The labor marketing is growing. The unemployment rate in the USA is at a record low. More important, it is a candidates market. Businesses in the hospitality industry are competing for the best management candidates and directors.
The best jobs do require experience and education, but there are many assistant jobs that are opening up for ambitious, people oriented candidates who are willing to do what is needed to succeed.
1. Casino General Manager
With a current average salary of almost $200k with the top 25% earning almost $300k, this is a high in demand career. You need at least 12 years of experience in the field and a BA.
2. Chef
Chefs have been in demand for years. The best chefs earn well over 100K. You need 10 years experience to earn this income, but it is a growing and in demand field as people spend more time at restaurants.
3. Casino Restaurant Director
This manager earns the same as a chef. They manage both the restaurant and the casino. While this appears to be a more demanding job, it only requires a BA and 6 yeas experience.
4. Hotel Manager
The hotel manager makes just under 100K. They manage all aspects of a hotel from operations to staffing, to customer service. This is a job for a hands on person who is able to manage difficult people and easily solve problems.
5. Restaurant Manager
While this job requires a BA, in theory, and 7 years’ experience, many people have become restaurant managers without meeting the typical requirements. This is especially true as the restaurant industry is feeling the lack of qualified management candidates.
The National Restaurant Association established a training and mentorship program to fast track eager candidates into management positions.
Other Hospitality Jobs
Other well paying hospitality jobs include travel managers, event managers, head of housekeeping, housekeeping directors. These jobs can earn you over $65K and many of them only require a high school diploma and a few years of experience.
No matter what job you aim for, there are a few things you need to succeed in the hospitality industry.
A) Never Stop Learning
This is not as difficult as it was 15 – 20 years ago. There are so many online schools now that it is fairly easy to continually update your skill base.
B) Learn Psych and Operational Behavior
People are the foundation of the hospitality industry. Everything rotates on the customers last experience. Each month can make or break a hotel or restaurant. A person who would have been a salesperson 20 years ago would make a great restaurant manger in today’s economy.
To succeed as a manager in the hospitality industry you need to be able to manage people.
C) Be Good With Numbers
You do not need to be a math wiz, but you need to be able to budget well and follow not only the restaurant’s budget, or the hotel’s purchases, but you also need to keep an eye on profit and loss. A general manager is the go between the day to day operations and the owners, or the investors. They need to be able to present a realistic picture of where the business is, and where it is going.
