Hospitality Careers

Hospitality Overview

A hospitality degree can help that those who would like a career in managing hotels or overseeing specific hotel services. Most obtain favorable positions at high-quality, full-service hotels. Those with hospitality degrees also tend to advance much more quickly. Positions can range from running a low-key bed and breakfast to overseeing a large staff at a multi-million dollar hotel and casino that hosts conventions, weddings, and expensive corporate parties on a daily basis. Thus, a career in hospitality strictly depends on one’s personal taste.

Employment Opportunities

Hospitality professionals can work within a number of positions, including:

• Hotel general manager
• Guest services specialist
• Lodging manager
• Event coordinator (or catering director/manager)
• Hotel human resource manager

Skills

Hospitality professionals need to have a wide range of capabilities, including:

• Organization
• Leadership
• Quick problem-solving
• Propensity for around-the-clock interaction with others
• Willingness to work late hours & weekends

Industry Spotlight

Select a school that has a rigorous hospitality work-study program, as those who have plenty of real-world experience are more likely to start out in above-entry level positions. Hospitality professionals should make sure their curriculum is well balanced and includes training in hotel administration, accounting, marketing, economics, food service management and catering.

- Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008