Hotels are always a business that is necessary. They are not just used for personal travel, but also for business or in case they need to stay while their own home needs to be worked on. They are staples in our lives, as they help drive local economy by giving a place for tourists a place to stay in the area. As a result, there is higher spending in the area.

Hotels are a 24 hour business, which means they need staff around the clock. This creates an ideal situation for people who are seeking employment with flexible hours. That means someone who needs a second job can easily find hours that work for them within this industry, as well as college students looking for work around their class schedules. Most positions are 18 years and over, however.

For as long as people travel, this business is going to be around. This should give an employee a sense of job security. There are so many positions available within this industry that anyone can find a job that works with their skills. This can be a great opportunity for first time job seekers, as well as allowing for someone to move up the ranks. Most people in this field move up the ladder with experience and proving their excellence in their field.

Job Opportunities

Here are some employment opportunities that job seekers can find in hotels:

Front Desk Clerk: The person who works at the front desk is the main contact between the hotel and the guests. A clerk must be presentable and always smiling, while greeting customers whenever they enter into the lobby. They will be responsible with checking in guests, handing out keys, and checking guests out while receiving payments. They should be aware of their company’s policies on payments, and when certain activities happen at the hotel. These activities include details about the breakfasts, room service hours if applicable, and around when housekeeping is going to be onsite working. They should be aware of events happening in their local area and how to get to places nearby. They must be able to give clear instructions on directions to restaurants, when check out is, and be great at giving suggestions. The clerk should remember that they are locals that have an ability to properly help their customers. Their main purpose is to provide excellent customer service to their guests and know safety policies to ensure their safety while in their building. To obtain this position, you must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent. Previous customer service experience is preferred, but not necessary. A front desk clerk can make around $8-$9 starting, or the state’s minimum wage.

Housekeeping: The housekeeper is tasked with maintaining the property and making sure it is clean for their guests. They will clean the guest’s room, and provide them with any extra towels, pillows or sheets that the guest might need. They must clean the linens as needed for their customer, or every time someone checks out. They replace any soups or other toiletries in the hotel rooms. The housekeeper will ensure the hallways and lobby is always perfectly cleaned and organized. If there is a restaurant on site, they often will clean it during the closing time. They make sure that the table linens are washed daily. There are different positions located within this housekeeping category. This includes the housekeeper, people that work in laundry, and people who collect the linens for the laundry staff. There is not usually any experience or education level required in this field. A person in this department can make the state’s minimum wage starting.

Banquet/Restaurant: Most hotels have facilities for banquets and dining within the building. This staff is responsible for everything food related. Inside the banquet facilities, there are the servers that are responsible for setting up the area for the events as well as serving all food and beverages necessary for the event. This often means the servers will have to carry very heavy trays, and require excellent customer service since they will be the ones dealing with the guests. The food service staff works for both the banquets and the restaurants. They make the food for their restaurant, room service for hotel, and any banquet event that is going on. These members of the staff are tasked with ensuring the satisfaction of their guests when they are dining within the building. There is no education level required for this position, but previous experience is preferred. In this field, they usually make around $10-$11 per hour.

General Manager/Hotel Manager: The manager is the one who runs the daily operations of the hotel. They are responsible for the hiring, firing, training and disciplining of the staff. They will ensure that all the policies of their company are properly taught to the employees and enforced. They will keep track of the financial data of their hotel, and decide on the rates to keep gaining profits. The manager keeps track of the trend in the area and put out word during local events to gain guests from people already visiting the area. The manager is responsible for marketing for the hotel, and any group rates. They should have excellent customer service skills because they will often deal with unhappy customers. Most managers have previous experience working in hotels, and have knowledge of all the job functions within the industry. It is preferred that the person has a bachelor’s degree in hotel management or some related field. They should also have previous experience with working in the hotel industry. A hotel manager can make $70,000-$90,000 a year.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for growth in this industry is around 1%, if there is any growth to be seen. This is much lower than 11%, which is the national average of other industries. Most people within this career typically stay to grow in the ranks to higher level management jobs. As a result, there are not often openings for new employees.