The first step in getting a sales job in a hotel is to take some classes on marketing at your local college. An online college can work as well, as long as you are making sure that it is accredited. Within these marketing classes, you will learn about making connections with people who could become clients and sell the idea of your hotel to them over all of their other choices. While you do not have to have a marketing major, taking a few of these classes will show your potential employer that you have what it takes to book more than just hotel rooms.
It is also extremely important to make sure that you have computer skills, at least on a basic level. Being able to understand and work spreadsheets, word processors and various email programs will help when you work for a hotel. You may already have learned all of this through an introduction class in high school or in college. If you need a refresher, make sure that you are seeking out a computer class that you can take.
You also need to make sure that you know a great deal about the hotel. Whether you already work for them in another department or you are applying for a job, you need to be able to show that you know the hotel inside and out. How many rooms are special suites? Are there special deals that guests can take advantage of? What is the total number of hotel rooms that are available? The more you know about the hotel the better chance you have at getting to work within the sales department. Someone who does not know anything about the hotel does not have a good shot at getting the position they seek.
If you are not able to enter into employment in the sale department right away, consider working your way up. There are many people in hotel sales that started their work at the front lobby desk. This can be a great way to show management that you have a lot of people skills and that you are able to work with all of the computer programs that the hotel uses. You can also show them that you are able to handle stressful situations as not everyone that approaches the front desk is going to be a pleasant customer.
It is also a good idea to work on driving business to the hotel chain that you work for, even if you are not yet in a sales position. This will prove to your employer that you have the skills it takes to help them turn a profit. Talk with those at your local temples and churches as well as the various businesses within your town. Explain what your hotel has to offer and how you can help them with their upcoming events. This may be going a little above and beyond your current job description but it will show incentive and motivation, two things that employers want to see in the people they consider working in hotel sales.
If you do not want to book hotel rooms for the rest of your career, consider taking these steps and you will be able to grow in your career. Once you are in hotel sales you may find that the career is something that is suitable to your needs and it acts as a great stepping-stone into management if that is something that you would ever be interested in. Then again, you might find yourself happy in sales and simply want to perfect your craft, which is fine as well.
