Like some college students returning home for the summer, Aaron Lagunoff wanted to find a seasonal position to earn money and gain experience in the hospitality industry. Lagunoff has struggled with speech disfluency issues, which has been a barrier to obtaining internships or employment.
Despite previous employment-related challenges, the Beacon College senior refused to give up on his dream to work in hospitality despite his speech challenges. He demonstrated confidence in getting the job done once given a chance.
“Whenever I communicate, I tend to stutter, so my language is not processed well enough,” Lagunoff said. “But my speech disfluency hasn’t stopped me before, and it isn’t stopping me now. I know that I am capable of performing the job, and sometimes I need to explain my speech issues to my supervisor.”
Anticipating his desire to work over the summer and unsure where to begin looking for a position within the hospitality industry, Lagunoff connected with Hire Autism, OAR’s employment program, over
his spring break after his mother learned of the program. After registering on the Hire Autism website, he worked with Hire Autism to find summer work.
Hire Autism helped Lagunoff identify possible opportunities and soon connected Aaron to an opportunity at Army Navy Country Club (ANCC) in Arlington, VA. Lagunoff followed up with the potential employer to arrange for a meeting to talk about a possible job for the summer.
“Army Navy Country Club has a strong record of giving back to the community,” Director of Clubhouse Operations Andrew Welch said. “Working with young people, such as Aaron, who have a desire to learn, is one of the ways we can do that. We’ve been encouraged by our relationship with Hire Autism and look forward to providing others on the autism spectrum an opportunity to grow.”
Not defined by his struggles, Lagunoff possessed many strengths that made him an asset in the workplace. A team player who prides himself on being punctual and motivated by his passion for working in the hospitality industry, Lagunoff would rank highly on any employer’s list.
During the summer, ANCC is a busy place with patrons and guests moving about and employees working their hardest to keep the club running smoothly.
“We were pleased to employ Lagunoff in our housekeeping department,” Welch said. “It’s turned out to be a win-win relationship as he’s been a big help during our busy summer season. We hope that Lagunoff’s experience at ANCC will help him to continue with a career in hospitality after he graduates from Beacon College.”
Overall, Lagunoff has had a pleasant interview experience with ANCC. At his initial interview, they discussed the job expectations, internship salary options, and Lagunoff’s questions.
“I asked lots of questions,” Lagunoff said. “[My interviewers] gave me elaborate answers as to what to do.”
Before his job at ANCC, Lagunoff participated in the Disney College Program, completing a hospitality internship at the Polynesian Resort. He gained practical experience as a custodian and took some day classes.
His job at ANCC did not present many difficulties that Lagunoff couldn’t overcome. When Lagunoff stumbled upon a confusing task or a novel situation, he relied on his bosses to give him a helping hand.
“My employers tend to treat me with care, and they help me any way they can,” Lagunoff said. “Just in case I get confused about my job description or my duties.”
Through this work experience at ANCC, he learned skills that will help him towards his hospitality major and future work. More than that, he was a part of a team that strives to provide the best service possible.
“I like that people work together to achieve a common goal,” Lagonoff said.