Jess on Hospitality and Collaboration at Jane Street

SUMMARY

In 30 seconds

Jess, a member of Jane Street’s New York hospitality team, describes work that ranges from reception and conference-room bookings to events, internships and welcoming new hires. She says prior hospitality experience is helpful but not required; curiosity, a willingness to help and teamwork matter. She also values the opportunity to work with colleagues across departments and describes how a flat hierarchy makes it easier to ask questions and explore unfamiliar interests.

1A varied workdayJess may handle reception, calls and conference rooms, or help plan events and welcome interns and new hires.
2Attitude and learningThe team values people willing to jump in and help; Jess says the necessary skills can be taught along the way.
3Curiosity and collaborationAsking about colleagues’ projects, looking for better ways to work and helping beyond a job description are useful skills.
4Fewer barriers to questionsJess says a flat hierarchy helps people approach experienced colleagues and discover interests they did not know they had.

Takeaways

Hospitality work can range from reception and room bookings to events and onboarding.
A helpful attitude matters even when a candidate has no prior hospitality experience.
Curiosity and creative problem-solving help staff identify and improve inefficient processes.
Working across teams can reveal how unfamiliar parts of an organization operate.
A flat hierarchy can make it easier to ask questions and build relationships.

TopicsCompany Culture Careers

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Supporting the office

Jess introduces her hospitality role in New York. Her work ranges from reception to events and welcoming people to the office.

My name is Jess. I work on the hospitality team, in the office administration subteam, at Jane Street’s New York office. I joined the firm in 2019.

The hospitality team supports the office in many ways. Some days I help at reception, answer calls and emails, and book conference rooms. On others I work with another team to plan events, or help interns and new hires get a tour of the space.

Skills and attitude

Hospitality experience is not required, she says. Curiosity, problem-solving and willingness to help across teams are valuable.

People on the team come from a variety of backgrounds. Hospitality experience is nice to see on a résumé, but it is not required. What matters to us is a helpful attitude and the willingness to jump in; the skills can be learned along the way.

Curiosity is valuable: ask colleagues about projects they mention and learn from them. It also helps to think creatively about problems or processes that are not working efficiently for others, and to come up with possible solutions.

Being a team player matters too. Everyone has a job description, but being willing to go beyond it and work with other teams is important at the firm.

People and a flat hierarchy

Jess enjoys working with colleagues across departments and says a flat structure removes barriers to conversation. She advises newcomers to ask questions and help where needed.

One of my favorite things about Jane Street is the people. Working alongside talented and kind colleagues is a joy. Hospitality gives me opportunities to work with people across many departments.

For example, I recently worked with the market data team on a calendar project. I had never worked with that team before, so I enjoyed learning a little more about what they do while collaborating on the project.

I also appreciate the flat hierarchy. It removes some of the barriers that might otherwise make someone feel unable to approach a colleague who has been here for 15 years. That openness helps people get to know one another and explore interests they might not have discovered otherwise.

My advice to someone joining the team is to be inquisitive: ask questions, take an interest in different subjects and help wherever there is a need. That curiosity can take you far on the team and at Jane Street.