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If hospitality is your cup of tea�and you don't mind serving others�a career as a hotel manager may be perfect for you. Hotel managers oversee all aspects of hotel operations including staff, maintenance, convention and conference services, reservations, office administration, sales, purchasing, housekeeping, security, recreation, and food management. Depending on how many services a hotel provides, the manager can be responsible for everything from banquets to conventions. Managers also take into account marketing and financial management. They set room rates, approve expenditures and ensure that guest service standards are met.A strong understanding of computers and their applications is key, as computers are used extensively to keep track of guest bills, reservations, room assignments, special events, and meetings. Purchasing and ordering also are done through the computer. Many hotels now provide information technology services�namely Internet services�for their guests, so an understanding of systems and the ability to work with information technology specialists is a must. Online business degrees can be accessed from these online colleges.Because hotels are open 24 hours a day, the hours required for this job can be variable. Night and weekend work is very common. Some managers are often on-call, which means that they can be called back to work at any time. A degree in hotel and hospitality management will definitely yield more opportunities for advancement. But a liberal arts degree along with some practical field experience can be sufficient. Many community colleges, technical institutes, vocational schools, and junior colleges provide certificate or degree programs in hotel, restaurant and hospitality management. More than 450 high schools in 45 States offer the Lodging Management Program created by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. This two-year program offered to high school juniors and seniors teaches management principles and leads to a professional certification called the "Certified Rooms Division Specialist." Many colleges and universities offer participants in this program credit towards a post-secondary degree in hotel management. Graduate schools offering business and IT disciplines can be a great career decision as well. You can also review these online degrees and training courses.Job prospects are good for hotel managers, too. Employment is expected to increase by 12 percent from 2006 to 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2007, more than 600 new hotels opened. Earnings are decent, too. The median annual earnings were $42,320 in 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $31,8709 and $58,380 and the highest 10 percent of hotel managers earned more than $82,510. The BLS says that hotel managers can earn bonuses of up to 25 percent of their salary, and can be accommodated with meals, parking, laundry, and other services as job perks. |
