From his smile and mannerisms, Carlos Barbosa immediately struck me as outgoing and easy to get along with. In fact, when I asked him what he liked most about his job, he promptly answered, ‘I like the people and the teamwork.’
Carlos is the Assistant Front Office Manager at Corinthia Lisbon. ‘It’s not an easy job; in actual fact, no hospitality job can be considered easy, but the people make it so vibrant and sparkling. And when I say people, I mean guests and work colleagues. I love the fact that no day is like the other. I come to work with my duties more or less planned, but new things crop up, and often, the day develops differently. Guest are different every day, and they all have their own needs and requests. I love the variety; I enjoy learning something new every day, not necessarily work-related. Corinthia’s size offers diverse opportunities to speak with dozens of different cultures and habits from our guests.
‘I also have to use my full attention and energy to guarantee the smooth and efficient running of the front office and assist the front office manager in meeting all his needs and goals. Ultimately, I ensure that the guests and my team are cared for.’
Was hospitality his very first choice? Carlos explained that he first studied Computer Engineering in college for three years. At that point, he shook his head mildly. ‘I knew from the beginning that computers were not my passion, so eventually, I decided to stop. After the internship opportunity abroad, I started working and decided to study Hospitality Operations Management in Lisbon.’
Carlos worked briefly in a guest house in Lisbon and also completed an internship for a few months in an all-inclusive 5-star resort in Mexico. “But in my opinion, Corinthia was my first real job,’ he added.
Yes, but what connected you with Corinthia? How did your paths meet? ‘To finish my Hospitality course, I had to do an internship. The school organised a fair in which many hotels from Portugal participated so the students could get the opportunity to choose what they thought was their best option. For me, Corinthia topped the rest. It is the largest 5-star property in the city, has an excellent name and reputation, and immediately commanded my attention. I wanted to obtain experience in a large hotel. It was a jackpot for me; I started the internship here, and here I am to this day.’
Carlos started as a Front Office Trainee in 2018 and then joined as a Front Office Agent. In 2019, he was promoted to Shift Leader and was promoted to Assistant Front Office Manager in 2022.
So, how did he fare during the pandemic? ‘Naturally, the hotel operations were limited and slow. I helped the Food and Beverages Department for two summers in our fantastic Soul Garden. That was such a new experience. My hotel expertise differed from F&B, so I learned a lot and enjoyed the experience. It made me see the hotel with completely different eyes and widened my knowledge. I am always open and eager to learn something new. It makes me think outside the box.’
Does that mean that Carlos wanted to change jobs? ‘No, not at all; at the moment, I am happy where I am.’
Carlos was born and raised in a small village near Porto, Portugal, far from Lisbon. He always dreamed of living in Lisbon. That came true when, at 18 years old, he started college in Lisbon. That was ten years ago already, and he’s still there!
At one point, Carlos mentioned Frank, his housemate, so I asked about him. ‘He is orange coloured’, pointed out Carlos. That was quite intriguing! It turned out Frank was his orange-coloured angel/devil cat.
Like his mother, Carlos is passionate about cats. ‘I’m unsure whether he is my housemate or landlord. He acts like owning the house. I love him; he is an excellent company at home, especially after a stressful day. I must admit I sometimes feel jealous of him when I return home after a hard day and notice that all he did was eat and sleep throughout the day.’
What about other animals? ‘I love all animals. Throughout my life, I have had two cats, two dogs and a hamster. But one cat is enough at this time.’
From cats, we moved on to leisure time. How did Carlos relax?
‘I like to travel. I have visited 21 countries so far; the only continents I have not visited yet are Australia and Antarctica. It’s hard to say which of them I prefer. They each have their charm and uniqueness, but I would say India would be the winner. I also love going to concerts; if artists do not come to Portugal, I do all I can to attend them.
‘Believe it or not, my greatest pleasure is eating. I love eating and trying out new cuisines, especially when I am abroad. But I also enjoy staying in, watching a good show or movie.’
I could see from his words that Carlos was not a selfish gentleman, so I casually approached the topic of voluntary work. I was not surprised when he informed me that he had spent one month in Angola a few years ago helping some communities.
He also spent a month in São Tomé and Principe with a team of five, helping kids and teachers with Portuguese, English, maths and computer studies. ‘They are unique experiences which make us grateful for what we have and feel duty-bound to assist others. What still impresses me is the simplicity of people and the smiling faces of kids. I hope I shall have similar opportunities soon.’
Though I guessed the answer, I could not part from Carlos without asking him if he saw his future in the world of hospitality. He smiled and nodded vigorously. “Undoubtedly! I am enjoying my Corinthia adventure. I see my future in this line of business and, hopefully, always growing within Corinthia.’
