Jobs in hospitality and hotel management generally are on the rise. People who work in hotel management often enjoy good pay, lots of job opportunities, high quality of life, room for growth and chances to travel.
As the economy is recovering and getting stronger, hotels and related hospitality jobs are growing quickly. You can take advantage of the new career possibilities with your hotel management degree.
Some of the top jobs in this field include:
#1 Lodging Manager
A lodging manager is a type of hotel management professional who ensures that guests who are there for business or pleasure have a good experience. Lodging managers also must ensure that a high level of service is provided while staying within the facility’s allocated budget.
The duties of lodging managers include:
- Manage the inspection of guest rooms, public areas and the grounds for cleanliness and a good appearance
- Ensure that the standards of the company for guest services and housekeeping are met
- Keep account of how much money the lodging is making each month and year
- Monitor the performance of the staff to make sure that guests are satisfied with their experience
- Set profitable and competitive budgets and rates
There are several types of lodging and hotel managers, depending upon the size and type of company. A general manager will oversee all of the operations at the lodging property. These include human resources, housekeeping, front desk, sales and marketing, purchasing, maintenance and security.
The job outlook in this field is bright, with 8% job growth anticipated by 2024. It is expected that there will be increased growth in travel, tourism and in business travel, which will increase the need for hotel and lodging managers. The median salary in this field is $51,800.
#2 Food and Beverage Manager
A food service manager is a hospitality professional who is responsible for the operations of restaurants and related establishments that serve food and drink. They are responsible for directing and supervising staff to make sure that customers are satisfied with their experience. They also must provide financial management of the business to ensure that profits are being made.
Food service managers are tasked with the following duties:
- Hire, train and provide oversight of employees
- Order supplies, equipment, food and beverages
- Oversee the preparation of food, sizes of portions and the presentation of the food
- Ensure that all employees are complying with food safety and health standards
- Schedule the hours for the staff to work
- Manage payroll and budgets
Food service managers need to possess the skills that are learned in hotel management degree programs, as they are responsible for the operations of a restaurant who serves customers each day.
The median salary in this field is $50,800 per year, and job growth is average at 5% increase in jobs by 2024.
#3 Casino Manager
A casino manager is often referred to as a gaming manager. This manager is responsible for the oversight and day to day operations of gaming facilities. Casino managers are responsible for monitoring the gaming area, supervising personnel, hiring workers, setting work schedules, overseeing security efforts and making sure that gaming rules are followed.
Major duties include the following:
- Keeping eyes on employees and customers to ensure that all rules and laws are being followed
- Communicate with various departments in the hotel if there is a security issue or customer service issue
- Explain the house betting rules if customers do not know them
- Ensure that each payout is correct
- Hire and train new casino employees
The median salary for casino and gaming managers is $79,690.
#4 Sales Manager
A sales manager is responsible for directing the sales team for a variety of organizations, which can include hotels and others in the hospitality field. Sales managers are responsible for setting achievable but aggressive sales goals, analyzing sales data and developing training programs for sales representatives to increase sales.
Other duties include:
- Prepare budgets for the organization and approve expenditures
- Monitor the customer preferences that the organization deals with and determine what the focus of sales efforts should be
- Perform analysis of sales statistics
- Determine what the discount rates or special pricing plans should be
- Come up with new plans to acquire more hotel customers or clients via direct sales and other methods
Sales managers duties vary a good deal depending upon the size of the company and its purpose. Many sales managers for hotels set sales goals, establish training programs and assign territories that sales representatives are supposed to target for more clients.
The median pay for sales managers across all industries in 2016 was $117,000 per year.
#5 Convention Manager
A convention manager is responsible for the coordination of all aspects of a professional meeting or event. They are responsible for setting up the location of the meeting or convention, how to transport attendees and other critical details for the event to succeed.
Some of the common duties of these managers include:
- Connect with clients to understand what the purpose of the event is
- Plan what the scope of the convention or meeting with be, such as time, cost and location
- Obtain bids from service providers and venues
- Inspect the convention or meeting place to ensure that it meets all client requirements
- Monitor the activities of the vent to make sure the client and attendees are satisfied
With the millions of business meetings that are held every year, convention and meeting managers have ample job opportunities in hotels, weddings, education, and business. Every detail of these meetings must be planned carefully, and requires great attention to detail.
Employment in this field is going to grow by 10% by 2024. This is faster than average. As businesses are becoming more global, there are more conventions and meetings being planned in the US. Many companies have offices around the world, and an annual meeting is often the only way for everyone to gather.
The median salary in this field is $47,300 per year.
References
- Lodging Manager. (2015, Dec. 17). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/lodging-managers.htm#tab-2
- Meeting and Convention Manager. (2015, Dec. 17). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/meeting-convention-and-event-planners.htm
