Whether you are looking for a career as a hotel manager,
front desk clerk, chef, flight attendant, or casino
employee, the prospects for opportunities are good
to excellent. The hospitality field is expanding rapidly
for people with a professional appearance who can
communicate well, make others feel comfortable, and
handle any technical aspects of their jobs.
You do need to keep in mind that there are many different
employment opportunities within the hospitality industry.
As a result, a wide range of people with different
educational and working experiences likely can find
positions within the hospitality industry.
Educational Requirements
Many of the opportunities in hospitality, such as
hotel desk clerks, require only a high school education,
on-the-job training, a professional appearance, and
pleasant personality. Those who aspire to management
will need a bachelor's degree in hospitality (or hotel
and restaurant management).
Travel agents often attend special vocational training
programs, as do flight attendants and airline reservationists.
Event planners are finding that a bachelor's degree
is increasingly required, and as are casino and gaming
employees.
Many low-level food service occupations attract the
very young, and training is almost always on the job.
While the high-turnover rate in these positions makes
more opportunities for those entering the field, it
also indicates a high burn-out rate and general job
dissatisfaction. However, chefs and head cooks-who
almost always must have formal training-enjoy a higher
level of respect and a better work environment.
Salary and Benefits
Salaries and benefits vary widely in
the hospitality field, and the better-educated have
the best opportunities. Most low-level hospitality service
occupations, like those found in fast-food establishments
or amusement parks, offer minimum wage salaries, no
benefits, and no room for advancement. Airline careers
offer much better salary and benefit packages, and require
different levels and kinds of education.
Hotel and gaming employees will also
find a wide disparity of wage according to education
and level of responsibility. Those with degrees in business
and/or hospitality management will fare the best.
To help you choose a career area in
hospitality or hotel and restaurant services-or to see
more detailed data on a field you are in now-search
the Occupational Outlook Handbook at the Bureau of Labor
Statistics website (www.bls.gov).
The Future of the Hospitality Industry:
Employment Outlooks for the Future
The future looks very bright in the
hospitality industry. From hotels to restaurants and
everywhere else in between, there are new venues opening
up and going into business all of the time. In addition,
many existing establishments are enjoying unprecedented
success in the 21st century.
In the end, if you can get yourself
hooked up with the right job within the hospitality
industry, you very well may be on your way to an enjoyable
and actually profitable career today ... and well into
the future. |
