A job at Club Med? We unravel 5 common misconceptions

Are you interested in jobs in the hotel and tourism industry? Marie Koch, Head of Recruitment France at Club Med, shares with HelloWork about the most persistent clichés surrounding those who work where others go on holiday.

1. 'It's like working at a campsite'

In France and throughout the world, Club Med brings together nearly 70 top-of-the-range and luxury Resorts (Club Med Exclusive Collection), far removed from the customs of a campsite, even a lavish one. ‘Excellence in service quality is at the heart of our employees' work, whether in terms of interpersonal skills or customer relations. This means providing a level of service and attention to detail that goes far beyond what you would expect at a campsite,’ explains Marie.

When it comes to accommodation for seasonal workers, it's the same: ‘90% of our accommodation is “double occupancy”, i.e. you sleep in a single room and share a shower and toilet with another colleague. We still have a few Resorts where employees share a room, but this is no longer the dominant configuration,’ she points out. Since 2019, Club Med has also invested €70 million to improve accommodation conditions for its G.O and G.E teams.

When they are hired and throughout the season, Club Med employees benefit from an advantageous package. Apart from a contribution towards accommodation and food, deducted directly from their salary depending on their contract and place of assignment, they don't have to worry about charges or transport. ‘We can also take advantage of the infrastructure and activities on site, even though customers have priority. It's like being at home, and everything is done to ensure that our employees feel at ease and develop in the best possible way within the Resort,’ confirms Marie.

2. ‘Jobs are reserved for young people'

At Club Med, the average age of the G.Os (Gentils Organisateurs) and G.Es (Gentils Employés) is 31.

‘Age is not a barrier. The seasonal lifestyle generally appeals to a slightly younger population, but the most important thing is that the candidate is motivated and has the right skills for the job,’ confirms Marie.

Overall, Club Med welcomes a wide variety of employees of all ages, backgrounds, religions and origins! In fact, its teams are made up of more than 110 nationalities. ‘We bring in a lot of European employees and we also offer many international mobility opportunities for everyone. That's the beauty of Club Med, meeting people from all over the world! It allows us to open up to other cultures and learn other languages,’ she points out.

For its teams, Club Med is also committed to gender diversity and has a professional equality index of 93/100.

3. ‘It's compulsory to have a diploma’.

Yes and no! Club Med has over 120 different jobs! ‘For some, a diploma is required, such as for the position of nurse. For the rest, what interests us most is motivation and the desire to learn’, Marie insists. This is the case for kitchen assistants, for example, who can be recruited without any experience.

4. ‘Club Med is not compatible with the environment’.

Sustainable development is a key concern for many applicants and Club Med has been committed to offering eco-certified holidays and tours for several years. Depending on the region, the construction of new Resorts is certified BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) or equivalent, and the day-to-day management of Resorts is Green Globe certified.

In addition to these labels, the Group has made a number of concrete eco-commitments, including the elimination of single-use plastic, the fight against food waste, local employment and purchasing, the fight against animal abuse in tourism, the creation of activities to discover and protect nature, and solidarity via the Club Med Foundation. ‘Since the Covid pandemic, we have also recruited health, safety and environment managers, and part of their job is to ensure that these commitments are respected,’ explains Marie.

5. ‘It's just a summer job’.

Most of the contracts offered by Club Med are seasonal but ‘renewable’, explains Marie. ‘This gives us a wide choice and the opportunity to move around our different sites. A seasonal employee is not a pawn. They're someone we're going to invest in, particularly through training and support. And we do this right from the start: ‘First of all, we have a whole onboarding process for our staff when they arrive at a Resort. Then they are monitored by their local manager throughout their contract. There is always a performance appraisal at the end of the season to find out what they want and what their aspirations are for the next season,’ she continues.

Since 2006, the Talent University by Club Med has been supporting the personal development of its employees and encouraging performance and career development. ‘We organise training courses during the season and between seasons, to help people develop their skills and progress in their future positions,’ Marie points out. Every year, 17,000 G.Os and G.Es are trained through various programmes, focusing on 100 professional skills.

In the Resorts, up to 30% of contracts are permanent.

Working at Club Med also offers career evolution opportunities for candidates seeking a career in the hotel and tourism industry. In fact, 80% of the company's management positions are filled through internal mobility. ‘Over time, if you're motivated and committed, you can learn new trades. That's something that's quite incredible at Club Med!’ enthuses Marie. And she knows all about it: ‘I've been here for 15 years and I started out as a Mini Club G.O, so I worked with the children. I then moved on to become head of the family team and then I wanted to develop my skills in the hotel sector. After a while, I wanted to find out more about HR. I became a recruitment officer and then a recruitment manager. 

She concludes: ‘Working at Club Med isn't just a job. It's a real life experience! You have the chance to work in extraordinary surroundings, both in France and abroad, and to forge links with your colleagues and customers. You can develop in any profession, because if you have the desire, anything is possible!

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