Hotel job grants senior with more than a paycheck

On Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., senior Kanaai Shah plays a role his classmates might not be aware of: He is a front desk worker at the Courtyard by Marriott, a four-star hotel, in Palo Alto-Los Altos.

Standing behind a marble tabletop facing three monitors, donning a suit jacket, he attends to guests as they walk in and out of the hotel, stopping by at his front desk occasionally to check in or out or just ask him a question.

His father, who was once an engineer, decided to enter the hotel industry after being an engineer. Because of his dad’s connections, Shah was able to find his job last November.

Though he is still just a student, Shah said he took the job because he wanted to learn more about the hotel and its work environment, he said. He is also considering pursuing the field.

“I am continuously interacting with people, so I've learned how to read the emotions of people through their behaviors,” Shah said. “I have gained experience on how I should communicate with people.”

Shah said the job has taught him a greater understanding of how people live their lives outside of the “Saratoga bubble.” His co-workers include adults who are completely responsible for their own lives and the lives of their families.

“I've learned about the real world through my co-workers,” Shah said. “Seeing how hard they work day in and day out to provide for their families in some really tough situations at times has also been really inspiring personally.”

Shah is glad that he took on the job because he gets to work in a  friendly and relaxing work environment. He has befriended his three co-workers at the front desk, all in their mid- to late 20s.

“Everyone is really upbeat and smiling all the time, and we have plenty of fun talking to each other while doing our jobs,” Shah said. “I hope I  will have some of the basic knowledge required in the hotel industry, and I hope that [the job] will help me find future jobs once I go to college.”