What It Takes:
To begin with there are a certain amount of attributes that you should have if you are considering this type of work such as:
1. You need to be able to relate to people. You need to be able to offer excellent customer service and be able to communicate on a one to one basis as well.
2. Be a team participant. Hospitality careers are mainly made up of multiple tasks, which require team work.
3. Have good stress control. The hospitality industry is a very fast-paced environment. It means you must be able to keep yourself focused at all times and exercise patience. The old motto “the customer is always right” is one that really is applicable in the hospitality industry.
4. You must learn and be able to multi task. Often one of the hospitality careers that are available is that of management which includes a variety of staff. This position comes with great responsibilities.
There is nothing holding you back when it comes to what hospitality careers you want. The choice is entirely yours as to how far up the corporate ladder you want to climb within the Hospitality Industry.
The hospitality careers are good choices because for the most part the hospitality industry stays strong no matter what the present state of the economy is. Some sectors of it may slow down, whereas other sectors will continue to be busy. This is why it is a good idea to have chosen a few of the options available to you in hospitality careers.
How to Prepare for a Hospitality Career
First, you would need to educate yourself as to what fields of employment are available to you within the hospitality industry. Then decide on which ones are the most attractive to you. Remember that the higher paying jobs are not always the best choice. If you are making good money but hate what you are doing then you probably will not be able to put forth your best efforts. In the hospitality industry, best efforts are a major requirement, so pick an area or two that you think you would enjoy the most. Once you have done this you are ready to pick an educational institute that offers the proper training which pertains to the hospitality industry in accordance with your choice.
Hospitality Career Choices
1. Bartending
When you think about it, drinking establishments are not likely to become extinct. Everybody needs some place to go for entertainment and to unwind. That is why this field as a Hospitality career is a wise one. Education wise you will be required to have some type of training. You need to be well versed in the vast variety of alcoholic beverages. Knowing the different types of wines and the details about them is very important. Some states or countries will have certain licensing requirements that you must adhere to. It is a good idea to have these in place before you start putting in job applications.
2. Cooking and Culinary
If you enjoy working with food in any form then this is probably one of best hospitality careers that you could choose. The reason is that you have some choices within this field. You can specialize in becoming a fully trained chef, a chef’s assistant, or even a dessert chef. There is even a very good opportunity to get into the management side or hostess services within this segment of the hospitality careers.
3. Hospitality Management
It is perfectly understandable why the hospitality industry would have a huge selection of management positions. There are so many hospitality careers that require management services, so this opens many potential management positions. In order to fill these you most often must be required to have a few years experience within the chosen area. For example if you are planning on becoming involved in the food management sector of the Hospital Industry then you need some experience within the same field. It’s obviously a sector where you could set your goals to move up the ladder to a management position.
Hospitality Careers in Management
Anyone that is planning to enter into the Hospitality Industry long-term will probably set his or her sights on a management position in some area. If your end goal is to fill a manager’s position, then you should consider this when picking out the areas of interest when you are first considering the hospitality careers available to you. The following is just an example of what could be available to you.
1. Management of Hospitality Services
2. Sales and Marketing Management
3. Management of Food Services
4. Front Desk and Housekeeping Services Management
The list just goes on and on. You can actually take some certificate courses that come under the umbrella of the hospitality industry such as the Hotel Operations Certificate course and/or Restaurant Management Certificate.