Have you always been intrigued by the dynamics and the constant drive that take place in a hotel or restaurant? Do you frequently have ideas about how you would improve the services offered to guests looking for a comfortable place to sleep or an unforgettable holiday?
If the answer is yes, you are likely a good candidate for a career in Hospitality Management. You may have already experienced working in the industry, as it is common for students to get a job in bars, restaurants, or hotels.
If you fell in love with it and want to take it to the next level, start out with a Bachelor's programme in Hospitality Management. So, what careers can you get with a Bachelor's in Hospitality?
Find Hospitality & Tourism Bachelors
1. Guest service agent/receptionist
- Average salary in the US: 27,000 USD/year
A guest service agent or representative is one of the first jobs you can get in the hospitality area in order to gain work experience. Guest agents are like the customer service staff in hotels; they are the first contact person clients encounter within the hotel.
They usually deal with requests from clients and can often serve as concierges, assisting them with touristic information, restaurant reservations, and anything the clients may need for a comfortable and relaxing stay.
Common tasks for guest service agents are:
- answer phone calls from guests
- arrange or cancel hotel reservations
- checks clients in/out, assign rooms and accepts payment
- coordinate with housekeeping, bell service staff
- provide guests with access to hotel services
2. Travel agent/tour operator
- Average salary in the US: 34,000 USD/year
A travel agent or tour operator is the person who assists clients with choosing a holiday destination, by usually taking into consideration a certain budget or preference set by the client.
Travel agents plan and manage all the arrangements for the travel: accommodation, transportation, insurance, etc. They also provide information about local attractions, travel documents, such as passports and visas, or emergency services that are available at the chosen travel destination.
Travel agents/tour operators are the client's contact throughout the trip as well. If needed, they will have to take care of situations such as lost flights or reservations, issues with car rental companies, and so on.
Check out popular countries offering Bachelor's degrees in Hospitality Management:
- Bachelors in Hospitality Management in Switzerland
- Bachelors in Hospitality Management in the USA
- Bachelors in Hospitality Management in the UK
- Bachelors in Hospitality Management in Australia
3. Event organiser
- Average salary in the US: 43,000 USD/year
As an event planner or organiser, you can usually find work opportunities within event management companies, but you can also be employed by hotels, bars, or restaurants to handle events that take place in these venues.
You will have to manage and organise events like conferences, parties, weddings, music concerts, etc. Your main responsibilities will be to discuss with clients, check their requests and make sure to fulfil them by also taking into consideration the budget, necessary staff, safety measures, and logistics.
An event planner's main duties are:
- research venues, suppliers, and contractors and present clients all available options
- coordinate staff and suppliers
- schedule the event and monitor activities included in the event
- carry out marketing and promotional activities
4. Restaurant or bar manager
- Average salary in the US: 45,000 USD/year
A restaurant or bar manager is in charge of handling and coordinating the activities from all departments, making sure everything runs smoothly.
Bar or restaurant managers also have to ensure quality standards, health and safety measures are met. They can be responsible for various aspects, from ordering inventory to hiring staff, creating the menu, and overall for the business performance of the bar or restaurant.
Some of the tasks of bars and restaurant managers:
- make the weekly schedule, coordinate staff so all the shifts are covered
- communicate with customers and promote your services
- liaise with suppliers
- handle paperwork, budgets and administrative tasks
5. Hotel manager
- Average salary in the US: 37,000 USD/year
Similar to bar and restaurant managers, hotel managers take care of administrative tasks, but also deal with customer service duties. You can work at a 5-star multinational chain, luxury resort, an inn, or a bed and breakfast.
You will have to coordinate and monitor quality standards of services and activities within front-of-house (e.g. reception, concierge, reservations), food and beverage operations, and housekeeping.
Responsibilities of hotel managers:
- hire and coordinate employees
- check the inventory
- contact contractors and suppliers
- deal with customer demands
- evaluate and keep safety measures
- carry out inspections of the property and services.
Additionally, hotel managers get involved in administrative tasks, manage budgets and make financial plans.
Enjoy the limitless opportunities of the hospitality industry
By graduating with a degree in Hospitality, you will gain the proper training and education to build a thriving career. A career in the Hospitality industry offers you easily transferable skills because your work is basically the same no matter where you choose to practice it. A bar manager in Paris has very similar responsibilities to a bar manager in Berlin, so your skills and experience will always be acknowledged and valued.
According to estimates made by World Travel and Tourism Council, 1 in 11 jobs was in the Hospitality and Tourism industry in 2020, which is a decrease compared to 1 in 10 jobs in 2019. The pandemic has obviously been the main contributing factor.
If you decide to work in this industry, you can still find work opportunities, but it might not be as easy as it used to be. So arm yourself with patience and be willing to send as many CVs as it takes.