Hotels and other types of lodging all vary in size and style. They also differ according to the types of services and amenities they provide. This means that the hotel employment opportunities will also be different depending on the size of the company that you are dealing with.
Larger establishments, such as the large full-service hotels, may employ more than one assistant manager for each hotel in their chain. This means that one person will be hired to be in charge of a different function or department. These positions come with heavy responsibilities, but they offer good pay and a great chance for advancement.
The general manager is the one who oversees all of the operations at a hotel or other lodging establishment, while the assistant managers are responsible for maintaining their own different departments, such as maintenance, guest services and food services. At smaller hotels, one general manager usually directs all of the areas of hotel operations.
Depending on the size of the hotel and its staff the hotel manager may also handle office administration duties, marketing, purchasing, security, housekeeping and maintenance, and other functions. It is usually the general manager of a hotel who will hire and train staff members. Many of these managers will do the hiring and will let their trusted and experienced workers do most of the training for new employees.
There are various categories of lodging managers, including front desk managers and convention services managers. Front desk managers are the ones who coordinate room reservations and direct the hotel's front desk staff. They ensure courteous treatment of guests, and resolve problems and complaints that may come up. Many of the individuals who are in charge of front desk operations can also look at the possibility of advancement to higher management positions.
Convention services managers coordinate the activities that are related to arranging accommodations for meetings, conventions, and other special events. These people will meet with representatives of groups and organizations to plan room reservations, meeting space, and determine any additional services the group will need.
Other lodging managers may oversee other operations in the hotel, such as sales and marketing, public relations, and human resources. Hotels also have regional managers at the executive level. These people are often promoted from within the ranks and experience is valued highly when it comes time to hire someone for this type of position.
Hotels are open around the clock, which means that many of the employees must work long hours. Managers of hotels will often put in long hours too. These hours include working nights, holidays and weekends. Hotel managers often work more than 40 hours a week and are frequently on-call for emergencies or to handle guest complaints or problems. The work can sometimes be stressful because of the pressures that come when trying to accommodate the needs and satisfaction of many customers while still making the business profitable for the owners of the hotel.
Hotel reception jobs are some of the best ways to get an entry level position in the hotel industry. If you have at least a high school degree and some computer skills, you can apply for a reception position at many of these establishments. While experience is very helpful, a good attitude and a willingness to work will help you shine in an interview. New hotel jobs occur frequently and you can find out about them quickly by visiting an online job site like HospitalityCrossing.
College graduates with experience in hospitality management will have better job opportunities and chances for advancement in the hotel industry than those without a degree. Management trainees at larger hotel chains are expected to have at least a bachelor's degree and a master's degree is preferred.
These degrees should be in hospitality or hotel management or related fields. A business or liberal arts degree coupled with work experience in a hotel may suffice as well. Community colleges and many universities offer certificate or degree programs in hotel and restaurant management. These hospitality and hotel related courses can also be found as online programs today. These are good programs that can definitely help you enter the ground floor of the hospitality work force.
There are often available jobs in many hotels and they may be advertised in classified listings in your local paper. Today one of the preferred ways of advertising these open positions is through online postings like HospitalityCrossing. This is a great way for interested individuals to find out what hotel and hospitality related jobs are open throughout the country. You are also able to apply for these jobs directly online which can make the hotel jobs search process much simpler.
Salaries of lodging managers vary widely by responsibilities and segment of the hotel industry in which they work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the median annual salary of hotel and lodging managers was about $42,320 in 2006.
Many other types of jobs exist in the hotel industry, as well. Service occupations account for about two-thirds of employment in this industry. Many hotels employ young workers and first-time workers in part-time and seasonal positions.
The opportunities for new hotel jobs are expected to be robust as new hotels continue to open. Workers who are searching for hotel jobs will find a variety of positions available, ranging from housekeeping and maintenance workers to waitresses, bartenders, chefs, concierges, desk clerks, and accounting clerks.
