Alhassan

Client: Alhassan was regional manager for Bahrain and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia for an Indian multinational hospitality company.

Industry: Hospitality

Function: Management, Operations

Challenge: During the pandemic Alhassan's company underwent a reorganization, and his position was eliminated. Exploring his career options during this difficult time was not easy.

Process: The Career Plan Program helped Alhassan adopt a healthier, more positive mindset for his career journey. What he learned had a lasting impact on how he thinks about himself and his career.

Landing: Alhassan landed a management position in the government sector of a Middle Eastern country where he contributes to projects in line with that country's 2030 strategic vision.

Alhassan spent over two decades in the hospitality industry in the Middle East. He most recently served as regional manager for an Indian multinational hospitality company, overseeing regional sales, marketing, operations, and business development in Bahrain and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. With so much experience and leadership under his belt, he was ready to take the next step.

"After over 20 years in hospitality I was at a point where I could take a senior executive position. But when the pandemic came, hospitality was devastated. Then I was also dealing with my company's reorganization, which led to the elimination of my position. That's when I decided it was time to make a change."

Alhassan learned about The Career Doctor through a web search and signed up to explore options for his career.

"I was in a new situation, without a job, looking for the next step to take. Do I stay in the hospitality industry, maybe in a different role, or explore something completely different? TCD helped me find the answer and took my career to the next level."

"Career Plan changed my way of thinking. In my region, we don't have that kind of program. We have assessments, but not a program that helps you find yourself."

The Career Plan program was particularly valuable to Alhassan, as it helped him adopt a healthier, more positive mindset for his career journey. He found that the assessments helped define who he is as a professional and what type of work would be best suited to him.

"Career Plan changed my way of thinking. In my region, we don't have that kind of program. We have assessments, but not a program that helps you find yourself. I still remember my DISC assessment and refer to it frequently. It helps me understand myself, what type of personality fits with me, and how to interact with different personalities. During interviews, instead of thinking, 'I need to sell myself, I need to get this job,' I now see interviews as an exchange between professionals that allows me to understand the other side's needs and culture."

Equally important were Alhassan's conversations with his career consultant, George Dooley, who gave Alhassan ongoing encouragement and helped him stay on track.

"I enjoyed my meetings with George. We would talk about what was going on in my life and career, and he would give me direction and advice for managing my career transition. A lot of the time the conversation was about staying positive and dealing with the stress."

"For example, when I told him about a bad interview, he helped me think it through. George would say, 'Okay, you said this, but maybe it was not the right thing to say. What if you had said it this way instead?' It helped me prepare for the next opportunity."

"My mindset before was: I am looking for a job. My mindset now is: I am looking for a career, not a job. I'm looking for the right match, not just a job."

Over the course of about a year, Alhassan's job search expanded from the hospitality industry to include opportunities in the government sector. The transition to his new mindset took time, but it eventually opened doors to a new career path.

"My mindset before was: I am looking for a job. My mindset now is: I am looking for a career, not a job. I'm looking for the right match, not just a job," said Alhassan. "My title now is different. I don't work in a hotel anymore or carry a title you would see in a hotel. But I still use my hospitality skills in my current job. I landed a management position where I contribute to that country's strategic vision for 2030. I'm still learning every day, and I love what I do."

Alhassan's advice to anyone considering a career transition is to be open to change.

"Change is always good. Even if you want to stay where you are, go through the TCD process because it can enrich you and your career. TCD's program changed my way of thinking. My mindset now is healthier. That's the best part of this experience."

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