In the High Flyers spotlight this week is Nichola Daly, director of high-end hospitality recruitment firm Daly Recruitment, which works across the UK and Ireland
What was your first job?
I have worked in leading tourist attractions, in sales, event management a multitude of hotels, but my first role was as a tourist assistant at the Navan Centre in Armagh.
What qualifications do you have?
A graduate in travel & tourism management and a diploma in marketing, advertising & PR. I am a graduate of the Marriott International Management Development Programme in Scottsdale, Arizona, and more recently, I’m proud to have been named a Fellow by the Institute of Hospitality.
What do you attribute your success to?
I think my own personal experience working within hospitality has contributed greatly to my recruitment success. I have a genuine passion for the industry and championing individuals to grow and succeed in their career development.
How would you describe yourself to someone who’d never met you?
Passionate and driven.
Who do you look up to in business?
I look up to and have deep respect for all small business owners who navigated their way through the pandemic those who remain working in the hospitality industry after such a turbulent few years.
How do you get the best out of people who work for you?
If you’re a hospitality employer, the best advice I can give is to listen to your employees. Listen to what they feel would benefit their particular role in the establishment. Ultimately, I believe it all comes down to fostering the correct staff culture and improving working conditions.
If you could change one thing about doing business in Northern Ireland, what would it be?
If I could change one thing about hospitality it would be the perception that young people no longer want to work in the industry. The truth of it is that the days of excessive night and weekend hours without equal compensation are well in our past, with workers seeking a better work-life balance and variety of shifts. I believe young people should be encouraged to see hospitality as a career, and this will only happen if mindsets change. Employers must continue to build positive cultures and explore new ways of working to allow young people to thrive in the industry. Right from the moment a child visits a premises and teenagers, each are valuable assets to our future succession line.
What website or app could you not do without?
I couldn’t do without the Institute of Hospitality website – it’s my go-to for all the latest news and updates on the industry.
What was the last book you read?
Prince Harry - Spare.
What car do you drive?
Life has taught me lately, it’s not about the car, it’s about having the health and ability to drive that’s important.
Tell us something interesting about yourself?
I’m a huge tennis fan and am finally attending Wimbledon this year!
What’s your greatest passion outside work and family?
Believe it not, trying out new hotels and restaurants with friends. We all work in hospitality, so hospitality is my life and I love it.
