The story of a career built on mobility within Elior Services

Now 48, Delphine Botbol has already had many careers. The one thing that unites them all is her passion for service delivery. “Even at the age of 14, I knew I wanted to work in hospitality. I have always enjoyed the world of service. I was really attracted to the idea of working in beautiful environments. I wanted to have a career where there would always be job opportunities, and which would also allow me to travel and see something of the world. In hospitality, no two days are ever the same!” she recalls. Delphine clearly wanted to work in a world that was far from monotonous, because if there’s one thing she fears above all others, it’s routine. “I love a challenge!”

Having gained experience in the hotels of a leading chain, followed by a business adventure with her partner in her home region of Normandy, Delphine explored many different facets of the industry, from catering to reception, before joining a cleaning company in 2005; a company that was later acquired by the Elior Group. At that time, she was employed as senior housekeeper at the Trianon Palace, Versailles. “It was a real challenge at the beginning, because we had to form the team, set everything up from scratch and get the site operational. Once that was all in place, things began to become more...well... routine, and I needed a new challenge,” she laughs. 

Her ambition wasn’t lost on her sector manager, who in 2007 offered her the opportunity to become a trainer. “I applied as soon as I got the chance, was accepted and joined the training team. It seemed a natural progression!” It was certainly a new experience, and one that was a logical fit with Delphine's career path. “In addition to the training content, the job also includes a large element of service provision. I really liked having this overview of the Paris region, from the diversity of its outlets, its employees and its variety of job profiles... An incredibly broad spectrum of everything our industry offers. So actually, zero routine!” she smiles. Delphine then moved on to recruitment, where she particularly enjoyed the personal contact: “Listening to what employees have to say is something I really enjoy.” 

During the first lockdown, Delphine felt compelled to offer her services when the health sector reached out for help. The online platform that matches the needs of individual sites with available human resources allowed her to offer to stand in for a site manager in a Meudon psychiatric clinic. “It's important to realize that there are these bridges between activities, and that thanks to the Job Center, the company really allows us to do that. Having ideas isn’t enough in itself if you don't have the support of your company. Here, it’s the opposite, with encouragement coming from the company. We understand that nothing is set in stone, and that everything is possible. I see that as immensely important.”