Jamie Farrell, Meetings & Events Manager at The Connacht Hotel: “Never Be Afraid to Ask for Help”

As part of our Employee Stories series, we’re finding out why people enjoy working across the Connacht Hospitality Group. This time, it’s the turn of Jamie Farrell, The Connacht Hotel’s Meetings & Events Manager….

“Overall, it’s been really great the progress I’ve made since joining here. I started as a waitress in the Food & Beverage department, and within a month, I applied for and got a position as Hotel Duty Manager. After a year, I took over as the Meetings & Events Manager,” Jamie says.

A Variety of Roles

Jamie has worked across a number of areas in the hotel since joining the team in 2021, and this has enabled her to gain numerous insights that she has carried with her from role to role. Indeed, that’s one of the key reasons that Jamie is able to perform to such a high standard in her current position.

“From the very point of the sales enquiry right up to the actual setting up of the event, I’m confident in it all because I know what it all takes. I’m very privileged in that I have the knowledge from an operations perspective about whom to speak with and whom I should be liaising with to bring each event together,” Jamie said.

Jamie’s progress from role to role was always going to come with its challenges as changes were experienced and new responsibilities were learned.

For Jamie, though, it was all part of a character-building experience, something that has certainly benefitted her in the long run. Indeed, it’s a testament to the hotel’s Meetings & Events Manager that she was willing to go outside her comfort zone.

A Wealth of Knowledge

“I really feel like when you have that period of life when you have to work under pressure, it really teaches you quite a bit and builds you up in ways that you thought it wouldn’t,” Jamie says.

Jamie has amassed a wealth of knowledge throughout her journey with The Connacht Hotel to date. She says that she has learned a number of important lessons from her helpful colleagues – and one lesson, in particular, stands out.

“Never be afraid to ask for help,” Jamie says before giving a shout-out to so many of her colleagues like Sarah Comer, Natasha Chuyeva, Thomas Greene, Michelle Fitzgerald, and Kevin Vahey.

Team Spirit

“The team here are so good at helping each other out. If you’re ever in the weeds and you feel like you could use an extra hand, don’t be afraid to ask. Or, if you need clarity before making a decision on something, it’s really good to get a second opinion,” she said.

The comradery and strong team spirit has a lot to do with the work that The Connacht Hotel puts into fostering that bond among staff members, something that Jamie says boils down to the Sports and Social Committee.

“The staff morale is really good – they put a lot of effort into the Sports & Social events which really gives the team an opportunity to come together and blow off some steam. It’s really good that they have that in place each month, and I think it’s really important for employee welfare overall,” Jamie says.

Jamie takes immense pride in her role, and she certainly enjoys playing a crucial part in bringing events at The Connacht Hotel to life.

Ever the diligent planner, she is already thinking ahead to the Galway Races this summer – and she is excited about the events to come later in the year, like Christmas, so it’s safe to say there is never a dull moment in her career with The Connacht Hotel.

If you’d like to join Jamie at The Connacht Hotel and experience the whirlwind world of meetings and events, make sure you keep an eye on the Connacht Hospitality group’s Careers page here.