Meet the Community Leader: David Dao – “I got rejected more than 30 times from one industry placement, but giving up was not an option!”

• Editor: Camellia Dinh

Don’t you think that the tittle of this article sounded much like a story of Chinese billionaire Jack Ma? Co-founder of Alibaba Group told the world that he was rejected not once but more than 30 times from one job. Jack Ma basically got rejected from every job he applied to after college, even KFC. But no, this is our true story about David Dao, an alumnus of Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School.

Huy T. Dao (David) graduated from the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, majoring in Hotel & Resort Management. “Why did I choose to study hospitality? Well, it was a switch from Marketing Degree to something that is more hands-on, real-life experience than what I have done previously with a Business Degree, another big plus for hospitality is that I will have chances to travel around the world. I used to think that this hospitality world isn’t for me. But once I got into it as a student, I started to love it more than I could ever think of”, David said.

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After the completed his first year of studies at the hotel school, David struggled to find an Industry Placement, he applied for more than 30 opportunities and got rejected one after another. For David, to get rejected from a serious of job applications seemed to be a sequence at that time. At the end of the tunnel, an opportunity came up to him. He finally got that one employer to say yes. David was overjoyed to get this chance to travel to Broome, Western Australia to work as a Food & Beverage Attendant at Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa. “It was just amazing, not only to have fun at the workplace but also life experience with many friends who came from different parts of the world“, David shared his experience of his first industry placement, it was a great success.

I got rejected more than 30 times from one industry placement, but giving up was not an option!

David Dao

The second year of study was very challenging for David, he needed to manage his time well enough to balance between studies and his job at Sheraton on the Park Sydney where he landed a casual role at as an In-Room Dining Attendant. “I had to rush for the deadlines of assignments as well as to maintain the working hours at the Sheraton, it was tough“, David explained.

Then there came the time that all second year students under David’s intake were put on a new challenge to find their second industry placement. This time, David got to choose! He made his decision to go for a second placement at Saffire Freycinet in Tasmania as a housekeeping clerk. “It was another level of experience from guest journey to employee wellbeing, which was the highlight of this amazing lodge. I felt very special and connected to this industry and wanted to serve back to all the hoteliers who I have met, have worked with as well as to all of the upcoming future leaders of hospitality”, David shared why being asked about his second industry placement.

What’s happening next?

Back in Vietnam after graduation, David is currently working in the Human Resources field as a choice to support all hoteliers from various hotel departments.

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David is now serving as the Talent Acquisition Supervisor at Premier Village Phu Quoc, managed by Accor. Prior to this, he also challenged himself in several roles in Human Resources at TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An (Pre-opening) and Dusit Princess Moonrise Phu Quoc.

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David admitted the difficulties that everyone and especially people in the hospitality industry have been going through, but as he always believes, there’s always life at the end of the tunnel. “And I will be here to support you whenever you need me”, he added. This is the reason that he has joined Australian Hospitality Alumni Network Vietnam as a Community Leader so that he can provide further support to his further colleagues in the hospitality industry.

Comment from AHA Vietnam: “Hey David, if Jack Ma did IT, maybe you can do IT too!”