Understanding Students’ Intentions to Join the Hospitality Industry: The Role of Emotional Intelligence, Service Orientation, and Industry Satisfaction

A study of 246 hospitality degree students in Hong Kong and the United States found that emotional intelligence has a strong effect on students’ intentions to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. The students’ service orientation has a similar but weaker effect. The study also found that this relationship is mediated by the degree to which these post-internship students were satisfied with working in the industry. Because emotional intelligence can be enhanced through education, hospitality educators can help develop their students’ emotional intelligence and service orientation and potentially increase their likelihood of developing successful careers within the industry.