What are hospitality jobs
November 12, 2019 11:01 PM Subscribe
I'm burning out in my emotionally demanding public sector job, but I've never had any really good ideas about where to go from here. I've sometimes thought that I'd like working in hospitality and tourism -- maybe in hotels? -- but I don't actually know anything about those jobs. What's out there?
I'm in my mid-thirties and live in a major US city; I have a master's degree in the liberal arts from a good school. Working in hotels/tourism has always seemed appealing -- I'm good with people, I'm organized, and I love traveling myself. I just have no idea what jobs there are in this industry, aside from the public-facing jobs like tour guides, housekeepers, desk clerks etc.
I am interested in hearing about:
- what entry-level jobs exist
- what long-term career paths might be open to me if I decided to stay in this industry for the remaining 30-40 years (gulp) of my working life
Things that are in my skill set:
- I have a lot of customer service experience and I'm good with people, especially kids/families, and I'm also good at dealing with difficult people and resolving problems.
- I thrive in environments where there are set tasks/goals with firm deadlines. My job now is very much NOT that, and I'm struggling. I don't want to be micromanaged, but I like when it's very clear what my role and responsibilities are.
- I am good at identifying problems and coming up with/implementing solutions.
- An ideal job for me would have a mix of people and non-people time (and also on-feet/sitting time!). One of things I loved about working retail was that sometimes you were on the register or on the floor, other times you were in the stockroom or working out schedules in the office, and I liked that balance.
- I'm an extremely good planner, especially when it comes to tourist stuff. Both in my personal life and in the course of my work, I've organized a lot of trips for groups of people (large and small), everywhere from alpha world cities to rural areas in developing countries. If travel agents still existed I'd be great at that.
Here are some challenge points:
- Right now, I have a Career. I am paid well and have good insurance, plenty of vacation time, etc. I am nervous about giving that up to, say, work at the front desk of a hotel. I don't need to still be making $70k, but realistically I can't get by on $30k either, at least not for more than a year or two.
- I am very settled in my city. I don't think this is a big problem as it's a major city, but I'm not going to move to New York or take a job that's like 50% travel.
- I'm happy to work weird hours sometimes -- I really like working retail, which includes plenty of evenings -- but I don't want something super rigid where I'm missing my niece's birthday party because of an inflexible weekend rotation or something. I also still want to see my family, so working 4 to midnight every day is right out, for example.
- Other than retail, I've never worked outside the public sector. I don't really know what it's like to work for a business!
- I do not want to freelance.
I'm in my mid-thirties and live in a major US city; I have a master's degree in the liberal arts from a good school. Working in hotels/tourism has always seemed appealing -- I'm good with people, I'm organized, and I love traveling myself. I just have no idea what jobs there are in this industry, aside from the public-facing jobs like tour guides, housekeepers, desk clerks etc.
I am interested in hearing about:
- what entry-level jobs exist
- what long-term career paths might be open to me if I decided to stay in this industry for the remaining 30-40 years (gulp) of my working life
Things that are in my skill set:
- I have a lot of customer service experience and I'm good with people, especially kids/families, and I'm also good at dealing with difficult people and resolving problems.
- I thrive in environments where there are set tasks/goals with firm deadlines. My job now is very much NOT that, and I'm struggling. I don't want to be micromanaged, but I like when it's very clear what my role and responsibilities are.
- I am good at identifying problems and coming up with/implementing solutions.
- An ideal job for me would have a mix of people and non-people time (and also on-feet/sitting time!). One of things I loved about working retail was that sometimes you were on the register or on the floor, other times you were in the stockroom or working out schedules in the office, and I liked that balance.
- I'm an extremely good planner, especially when it comes to tourist stuff. Both in my personal life and in the course of my work, I've organized a lot of trips for groups of people (large and small), everywhere from alpha world cities to rural areas in developing countries. If travel agents still existed I'd be great at that.
Here are some challenge points:
- Right now, I have a Career. I am paid well and have good insurance, plenty of vacation time, etc. I am nervous about giving that up to, say, work at the front desk of a hotel. I don't need to still be making $70k, but realistically I can't get by on $30k either, at least not for more than a year or two.
- I am very settled in my city. I don't think this is a big problem as it's a major city, but I'm not going to move to New York or take a job that's like 50% travel.
- I'm happy to work weird hours sometimes -- I really like working retail, which includes plenty of evenings -- but I don't want something super rigid where I'm missing my niece's birthday party because of an inflexible weekend rotation or something. I also still want to see my family, so working 4 to midnight every day is right out, for example.
- Other than retail, I've never worked outside the public sector. I don't really know what it's like to work for a business!
- I do not want to freelance.
I used to work in HR in a hotel
From your list I would say NO NO NO. The hotel industry is pretty brutal. Bad hours (little or no choice in roster), bad pay and hotel guests are a special kind of awful. It's a job for the young who are happy to have a social life wrapped up in work, who have the energy to work crazy hours and be on their feet for most of them. My hotel was super tight penny pinching too - lots of scrimping behind closed doors so the guests couldn't see.
It was fun and an eye opener, that's for sure. I was somewhat protected from the above being salaried and in the office but I was 24 when I left and was already feeling old. When its busy it's all hands on deck. I cleared tables, did room service, all kinds of stuff. Job title : HR Administrator.
Maybe a small guest house would be different but this was a large city hotel with a lot of competitors chasing business from corporate travelers. And they'll do anything to keep them. We had regular corporate guests skate the line of sexual assault of staff but management would never ban them from the hotel, or even reprimand them. We just had unwritten lists of guests who wouldn't get room service from an unaccompanied female.
posted by kitten magic at 12:25 AM on November 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
From your list I would say NO NO NO. The hotel industry is pretty brutal. Bad hours (little or no choice in roster), bad pay and hotel guests are a special kind of awful. It's a job for the young who are happy to have a social life wrapped up in work, who have the energy to work crazy hours and be on their feet for most of them. My hotel was super tight penny pinching too - lots of scrimping behind closed doors so the guests couldn't see.
It was fun and an eye opener, that's for sure. I was somewhat protected from the above being salaried and in the office but I was 24 when I left and was already feeling old. When its busy it's all hands on deck. I cleared tables, did room service, all kinds of stuff. Job title : HR Administrator.
Maybe a small guest house would be different but this was a large city hotel with a lot of competitors chasing business from corporate travelers. And they'll do anything to keep them. We had regular corporate guests skate the line of sexual assault of staff but management would never ban them from the hotel, or even reprimand them. We just had unwritten lists of guests who wouldn't get room service from an unaccompanied female.
posted by kitten magic at 12:25 AM on November 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
You might look into a casino host or concierge job, someone who does the travel arrangements for high rollers and sets up their amenities. Or maybe the tour host on a destination cruise ship (I'm not sure of the exact title) or even a travel agent.
posted by The_imp_inimpossible at 4:43 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by The_imp_inimpossible at 4:43 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Maybe you could look at positions at event planning companies, convention centers or some other public event space...maybe at a museum? You'd have a mix of working with the public and with vendors, it helps to be super organized and the hours can be variable...so 9-5 for a few weeks but then a few weekends and late nights when events are actually happening.
I worked as a temp at our local convention center for a few months and it was interesting to see them switch from their marketing/sales hats (to get large events to come to town) to their event planning hats (to make these multi-day conferences go smoothly). I do think that these jobs can be very stressful and cycle through a lot of young energetic people. I also don't think the money in great at the entry level....and am not sure how much it improves as you move up the ladder....but I think it would check a lot of your boxes.
posted by victoriab at 4:50 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
I worked as a temp at our local convention center for a few months and it was interesting to see them switch from their marketing/sales hats (to get large events to come to town) to their event planning hats (to make these multi-day conferences go smoothly). I do think that these jobs can be very stressful and cycle through a lot of young energetic people. I also don't think the money in great at the entry level....and am not sure how much it improves as you move up the ladder....but I think it would check a lot of your boxes.
posted by victoriab at 4:50 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
I recently read the book Heads in Beds which is a non-fiction account of working life in the hotel industry. I found it a really engaging read.
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/books/heads-in-beds-a-memoir-by-jacob-tomsky.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
posted by forkisbetter at 5:20 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/books/heads-in-beds-a-memoir-by-jacob-tomsky.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
posted by forkisbetter at 5:20 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Unless you get lucky and find a boutique hotel that treats their employees well and (and pays them a living wage), hotel work is pretty miserable. Typically there's low pay with little to no benefits and a lot of demanding, unpleasant customers. And bodily fluids.
The Tales from the front desk subreddit will give some reading on the worst/craziest stuff they deal with.
posted by Candleman at 6:12 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
The Tales from the front desk subreddit will give some reading on the worst/craziest stuff they deal with.
posted by Candleman at 6:12 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Does your city have a tourism board? what about a public sector type job that faces the travel/tourism/hospitality business?
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 6:17 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 6:17 AM on November 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Does your city have a tourism board? what about a public sector type job that faces the travel/tourism/hospitality business?
I was about to recommend this. I work for an ad agency whose primary focus is tourism advertising and marketing. We work with a lot of Municipal/County tourism organizations (Tourism Development Authorities, Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Regional/State level Tourism Councils) and there are a fair amount of opportunities within those those organizations that range from admininistrative/executive work to, like, running the information desk at the Visitor's Center. A bunch of these jobs have decent benefits too.
The other option is at specific attractions. I don't know where you are, but if you're any close to any outdoor resources or large-scale attractions, there may also be specific public-facing tourism jobs there, that do not come with the baggage (sorry) of a hotel positions.
I've worked with a lot of hotels. I have a lot of friends that work in hotels. Hospitality is one of the last lines of work where you can truly start as a busboy and end up Regional VP, but is a tough, tough gig. The hours and demands are brutal, the pay and benefits are not always great, even if you're lucky enough to come up at a reasonably high level. I don't want to to discourage you entirely. Most of the people I know who still work in hotels are basically lifers at this point and it's in their blood. And you may be one of those people, but there are real deal drawbacks.
posted by thivaia at 7:44 AM on November 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
I was about to recommend this. I work for an ad agency whose primary focus is tourism advertising and marketing. We work with a lot of Municipal/County tourism organizations (Tourism Development Authorities, Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Regional/State level Tourism Councils) and there are a fair amount of opportunities within those those organizations that range from admininistrative/executive work to, like, running the information desk at the Visitor's Center. A bunch of these jobs have decent benefits too.
The other option is at specific attractions. I don't know where you are, but if you're any close to any outdoor resources or large-scale attractions, there may also be specific public-facing tourism jobs there, that do not come with the baggage (sorry) of a hotel positions.
I've worked with a lot of hotels. I have a lot of friends that work in hotels. Hospitality is one of the last lines of work where you can truly start as a busboy and end up Regional VP, but is a tough, tough gig. The hours and demands are brutal, the pay and benefits are not always great, even if you're lucky enough to come up at a reasonably high level. I don't want to to discourage you entirely. Most of the people I know who still work in hotels are basically lifers at this point and it's in their blood. And you may be one of those people, but there are real deal drawbacks.
posted by thivaia at 7:44 AM on November 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
This is my industry. Feel free to MeMail me and I'd be happy to talk in depth. While I'm in NYC, I have counterparts in other cities who I'd be happy to introduce you to for local market details
posted by TravellingCari at 9:47 AM on November 13, 2019
posted by TravellingCari at 9:47 AM on November 13, 2019
My low-confidence daughter finally had had enough of the BS at her previous job where she'd been for over a decade. She stayed there that long because it was comfortable and familiar. Someone mentioned in passing one day that a local 5 star resort was hiring front desk agents. She applied and was hired within a couple of weeks. Best Move she ever made! She's embraced her career in hospitality and has steadily advanced over the past 20 months +/- setting her sights on being a supervisor/manager. Initially I was shocked that she didn't "choose easy" and apply at a 'regular' hotel, but it's totally worked out for her. The lesson here... take a chance. Leap, and the net will appear! Good luck to you!
posted by SoftSummerBreeze at 10:06 AM on November 13, 2019
posted by SoftSummerBreeze at 10:06 AM on November 13, 2019
Front Desk is brutal. You're basically cannon fodder for the rage of guests. Do Not Recommend.
Without knowing your city, it's hard to know your market. The sorts of hospitality jobs which align with your stated skills and desires tend to be found in higher-end hotels, often but not exclusively located in big cities, but always in cities with reasonably high volumes of either pleasure or business travellers. It can be difficult to get a job in a hotel without an established service resume, but if you have friends in the industry, or if you apply at the start of your city's high season, you might find an in. I suggest trying higher-end chains, if there are any in your city -- they may offer better benefits and working conditions, and some even have training or professional development programs. Different properties will have different managers and different vibes, of course.
You might do well as a bell-desk or valet worker -- lots of logistics, a fair bit of running-around and problem-solving on the fly, some occasional downtime. Depending on the establishment, this can pay decent money (plus tips!). You will not be working traditional hours, though -- you'll work when guests need you, so mostly nights, weekends, holidays. On particularly slammed nights, you might end up staying over in a free room so you can work til past midnight and be there for morning check-outs. There are benefits to this flipped schedule, and I enjoy it, myself, but if your friends and family work typical days and hours, it can be isolating.
There can be a pathway from this type of work into hotel management, which sometimes will offer more traditional hours, and which you might also thrive in, as it also involves logistics and people-skills -- but which does of course have its own accompanying flavours of bullshit.
If you want to test the waters in hospitality, you could consider finding a barback gig one or two nights a week in a place where you trust the vibe. If you find one in a hotel bar, you might make friends or learn about opportunities.
posted by halation at 10:30 AM on November 13, 2019
Without knowing your city, it's hard to know your market. The sorts of hospitality jobs which align with your stated skills and desires tend to be found in higher-end hotels, often but not exclusively located in big cities, but always in cities with reasonably high volumes of either pleasure or business travellers. It can be difficult to get a job in a hotel without an established service resume, but if you have friends in the industry, or if you apply at the start of your city's high season, you might find an in. I suggest trying higher-end chains, if there are any in your city -- they may offer better benefits and working conditions, and some even have training or professional development programs. Different properties will have different managers and different vibes, of course.
You might do well as a bell-desk or valet worker -- lots of logistics, a fair bit of running-around and problem-solving on the fly, some occasional downtime. Depending on the establishment, this can pay decent money (plus tips!). You will not be working traditional hours, though -- you'll work when guests need you, so mostly nights, weekends, holidays. On particularly slammed nights, you might end up staying over in a free room so you can work til past midnight and be there for morning check-outs. There are benefits to this flipped schedule, and I enjoy it, myself, but if your friends and family work typical days and hours, it can be isolating.
There can be a pathway from this type of work into hotel management, which sometimes will offer more traditional hours, and which you might also thrive in, as it also involves logistics and people-skills -- but which does of course have its own accompanying flavours of bullshit.
If you want to test the waters in hospitality, you could consider finding a barback gig one or two nights a week in a place where you trust the vibe. If you find one in a hotel bar, you might make friends or learn about opportunities.
posted by halation at 10:30 AM on November 13, 2019
I'm a FOH restaurant guy with hotel experience peppered into my 26 years. nthing it can be bonkers and long hours and kiss weekends and holidays goodbye. That being said, if you can learn fast and display reliability and not bring drama, entry level F and B jobs can give a rapidly expanding skillset in that world. Same goes for front desk, houseperson, house keeping (but eww) or PBX in a big hotel. MeFiMail me for practical tips on how to get your foot in the door.
posted by vrakatar at 5:04 PM on November 15, 2019
posted by vrakatar at 5:04 PM on November 15, 2019
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