Married at First Sight bride Melissa Rawson has revealed the big career change since her young family moved to the Gold Coast.
The 35-year-old now works night shifts at The Star as a hostess in the ‘high roller’ areas of the casino.
Unlike the majority of former MAFS contestants, the mother of two has opted for a job in the hospitality industry rather than trying to live off her 15 minutes of fame with a podcast, memoir and an influencing career.
On Monday, Melissa explained the details of her new role on her personal blog, Her Second Shift.
‘Last month, while scrolling through LinkedIn, I came across an intriguing advertisement for a Host. The industry and nature of the job piqued my interest,” she wrote.
‘After one job interview, I got the job within a week and will officially start my new role as Premium Service Host this month.
MAFS bride Melissa Rawson is now a Premium Hostess at The Star Casino on the Gold Coast
“More casually, I work in the high-roller areas.”
Melissa added, “While confidentiality agreements and filming bans prevent me from sharing too much, I can tell you this: working in the high roller sections of a casino is an extraordinary experience.
‘In such a lively environment there is always something unexpected that makes me say ‘wow’ every day.’
The self-proclaimed mummy blogger has maintained a strong following years after her appearance on MAFS thanks to her candid parenting revelations and unfiltered confessionals.
In her lengthy blog article, Melissa described the difficulty of finding work after appearing in the ‘controversial’ TV series in 2020.
“I honestly don’t care about the past; But an employer may think differently,” she continued.
“So I wanted to avoid getting myself or my guests in trouble by interacting too openly, managing drunk or unruly customers, and overlooking potential conflicts of interest by not fully disclosing my background.”
Melissa previously worked for the Victorian State Government in the road law sector and said she was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed her new job.
Melissa previously worked for the Victorian State Government in the road law sector and said she was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed her new job. Pictured with husband Bryce Ruthven and their twin sons Levi and Tate, three
Flowers that Melissa’s husband Bryce bought her to celebrate her first week of work
In a cheeky swipe at her old job, the mother praised the casino for its employee perks, which she said leave the government in the dust.
These include a complimentary buffet meal per shift, uniform laundry service, penalty rates for evenings, weekends and public holidays, and 30 percent staff discounts at all group facilities.
“The benefits at The Star are fantastic, especially compared to my years in government where the only benefit I received was an annual flu shot,” Melissa wrote.
The former reality TV personality also noted that “discretion” is of the utmost importance to the casino’s wealthy clientele.
That meant she had no choice but to be honest with her employer about her appearance on national television.
“To this day, I still attract the occasional curious person who crosses my path and wonders, ‘I’ve seen her before; where do I know her from?'” she continued.
“Fortunately, the company, especially my leadership, has been very supportive.”
Melissa called her first few night shifts “eye-opening.”
“Every service is different,” she said.
“The psychology of entertainment, risk and reward is something I’ve never thought about in depth before, and now I’m questioning even my own simple financial decisions.”
“So far the work has been a lot of fun,” she added, praising the diversity of her colleagues’ cultural backgrounds.
‘As for the guests? “They’ve all been wonderful so far, some more interesting than others…” she teased.
‘It’s never a dull day!’
Melissa last worked in the hospitality industry over a decade ago, and she encouraged others to try new jobs – which at first glance might not seem like ‘the right fit’.
‘A job you may not think is right for you could end up being the job you really love! So why not dive right in and give it a shot? You might be pleasantly surprised!’ she concluded.
The season eight bride shares her two-year-old twin sons with husband Bryce Ruthven, who she met on Channel Nine’s dating experiment.
Bryce and Melissa’s relationship was by far the most controversial during the explosive season.
He was infamously branded ‘toxic’ after telling Melissa she wasn’t his ‘type’ on the show and receiving a huge backlash from fans at the time.
Fortunately, the couple legally exchanged things in February at a beachside wedding ceremony in Sorrento, Victoria.