Hospitality Management Training and Career Guide

Although some duties vary, many include the organizing of stock, ordering food supplies and equipment, inspection of health and safety precautions and solving employee or customer problems. They often interview, hire and supervise the training of new staff members, organize shifts, promote good teamwork, pay staff, and divide the tips.

Essentially, those with hospitality management training are responsible for balancing business expertise with a strong focus on customer service. The duties a hospitality manager could perform are as varied as the places in which they work. Typical tasks include budgeting, public relations, staffing, strategic planning and site development.

Bachelor Degree Options for Hospitality Managers

Students who want to advance in the hospitality field will need a bachelor's degree as well as experience in the restaurant and hotel industry. There are, however, a variety of bachelor's degrees that will qualify you for a job as a hospitality manager. These include bachelor's degrees in:

• Business Administration (with a concentration in Hospitality Management)
• Culinary Management
• Hospitality Management
• Hospitality and Tourism
• Hotel and Restaurant Management

Most of these undergraduate hospitality degree programs cover restaurant development and operations, tourism management, hotel management, human relations, employee training and relevant legal business issues. All of the hospitality-related bachelor's programs also provide training in business subjects like accounting, marketing, finance and business administration.

Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a Focus on Hospitality Management

Graduate students can pursue a master's degree in business administration (MBA) with a concentration in hospitality management. This degree benefits those who have a bachelor's degree in a non-hospitality-related subject but want to begin a career in the hospitality field or current hospitality managers who want to enhance their skills or advance to a more senior-level position.

Typical MBA programs blend management theory with real-world applications, emphasizing the practical skills and concepts that equip professional managers to perform effectively. The hospitality concentration classes, then, blend these overarching strategies with the specific skills and knowledge necessary to come into the hospitality field at a mid-level, management position. The training you receive in an MBA program will also qualify you to hold management positions in other fields, should you become interested in a different career.

It is essential that hospitality managers have training in business management principles and practices. Beyond that, knowledge and skills in advertising, finance, leadership, marketing, restaurant and hotel operations, strategic planning and tourism management will give you broader career choices.

In addition to getting a hospitality management education, you will need to gain skills and experience at all levels of your field before advancing to management. This means you may spend time washing dishes, serving meals, answering phones or doing other duties that will give you the firsthand experience that will serve you well in your future role as a hospitality manager.

You should also be able to exercise flexibility; the hospitality and tourism industry operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which means you can expect to work night or weekend shifts at some point in your career.

Finally, to succeed in the industry, you will need to demonstrate exceptional communication and customer relations skills, as well as patience and diplomacy. These talents will help you develop strong relationships with customers and employees, which, in turn, will contribute to your ability to build a thriving business.

The U.S. Department of Labor projects a five percent growth in jobs in the hotel management industry between 2008 and 2018 and a five percent growth in jobs in food service management for that same ten-year span. You will find graduates of hospitality degree programs working their way along this expanding career path in a variety of settings.

At the entry level, graduates of a hotel management school often work as front desk staff in hotels and resorts, registering guests and providing insight to local activities and culture. In the kitchen, aspiring culinary managers may work as cooks and servers, providing an array of meal services from formal and outdoor dining to group events like weddings and business conferences.

After combining this base-level experience with a hospitality management degree or after obtaining a graduate degree in the field, people generally advance to roles as executive chefs, restaurant managers, general managers, guest services managers and directors of specific areas, such as food and beverage, revenue and reservations, sales and marketing, or operations.

As with any occupation, salaries for hospitality management careers vary based on the applicant's experience, education and location. Some examples of hospitality management jobs and their respective salaries include:

• Cruise Director: Creates and coordinates daily activities of the cruise; arranges on-board entertainment; and manages cruise staff. Earns between $45,600 and $90,000 annually, depending on the cruise line.
   
• Director of Food and Beverage in a Hotel: Coordinates and directs all food and beverage operations; develops marketing strategies for the department; ensures quality standards; and maintains revenue and payroll budgets. Earns a base salary of approximately $52,499 to $78,742 annually, plus bonuses.
   
• Resort General Manager: Leads the resort’s marketing and positioning; ensures the highest standards of quality and service to customers; and accurately forecasts changes in staffing and other cost drivers that impact profitability. Earns a base salary of approximately $67,684 to $124,169 annually, plus bonuses.

_{Sources: Salary.com, 2009; Cruiseshipjob.com, 2010}