Hospitality

What types of careers are available in the hospitality field? There are many, working on ships, in motels, in restaurants, in resorts, retirement communities, RV parks, and in any place that offers overnight accommodations. In fact, because there are so many different types of jobs available in the field, working for so many different kinds of employers, that there are more hospitality jobs available in the United States than any other type of job. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 62,000 service-related companies offer rooms to traveling businesspeople and those on vacation.

An aptitude test or a career assessment test might help you decide if the field is right for you. It also helps to know more about the kinds of available jobs.

A variety of managerial jobs are available in the hospitality field. Some mangers may work for gourmet restaurants, others for small family businesses, still others for chain restaurants. Some managers may work for five-star hotels, at establishments that seek to serve the well established. They may offer a swimming pool, retail stores, spas, workout rooms, drug stores, and more. They seek to give their clients more than just a place to stay, as they seek to meet every need of someone staying overnight or for a week. Even smaller hotels may have onsite restaurants. Such businesses may need managers, for the hotel and the restaurant. Even modest hotels may offer Internet service. A manager in a hotel might have to oversee many others in the field, such as bellboys, hall porters, sales clerks, cashiers, and many more. Other positions in hospitality might include reservation managers and even travel journalists.

In the food and beverage industry, someone in the field might work as a restaurant manager, a kitchen manager, a chef, a bar or club manager, a banquet manager, or a server.

In recreational services, a person in the field might work as a cruise director aboard a ship, as an escort operator, a tour operator, a campground manager, a travel consultant, and a recreational specialist.

If you are interested in a hospitality field, you should like people, be a hard worker, be able to communicate well, have a professional appearance, be willing to sacrifice, and be able to use good judgment to solve problems.

The type of degree you might need to work in the field might vary, depending on which position you are interested in.