Hotels give a person many opportunities to work as an employee. A man or women can find a career with a college education or just as a high school graduate that will pay good wages and the chance for advancement.
The position that a person may apply for in a hotel are as follows:
The General Manager is the top position at any hotel or motel and this person oversees all aspects of the hotel operations. The General Manager oversees guest relations, front desk, housekeeping, maintenance, finances, team building, and staff development. Any person who takes the position as a General Manager they must have strong communication skills both verbal and written. The General Manager must be able to delegate responsibilities, organization skills and be able to establish priorities consistent with hotel objectives. The General Manager position requires some college and experience is highly recommended especially for the larger hotels.
The Assistant General Manager position supports the General Manager with all aspects of the hotel operations. The Assistant General Manager must also possess strong communication skills and strong leadership abilities. This position also requires that you have a degree in business from an accredited college with some experience.
The Front Office Manager is in charge of the front desk operations. Some of those operations are staff training, inter-departmental communications, and staff scheduling. The Front Desk Manager is expected to work a full shift but also be available for any other shift as needed. The Front Office Manager must also have strong communication skills along with leadership abilities. The Front Office Manager should have a high school diploma and some college courses are helpful but not always necessary.
The Concierge is available to answer any guest inquires regarding the city, events, and attractions. The Concierge must show exceptional customer service to all guests and must make themselves available to other departments as needed. The Concierge can be trained by the hotel or may take courses in hotel management if they plan on advancement to a higher position.
The Night Auditors are responsible for the front desk operations during the overnight shift. The Night Auditors are responsible for registering guests, making reservations, preparing daily reports, balancing transactions, and conducting security walks. Night Auditors must be able to work independently without supervision. The Night Auditor must be able to solve problems, troubleshoot in order to resolve guest situations and handle emergency situations.
Housekeeping is a very important position and is made up of a variety of positions. The Executive Housekeeper is responsible for all duties of the housekeeping operation and cleanliness levels in all areas of the property. The Executive Housekeeper must train the staff, schedule the staff, and makes sure that the staff knows that they must be friendly towards the guests. The Assistant Executive Housekeeper supports the Executive Housekeeper in all the duties of the housekeeping operation and cleanliness. Then we have our maids who are responsible for the direct care of the rooms. The maids are the ones who go into the rooms and do a variety of duties such as:
- The maid changes the bed linens, towels, and replaces personal care items.
- The maid must dust, empty the trash, and clean the living area of the guest.
- The maid must clean the bathroom, sanitize the bathroom, and clean the tub/shower units.
- The maid is responsible for all cleaning and replacement of personal care items.
- The maid must take any items left to the lost and found area so the guest may inquire and get it back.
The Chief Maintenance Engineer has a very important position as he/she is responsible for maintaining the overall operation of the maintenance department and the appearance and working order of the hotel. The Chief Maintenance Engineer must be able to work independently and some of their jobs are maintaining the exterior of the building, parking lot, and common areas. Also they drive the shuttle van as needed. They maintain all equipment that is in the guest rooms, conduct monthly safety inspections, and train the staff on safety and emergency procedures. The Chief Maintenance Engineer often works with the vendors and controls what they leave behind for the guest. They must also be willing to respond to emergency situations even if it is after hours. This position does require overall maintenance knowledge and trouble shooting ability with skills in painting, HVAC, carpentry, equipment, and tool usage. There are other positions that you may inquire about as an employee of a hotel or motel but these are some of the most common ones that a person may want to inquire about.