Hospitality Management 101

For people interested in entering a career in hospitality management, the opportunities are limitless.  Just because there are endless possibilities doesn’t make hospitality management the right career choice for everyone.  So how does someone know if hospitality management is the right career path?  Here are some answers to some of the basic questions regarding hospitality management.

What is Hospitality Management?
Hospitality management is the running of establishments where people go to relax and have a good time. A hospitality manager runs the places that host people. These businesses include hotels, spas, resorts, cruise ships, restaurants and casinos. These careers are a part of the service industry. As a hospitality manager, a professional would be expected to make sure a guest’s stay or dining experience meets both the company’s and guest’s expectations while keeping an eye on the bottom line. A hospitality manager must possess skills to supervise the establishment’s staff ranging from a handful of employees at a small restaurant to hundreds on a cruise ship or large resort. Hospitality managers must also be able to remain calm under pressure and possess a high degree of people skills. There is no greater example of this than when a guest is irate and belittling the staff. It is the manager’s job to defuse the situation as quickly and calmly as possible acknowledging the guest’s issue while not giving in too quickly or easily.

Where Are Hospitality Management Positions Available?
The simple answer to this question is anywhere in the world. A qualified hospitality manager has the ability to live wherever he chooses. Live in a rural area or a big city. Choose to stay domestic or travel the world and visit exotic locations. For the less adventurous, a hospitality manager can live in her hometown and manage a restaurant or hotel. For people who desire to travel, the locations are endless. Live in a mountainous area and work at a restaurant or ski resort. Chose to live in a seaside town and work at a number of locations that cater to beach vacationers. The options are as open as the imagination. For people interested in living and working abroad, it would be wise to consider a school that offers courses in the primary language of the desired destination. For someone wanting to work at beachside resort in Portugal, it would be wise to know how to speak, read, and write Portuguese.

How Does A Person Become Qualified For Hospitality Management Work?
The place to start would be earning a degree in hospitality management.  Many colleges and universities offer specializations in hospitality management as a part of their business school programs.  However, there are several leading universities that have established a school for just the study of hospitality and tourism management.  These schools’ curriculum closely parallels that of the school of business with the entire focus being placed on the hospitality service industry. Within these schools, it is possible to specialize in restaurant management, hotel management, tourism or other industry-related fields.  Core subjects of study include administration, information technology systems, accounting, human resources, management, and other subjects.  Most schools also require students to complete an internship and complete a specified number of work hours in a hospitality-related industry as a condition for graduation.  For people who have already earned a business related degree, it is possible to find schools that offer certificate programs as a part of continuing education.

The sky truly is the limit for careers in hospitality management. There are of number of different fields and career choices and the ability to choose career location. It all starts with earning a degree or continuing education certificate in the hospitality field best suited for your individual personality and interests.