Alumna Lien Nguyen - From hotel guest to manager

An overnight stay at the luxury five-star Langham Hotel in Melbourne inspired Lien Nguyen to study hospitality. “I thought the hotel was so glamorous and everyone working there had a smile on their face.”

Her visit to The Langham, Melbourne changed everything. Lien already had a double degree in Marketing and Science, and had been searching for employment. Foreseeing a brighter future working in hospitality, she decided to research postgraduate hospitality courses. This led her to Le Cordon Bleu where she studied a Master of International Hospitality Management in 2013.

“Le Cordon Bleu lecturers have extensive hotel management experience and could instantly see that I was a ‘people person’. I was advised to pursue a career in hospitality sales management.” This expert advice set Lien’s career in motion. “Le Cordon Bleu course coordinators and lecturers really motivate you through the entire programme. They give you a real life perspective.”

In 2015, Lien completed her six-month Le Cordon Bleu work placement (Work Integrated Learning) at The Langham, Melbourne. She was immediately offered the job of Sales Coordinator. In December 2016, Lien was promoted to Business Development and Sales Operations Executive.

Lien gives the following advice to anyone seeking a role in hospitality: “You need to be able to work hard and get into the company you want to work for. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t gained the position you really want at first - if you put in the effort you’ll be able to work your way up. Hospitality is a fast paced industry, so you need to keep up.”

In her workplace Lien is fortunate to have found career inspiration and encouragement from industry mentors. “They genuinely care about my career growth and always take the time to listen.”

In her promising future, Lien aspires to Regional Management overseeing multiple properties. As a globally connected Le Cordon Bleu alumna, there is no doubt she will achieve her dream.