Today, we are in conversation with Anna Morgan, Carton House’s Bar Supervisor, who has worked in the resort for 17 years.
Here she shares her career story to date, her day to day life at Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel and how a career in hospitality can be addictive.
Tell us about your career to date Anna and your role at Carton House, a Fairmont Managed Hotel?
Before I came to Carton House, I had worked for around 25 years as a manager in bars around Maynooth. Prior to that, I was in insurance for a long time but I then fell into hospitality. By the time I came to Carton House, I wanted to slow down in my work. I didn’t want a job that was meetings upon meetings. I had done that in my previous jobs. My forte is dealing with people – I love that. For example, managers spend a lot of time in the office dealing with paperwork, but when I came here, I was made supervisor, and that is all I have ever wanted to be.
What makes the Carton House employee experience so unique?
At Carton House, you meet different people every day of the week, and that’s what I love about the job. I never know coming into work the people I will come across, or what the day will bring me.
We have had so many famous people here. I looked after Cristiano Ronaldo when he was here, Manchester United stayed here, as did Julie Andrews and Russell Crowe. I find that even travelling the drive to Carton House is uplifting for me. When I worked in insurance, there was very little natural life, but working in the bar here, it is full of life and excitement. It’s a lovely environment.
If you could define a career at Carton House in one word, what would it be?
I would say happy, because that’s what I am. I have worked in many other places in my life and I was never content, but at Carton House, it’s different. I love dealing with people and looking after people, and I get to do that every day.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering a career with Carton House, what would it be?
The mantra that I have always lived by in work is “respect somebody and get the respect back.”
I know that doesn’t work in every form of employment, but it does in hospitality. You also need to be aware that it is a very busy and very full-on job. You have to be committed. You have to be on time and punctual, and you need to be very in tune with other staff and guests. In hospitality, you give 100% every hour with a smile on your face and your uniform clean. Once you get your foot in the door, it becomes addictive.