Happy Pride Tāmaki Makaurau! Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be sharing a few Q&A from our community of LGBTTI+ employees at SkyCity Auckland.
We had the chance to catch up with Maxwell, Front Service Representative at SkyCity Hotel and when asked what SkyCity’s Rainbow Tick accreditation meant to him, he says “it means I don’t have to shy away from who I am in the workplace; I’m free to be and express myself.”
Keep on reading below as we talk about Maxwell's work, interesting hobbies and more!
What's your current role?
Full-time Front Service Representative at SkyCity Hotel
What other roles have you held at SkyCity?
Casual Front Service Rep, Part-time Front Service Rep
How long (in total) have you worked at SkyCity?
2 1⁄2 Years
Briefly describe your current role
Concierge, Valet, and general Hotel Staff, - Luggage handling (Storing, sending, retrieving) - Valet - Tour / Transport / Restaurant Booking - Hotel & General Info - Guest Services - Office maintenance
What do you enjoy most about your current role?
- The never ending list of different jobs to do. - The freedom to indulge my hobbies while simultaneously
working full time. - The amazing diverse team
- The uniform is pretty cool too
What sorts of challenges do you encounter?
Having to balance rehearsal and work schedules.. since working full time and making money becomes a priority I sometimes have to put my passions and hobbies on hold..
Tell us about some of your career achievements/highlights at SkyCity
- Quest For The Best 2019 Individual winner
What did you do before you joined SkyCity?
Volunteer Retail at Red Cross Orewa
What would you say to anyone considering joining your team or applying for a job like yours? (What do they need to be aware of?)
- It’s a very guest based face to face job.
- Need to be good enough with people to solve just about any issue or question an individual has regarding tourism or the hotel. Need to be adaptable. - The team we have is great and are all friendly. - A strong passion for doing tasks to the best of your ability is a very good attribute to have; never settle for just enough.
What does SkyCity’s Rainbow Tick accreditation mean to you?
It means that I know I don’t have to shy away from who I am in the workplace; I’m free to be and express myself.
Which of SkyCity’s employee benefit(s) do you enjoy most?
Definitely the staff cafeteria and free Sky Tower admission.
Is there anything about SkyCity that makes it different to other work places?
How so many different types of departments work and communicate together like a family. With all the hundreds of employees around daily, there’s always someone new to meet who works just a few walls away doing something completely different to you that helps SkyCity be what it is.
Where were you born/raised and how long have you lived in Auckland?
Born in Auckland, lived in Auckland my whole life and raised all around Auckland, predominantly on the coast (Orewa) and in the countryside.
What do you do outside of work?
Avid musical theatre performer (Singing, Dancing, Acting) Performing in numerous musicals with community theatres annually. Most of the shows I’ve done have been with Centrestage in Orewa. Also been taking dance classes (Jazz & Tap) for numerous years. Most recently took part in the Broadway Dreams NZ 2020 Summer intensive at St Matthew In The City (Jan 18) Next performing in Mary Poppins as Neleus at the Bruce Mason Centre (April 2020). Also passionate about textile design and digital design.
Thanks for sharing your story Maxwell! If this inspired you to join our team at SkyCity Auckland, then head to our Careers website to check out our current vacancies!
