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A Career in the Hotel Industry

The job role

A description of one job role cannot possibly cover all the numerous departments that contribute to the effective management of a hotel.  Usually there will be a General/Hotel Manager who is responsible for overseeing all front- and back-of-house operations, and then a number of Department Managers each with their own specific area of responsibility.  Some of the larger hotel chains, such as Marriott, Travelodge and Best Western, may also employ Area Managers with multi-site responsibilities.

Ultimately, all staff within the hotel are working together to ensure that high quality standards are maintained on behalf of guests and visitors.  Front-of-house operations deal directly with customers from the moment they check in until when they leave and, on a daily basis, they will handle enquiries and complaints and serve food and drink.  Back-of-house operations include the housekeeping department, which maintains the bedrooms and all public areas, and the administration and accounting departments.  The General/Hotel Manager will also be responsible for ensuring strict adherence to all relevant legislation including health, safety and licensing laws.

Relevant qualifications

Entry-level positions in the hotel industry are relatively easy to obtain with few or no academic qualifications.  However, to progress further there are NVQs and SVQs in subjects such as Hospitality Services and Hospitality Management, and it is also possible to achieve HNCs, HNDs and degrees in Hotel and Hospitality Management.  Many hotels will also provide their own in-house training to ensure that their staff operates consistently.

Skills requirements

Even when working in a back-of-house department, it is more than likely that you will come into contact with hotel guests so a good personality, strong communication skills and a desire to deliver high service standards are important. Hotels must be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so it is often necessary to work late and unsociable hours and at weekends.  At supervisory and management level, the ability to remain calm when dealing with customer complaints is important as is proficiency in the completion of associated administrative duties.  General/Hotel Managers will also be required to market the business and to develop strategies to help the hotel remain competitive.

Career development

There are numerous hotels across the UK and some of the larger chains have establishments throughout the world, so, although not a particularly well-paid industry, there are definitely opportunities to find employment and to progress.  All hotels have managers, either of departments, entire hotels or chains, so promotion prospects are good for those with the required skills and experience.