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore skip the usual chocolate sponge cakes and indulge in a customisable 3D cake, prepared by their 3D Cake Maker. You can get these cakes at the hotel’s Shophouse bakery, all year round, regardless of the event. 

As you deliberate the multitude of choices from Ninjago to My Little Pony, rest well in the fact that no matter your pick, you’ll be getting a good slice since all pastry chefs here need at least 2 years of experience.

2. Babysitter

Image credit: Cerpen

Nothing’s more important than spending time with the fam during a vacay, but sometimes, mommy and daddy need some time to themselves too. So before you plan a quick “getaway” during your getaway, be sure to check into hotels like Goodwood Park Hotel, where an in-house babysitter is available upon request for $15/hour, a steal given how most childcare centres charge an average of $80/hour. 

Give the concierge early warning that you’re coming with a little one and you’ll even have access to necessities like bottle sterilizers, diapers, and a baby cot to ensure your baby’s fully taken care of.

3. Design Manager for Artwork

Rock Wall by Charlie Albone & Children Dabbling In The Water by Yi Hwan Kwon
Image credit: Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

You’d think Aang the last Airbender worked in Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore’s Tower Wing, given how beautifully all 4 elements come together in the art installations here. From the rock wall that forms the lobby’s backdrop to the shower of metallic leaves on the ceiling, you can thank their Design Manager for Artwork, Winnie Ip, for the aesthetically-pleasing pieces you see.

Tree Canopy by Studio Sawada Design
Image credit: @shangrilasg

Although she didn’t create the pieces, she still played a huge part in conceptualising them as she’s helped shaped the art at many Shangri-la properties, including at The Shard in London. 

For the Singapore property, this meant travelling all the way to Nagoya to meet sculptors, examine local materials, and study the craftsmanship. As a result of this dedication, the sculptors got a better understanding of her vision, and guests can now lounge in a one-of-a-kind ambience.

4. Floral Designer

Image credit: Marina Bay Sands

It’s flowers over boys at Bay Floral, Marina Bay Sands’ in-house floral designers. You can call on these buds to beautify any occasion with their floral decor, whether it’s something personal like your wedding reception or a more formal event like a corporate function. 

Image credit: Marina Bay Sands

You can also see their works in full bloom all over the hotel, from the orchids in your room or the floral arrangements that greet guests in the lobby.

And if you’d like to bring home these beauties to your loved ones, you can do so with bouquets like peonies, roses, and lilies starting from just $107.

5. Motion Graphic Artist

Pixar who? You’d think the video above was made by a production house, given its high production value but nope! That video was made completely in-house by Marina Bay Sands’ visual media team, which goes to show that there are talented people in every department there. This team has their very own videographers, and producers but the MVP that gives this team an edge over others is the motion graphic artist.

Image credit: Marina Bay Sands

She was responsible for the animations and special effects you saw, conveying key messages about the hotel in an engaging way.

6. 3D Ice sculptor (Hotel Artist)

Image credit: Xenia Tan

Think of Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel’s Hotel Artist, Eng Guan, as Picasso on Ice. Although he describes his job as just “covering the interior design for exhibitions, and bridal shows”, you’ll quickly see how that’s an understatement in a recent episode of Hired or Fired, where he deftly crafted an ice sculpture of 2 doves like he was Elsa.

7. Robot Service Staff

With some hotels utilising robots in daily operations, you can now get the best of man and machine during your next check-in. During our recent staycay at Yotel Singapore, we were pleasantly surprised to see robots carrying out room service, and that they’ll deliver toiletries straight to your doorstep.

And they’re not the only hotel to welcome the future. At M Social Singapore, there’s even a robot egg chef that can prepare your eggs however you want – sunny-side up or scrambled. Giving menial tasks to robots frees up time for hotel staff to engage with guests on a deeper, personal level which means you’ll get a better quality of service.

8. Data Analyst

Ho Bing Zhao, Data Analyst at Marina Bay Sands
Image credit: Marina Bay Sands

The next time you’re at Marina Bay Sands enjoying a personalised food and wine pairing, that’s based on your history, you can thank data analysts like Ho Bing Zhao for painstakingly interpreting numbers and stats to improve operations throughout the resort. 

From their findings, Bing Zhao contributed to automation projects such as a napkin folding machine that halves the time needed to fold napkins for the resort’s restaurants, and a forecasting system that allocates cars and drivers more accurately within the limousine department. 

As a result of these initiatives, there’s been a 15% increase in productivity at Marina Bay Sands as it allows staff to work smarter and focus on more meaningful roles to provide better service to guests.

9. Digital Marketing 

The digital marketing team at Park Hotel Group
Image credit: Park Hotel Group

Many of us take for granted how easy it is to book a hotel room these days. No more heading down to travel agencies or ringing up hotels cause all your search can be done online. 

Behind this innovation are digital marketing teams who use platforms like websites, emails and paid online channels to raise awareness about their hotels. That’s how you end up getting a particular hotel as a search result when Googling “Hotels with late check-ins”

Grand Park City Hall app

Park Hotel Group takes this one step further by using digital tools to make their guests’ stay a lot more convenient. They recently introduced an app for their luxury hotel, Grand Park City Hall, which allows guests to check-in digitally,  enjoy key card-less entry, and control room settings.

Hidden roles in Singapore’s hotels

Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s Wedding Planner, Denise Loo
Image credit: @businessofhappiness

Check-in, check the amenities, and check-out. For most of us, that’s the SOP whenever we’re at a hotel. But take the time to look beyond the infinity pool and clean sheets, and you’ll see that are supporting the industry is an army of dedicated individuals, working round the clock to provide guests with the best possible experience. 

And for most of these roles, their presence has been hidden  – until now. As part of Singapore Tourism Board’s Business of Happiness initiative, you’ll finally learn about the inner goings of the hotel industry. From reading feature pieces on the wedding planner who leaves no loose ends to exploring the wealth of career options in this industry, a trip to this site will give you a greater appreciation for the peeps behind your getaways.

Find out more about Business of Happiness here!

This post was brought to you by Singapore Tourism Board.