Hotel Management: Choosing a Career in Hotel Services

Being in service sector, hotel industry is growing at a fast pace and thereby offering various career options for the candidates who are interested in a service industry. Hotel industry comprises of various departments such as hotel administration, food and beverage service, housekeeping, front office operation, sales, accounting, maintenance, customer care and security.

An amicable and outgoing personality, ability to work in a team, good communication skills, good interpersonal skills, interest in people of all backgrounds, administrative ability, and good health to withstand irregular hours of work are the major traits required by a candidate to become a professional in this industry.

Anyone can enter this field after the successful completion of a Bachelor of Hotel Management or Diploma or Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Management. Diploma in Hotel Management is of three-year duration while degree course is of four years duration.

Initial posting will be as a trainee and further career progress is depending upon the service level of the employee.

Major sectors which employ hotel management graduates are hotels and restaurants, pubs and bars, railways, airlines, shipping lines, industrial canteens, hospitals and such other institutions in their various divisions such as operations, front office, sales and marketing, house keeping, food and beverage services and customer care services.

Operations Executive/Manager: As an operations manager your major job will be planning and controlling of various administrative activities in co-ordination with other departments.

Front Office Manager/Executive: Major responsibilities in this position include the information services, booking and reservation of hotel accommodations etc

Sales and Marketing Manager: He is responsible to work in coordination with travel agents and tour operators as well as other potential corporate clients in order to sell and promote various hotel services

Food and Beverage Manager: This position is responsible for the preparation and distribution of various quality foods and beverages within the hotels.

House Keeping In Charge: He works directly with the hotel clients and make sure that all rooms are managed properly and client needs are met in time.

Several other vacancies are also available in this sector such as Customer Care Executives; Relationship Managers, Advertising and Public Relations Personnel etc.