Non-mgmt hospitality jobs that pay well

August 17, 2010 10:22 AM

How does one make money in retail/hospitality without becoming a manager? Are there “hidden” lower-level hospitality jobs that pay well?

My husband has many years of retail/food service/hospitality experience; he also has a related bachelor’s degree as well as a college diploma. Most of his career has been in management. However, as most people who’ve worked in this field can attest, being in retail management sucks. He’s tired of the headache and wants to stop managing people. But he enjoys hospitality in general. it seems difficult for him to “step down” and continue working in the field while still making decent money (i.e. over $40K).

It irks him that many of the employees he manages work less hours yet make more than him (e.g. servers, bartenders, unionized housekeepers). He’s considering switching to something like this, but we both worry about job security. Also, in the few cases where he’s applied for such jobs, he hasn’t gotten interviewed (likely because he’s overqualified).

Do you have any suggestions for how he can continue to work in hospitality without being a manager, and without taking a big pay cut? Are there jobs he might not have thought about applying to? For instance, he recently met someone who makes about $38K working as a porter in a hospital – that’s something neither of us had ever thought of. Title or prestige is not important to him; he’s just looking for a decent-paying, secure job that involves working with (but not supervising) people. Any ideas?

posted by yawper to Work & Money (11 answers total)

bartending. choose a not-too-horrible place to work and your personality is your meal ticket.
posted by toodleydoodley at 10:31 AM on August 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

I've heard that doormen at hotels (particularly nicer hotels) can make good money.

That said, he'll have the same problems with that as the other jobs you mentioned - namely, who will want to interview or hire him? They'll likely think he is just looking for a short-term job and won't stick it out, that's he overqualified, etc etc. I have no idea how to get around that issue... hopefully someone will have better advice on that topic!
posted by alaijmw at 10:35 AM on August 17, 2010

Bartenders make bank. The downside is, obviously, the hours if you're not a night owl. Catering can also be a lucrative field, but the hours are inconsistent.
posted by me3dia at 10:40 AM on August 17, 2010

Depending on the experience - self incorporate and consult. New kitchens always need to be laid out intelligently, staff always need efficiency training, and policy always needs to be worded apropriately.

Other than that, inspection services, service reviews, and supply chain sales are all related fields that may keep one out of management yet still provide growth and decent money.
posted by Nanukthedog at 10:41 AM on August 17, 2010

Sales staff for event management. Most larger hotels rent out space for conferences and events. There are two components to the sales process - the sales person who negotiates a contract, and the salesperson who coordinates the catering etc for the actual event. Generally speaking, these people are paid fairly well as they get commission. However, it is a young person's game.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:44 AM on August 17, 2010

The key to getting an interview is telling a really compelling story in his cover letter about why he cheerfully wants to take a "demotion". For instance, he could be moving to a night job "to better balance my work and family obligations". Or he could want to take the porter job "to learn more about the specific needs of customers in a health care setting from the ground up" (or something, clearly I'm making it up here). But he can't wait for the interview to tell the story - he needs to get it right up front, in the cover letter.
posted by anastasiav at 10:50 AM on August 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

One crazy night I on a business trip to Vegas, the lady told me that I got "an upgrade" and that she thought I would be pleased. I was told a concierge would be there to pick up my bags. In comes this young, clean-cut college guy to take my bags. We went past a big guy with an earpiece and into an elevator with one button that said "Sky Lofts." I looked at him and said "hospitality school, right?" and he says yes. I said "Cornell?" and he jumped to the defense of UNLV. He said that he had graduated and that he was supposed to go into management, but the tips were too good. We got to my room, which was not a room at all, but a 3-bedroom, two-floor suite with 3 gigantic baths and a giant living room with atrium. As he opened the door to the place he said, "Run DMC" was in here last night." I looked in my wallet and gave him $40.

So yes, there are such jobs.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:08 AM on August 17, 2010 [7 favorites]

As far as non-managerial hotel jobs that pay well, the Night Audit usually makes two to three dollars more an hour than the regular front desk. Also, as mentioned above, the sales managers don't have to deal with the day-to-day running of the hotel, but they are usually salaried employees. I work for a very busy Hampton Inn, and we have two auditors and two sales managers. The Sales staff is more likely to WANT someone with hospitality experience, but if there is a night audit position open, management just wants to fill it with a reliable warm body who can prepare the paperwork. No one wants to work overnight, so they're probably more likely to ignore (or appreciate) the over-qualification.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 11:14 AM on August 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Also, think about the companies that sell to hotels and restaurants. I would think they all would have a constant need for people in sales that understand the customer side of the deal because they have been there.
posted by COD at 11:35 AM on August 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

In Vegas, a lot of tipped positions made $50-$100k/year before the recession, but people pretty much buy those jobs by bribing the right person.
posted by Jacqueline at 3:04 PM on August 17, 2010

My brother used to be a hotel concierge at a fancy hotel, and made some pretty ridiculous tips from time to time (he once got a $1000 tip!), as well as making a decent salary, and getting awesome perks like free food at lots of restaurants and discounts to local attractions etc. It was a pretty sweet gig all around.
posted by just_ducky at 4:18 PM on August 17, 2010