Hospitality Management
Hospitality management degrees are designed to focus one's studies on the areas of business that pertain to tourism and leisure activities, such as the management of hotels, restaurants, convention centers, visitors bureaus and other tourist attractions. People enrolled in a hospitality management degree program learn the ins and outs of food service, running a hotel, hospitality marketing, facilities management, as well as accounting, information technology and legal issues that pertain to hospitality and tourism. While job openings are on the decline in the leisure and hospitality sector due to the downturn in the economy, there will always be a need to serve those who travel for business and pleasure.
Common Career Paths:
Meeting and Convention Planners
Meeting and convention planners facilitate and accommodate groups of varying sizes that want to come together for a common purpose in one location. Planners are responsible for every detail of the convention, from setting the schedule, to lining up special guests and keynote speakers, to making sure the convention center or meeting facility is outfitted with the right technology and equipment for visual presentations and booths. Meeting and convention planners also must facilitate virtual and in-person meetings. They must also be able to research what convention centers and meeting spaces are available and determine which will best meet the needs of the audience, while staying within a firm budget. Meeting and convention planners negotiate contracts and secure the date of meetings and conventions in collaboration with their managers or clients and conventions. They may also deal with the details of getting attendees to the meeting or convention site, arranging for travel, food and lodging. After the meeting or conference has taken place, meeting or convention planners often take surveys from participants to see how well the gathering met their needs and expectations. Employment of meeting and convention planners is projected to grow faster than average, with the best job prospects available for those with a bachelor's degree and experience in meeting planning, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Jobs in this field are projected to grow by 16 percent between 2008 and 2018. The average annual salary of a meeting and convention planner was $44,260, the BLS noted.
Lodging Managers
Lodging managers are responsible for the day-to-day operations of hotels, motels, inns, boardinghouses, RV parks, recreational camps and youth hostels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It is the lodging manager's job to make sure their guests are comfortable, well-fed and have all of their needs met. Aside from this, they also handle the financial side of things, making sure that the hotel or other place of lodging is drawing in enough guests to make a decent profit. To keep rooms full, the manager exercises his or her authority to offer discounts to guests to put heads in beds. Lodging managers can be general managers who are in charge of an entire facility or assistant managers who oversee a particular department of a large hotel. Lodging managers direct and coordinate housekeeping, dining and room service, entertainment, recreation, and luxury services that take place at a hotel. They must ensure that the place of lodging has adequate staffing, that their employees are doing their job and treating guests well, and that the place of lodging is well-advertised, promoted, and marketed. While lodging management is an excellent hospitality career, slower than average employment growth is expected in the field and keen competition is common for the highest-paying jobs with major hotels, according to the BLS. The average annual salary for lodging managers was $45,800 as of May 2008, but they often enjoy perks such as bonuses, meals, and parking, the BLS notes.
Food Service Managers
Food service managers handle the day-to-day operations of restaurants, cafeterias, and other establishments where food and beverages are prepared and served to guests or customers. Restaurants come in all shapes and sizes, so a food service manager's responsibilities will vary depending on if he or she heads up a five star restaurant, a cozy café, a kitschy chain restaurant, or a mom-and-pop establishment. In general, food service managers direct and coordinate what goes on in the kitchen and dining area and oversee banquet operations. They are dedicated to making the customer experience as satisfying as possible by making sure that the quality of food, cooks, chefs and waitstaff is high. They also must maintain a clean and attractive environment in their restaurant that guests will enjoy and that will meet city code. Food service managers usually hire and train individuals who work in the kitchen, wait tables, and serve food. They are also often responsible for advertising and marketing their restaurant or eatery, and bringing in customers with unique specials, weekday discounts, and coupons. Unfortunately, only 5 percent job growth is projected between 2008 and 2018, but the good news is that job prospects are still predicted to be good for those wanting to enter the field, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Those who hold a degree in hospitality are strong job candidates. The average annual salary for food service managers as of May 2008 was $46,320, the BLS noted.
