I have wanted to work in hospitality since I was young because I used to travel a lot with my parents and we stayed in hotels. I was always impressed with how staff make people feel welcome and at home. I loved hospitality because you have to be kind and to give part of yourself.

I started to work in hospitality in Martinique, in the Caribbean, where I come from. During my studies, I used to work for a week or two in 4-star resort hotels. I studied hospitality and culinary skills there and my tutor suggest I work in Luxembourg because it would suit me. I didn’t know anything about the country before that.

I started with a three-month internship at the Novotel Luxembourg Centre – it was much more than a professional immersion; it was a revelation and I discovered my love of hospitality. This was the first time I had been away from my parents – it was difficult but a great experience.

When my time there had finished, they asked me to finish my studies and then called me back and proposed I take a job at the Novotel Suites Luxembourg; it was a good opportunity.

There are some differences between the Novotel Centre and the Novotel Suites hotel, which is quite small so people know each other better and it is more personal. The Centre was a good place to learn but at the Suites I have the opportunity to experience many roles; I can help the manager and can learn about the back office, but at the Centre I was mostly a Receptionist.

Accor has given me such a warm welcome. I am just 22, I’m still young, and they trust me and give me opportunities. Many organisations look for people who have experience but you don’t have that when you have finished your studies. Not a lot of companies give Gen Z the option to make their mark and take responsibility but I have the chance to show what I can do; I am part of the family.

It is not always easy to work in hospitality; you have to be passionate, otherwise guests can feel you are not comfortable. You work with customers and colleagues from many countries and need to enjoy looking after people. I have seen people who come into hotels from other sectors and they find hospitality different because you have to be patient, attentive and to be a good communicator.

Being a Heartist® is to smile because the first thing guests see is your face and to smile is welcoming. And being attentive is also Heartist® because guests and colleagues are from different parts of the world and different cultures, and you need to be inclusive.

There have been many highlights in my career. I am very engaged in everything I do and when a manager thanks me for doing a job, it is lovely to be recognised because I have done something for the team or for guests.

Smile first and learn second when you join hospitality because it is 90% attitude –welcoming people and speaking with guests. You need to be sociable and to stay calm because sometimes people complain, so first take a breath, then respond. Communication with both colleagues and guests and is your best tool.