Starting a Hospitality Career

To start out on a realistic note, working as a professional in the hospitality industry is no easy living. You are going to work long hours around the clock. You will most likely work weekends and holidays, because that's the busiest times. And, even though most people are at least pleasant, there are those guests who are so rude that they give the others a bad name.

It takes an iron will to face all this and more. You'll need to have a selfless, sacrificing nature to see your kith and kin have the time of their life holidaying while you slog to please others. And you'll be expected to never be without a perpetual smile on your face. But the offered perks, the potential for good tips or attaining a high-ranking position, and the benefit of working in a recession-free industry draws potential workforce towards it. If you have all that, you can set up a pretty nice life for yourself.

Enjoying being among people is the first and foremost requirement to be able to chart a course of success in the hospitality industry. The job of a person serving in this field requires one to be people-friendly, adaptable, and energetic. Other traits that will come in handy include the ability to work in a team, problem-solving capabilities, and working in a customer-centric atmosphere. If the smiles on your guests' satisfied faces make you forget all your difficulties - including the pressure of working on your feet for late hours without the weekends for yourself - you are probably tailor-made to suit this profession. On the contrary, a reclusive, introverted personality who likes keeping to themselves, working in a cubicle for a stress-free job, or likes a typical office-hours shift is a complete misfit.

If you know your calling in life lies in the hotel and hospitality industry, you need to take a path that will provide you an edge over the others as far as employment is concerned. You could go in for any of many educational paths to take your plans forward.

Though not always necessary, enrolling for a full-time course is an option. Identify your area of interest and enroll for a full time program affiliated to a specific industry. Choose a program depending upon the eligibility and the time you wish to spend on your education. Chefs, especially, will need some form of culinary school, and those aiming for management will probably be best served by a simple business degree.

Another option is a company-sponsored training program. Join a program that is conducted by an employer or an agency that is associated with employers in your target hospitality industry. Such programs are generally the blend of theory or off-site training at a community college or institution, and practical or on-the-job training at affiliated businesses, similar to an internship.

Finally, you find an employer who will hire a first-timer. This is your 'break-in' period, and it's wise to remember the old Chinese saying, "The temptation to quit will be strongest just before you succeed." The first year will arm you with the necessary and invaluable experience.

Though it has been recognized as a full fledged industry relatively late in history, the hospitality trade is as old as scriptural times. The current trend of globalization, coupled with the exponentially rising spending power of the new world economy is at the core of the boom that the hospitality trade has received in the past few years. But, people who are short-sighted about the many dimensions of the trade fail to see the myriad hues that this industry offers its workforce.

A mere mention of the hospitality industry brings to our mind the images of chefs with high white hats, or pleasant, tidy front desk executives and alert, courteous waiters. It is helpful to be aware of the deluge of other opportunities that await a young hospitality industry graduate. Amusement parks, resorts, golf courses, spas, gyms, retreats, bed and breakfasts, and casinos all fit under the wide umbrella of the hospitality industry.

You might not think of working in a restaurant waiting tables sounds like a fun career, but have you been to Disneyland and seen that restaurant they have inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride? Or perhaps you've thought of working your way up to head hostess at Ceasar's Palace? Or have you figured how much a wine steward at a South American beach resort makes, all under the warm equatorial sun and drenched in the ocean breeze all day? See, there's more options available than just slinging hash in a truck stop!

Contrary to the common perception, hospitality most definitely does not pertain merely to hotels. We tend to overlook the fact that hospitality has entered our lives in more ways than we can think of. Small and big eateries, coffee shops, ice-cream parlors, lodges, cinemas, workplace canteens, and event management agencies are as much a part of the hospitality industry as hotels and restaurants.

A qualified hospitality professional might have a choice of working as a hotel manager, concierge, front desk manager, food and beverage manager, housekeeping manager and sales and marketing professional. Apart from this, openings in restaurant management, catering, event planning, consulting, and research firms beckon the trained graduates with a modest run of experience.

A common question that comes up: What matters more in the hospitality trade, qualifications or personality? Since employers believe that success in the hospitality industry isn't always related to the qualifications that you have, personality and charisma is more of a score over the list of qualifications of a prospective employee. Outgoing people focused on business goals are always the most sought after. Qualifications are definitely a value addition, but not a must-have. Some believe in the credibility provided by these qualifications but nonetheless fervently advocate the performance-oriented nature of the industry, since you can always pick up an extra certificate while you're working.

But really, a winning attitude, a positive personality, and excellent people skills are most important, and in many cases will be all you need. And what school could teach those? You're either born with it or you aren't. If you were born with it, it's yours to put to work for you.

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Posted in: busiest times,career,chart,course,holidays,hospitality,hospitality management,pleasant,potential,workforce

So You Want A Career As A Restaurant Manager

Even if you're currently a restaurant's resident dishwasher, it is still very possible for you to climb the ladder to the very top with hard work, persistence and the right set of skills. A lot of restaurant operators seek people who already have ample experience in nearly all restaurant duties, so if you've been rotating on different tasks for the past months or years, you already have one foot in the door.

However, given the present times, most owners are eyeing potential candidates who have formal qualifications to fill supervisory and managerial roles in the company. While experience also carries a lot of weight, job opportunities are likely to be more open and better if you have an associate or bachelor's degree to your name, particularly those that have something to do with restaurant and institutional food service management.

Understanding Your Work Conditions

A restaurant manager's daily life is often very hectic and subject to high levels of pressure. Thus, a considerable amount of resilience, stamina and physical, mental and emotional endurance is required of you. Since evenings and weekends are the most busy times for restaurants, you should be prepared to work during late nights and weekends. It is not uncommon for restaurant managers to work for around 50 to 60 hours per week, and you will most likely be the first to arrive and the last to leave everyday.

A restaurant manager's work hours and job nature are also highly intermittent, as you might have to fill in for an absent employee, no matter what his job designation is, at the last minute. Hence, it is very important that you know all the restaurant's operations inside out and from top to bottom, as being a restaurant manager does not just mean sitting behind a nice desk and making chitchat with customers. There will be times that you will have to perform all sorts of "dirty work".

The pressures of making sure everything is in order almost always happen simultaneously with a number of other responsibilities. Whenever there are problems, it will be your duty as restaurant manager to seek a solution with the least possible disruptions to other operations, particularly in the serving of customers. This can be further aggravated by uncooperative and stubborn staff, as well as irate clients. You have to have a lot of patience for this job if you want to pull through sanely and in one piece.

Duties of a Restaurant Manager

A restaurant manager's daily duties are not to be underestimated. Apart from the usual tasks of selecting what to place on the menu and determining each of their prices, ensuring quality service and proper food preparation and the efficient utilization of supplies, taking responsibility for the rising number of human resource and administrative tasks are also part of the job description.

Typically, the management team is composed of a general manager, one or two assistant managers (depending on the size of the place) and one executive chef, who takes charged of all kitchen operations. Often, in the case of small restaurants, the manager and the executive chef is just one person. In the case of major fast food chains, there are a number of assistant managers to supervise the different shifts.

All of the members of the managerial team should expect to be working from the moment the restaurant opens until it closes at all days of operation. Because a manager is responsible for all, he does not have the liberty to just skip work because he doesn't feel like going. Restaurant management, though accompanied by considerable perks, is a full service job that requires full time commitment.

Managing the Menu and Supplies

It is a restaurant manager's job to determine menu items. This is often doen with the help of the executive chef and will be decided on based on the past popularity of certain meals and the likely number of customers who will patronize it. Sometimes, a new dish is introduced in order to accommodate and avoid the wastage of unserved food. How the menu is arranged also depends on what raw ingredients are in season or simply for the sake of variety and novelty.

Managers also review each dish to find out how much it costs to prepare them, taking into consideration certain overhead expenses, to know what price best represents its value. Items on the meu should also be done ahead of time so managers can estimate what supplies are needed and when these should be bought and delivered. Upon delivery, it is the manager's duty to check the content and evaluate their quality, particularly the meats, fruits, vegetables, fish, baked items and poultry.

Grocery items are not the only supplies that should be monitored. Tableware, linens, cooking supplies, furniture and cleaning materials should also be checked regularly. Waste disposal and pest control should be addressed, as well.

Hiring the Right People

How smoothly a restaurant runs depends a lot on the people who work there. That's why it is important that managers hire the right people for the job. It is the manager's responsibility to explain the company's rules and regulations to all staff members and to provide the training necessary. Employee work schedules are also under his jurisdiction.

Because restaurants at peak hours are considered one of the most stressful working environments in the business world, managers should be able to exercise maximum grace under pressure and handle problems with the least disturbance.

Administrative Duties

While majority of administrative functions are handled by the bookkeeper, managers should also know how there are run, particularly for smaller restaurants where he might have to do the job himself. Issue like work hours and staff wages, tax and licensing paperwork, payroll, supply and equipment purchases and other disbursements fall under this category. Given a highly technological business environment today, managers will also need to learn how to operate computerized point of sale systems to increase productivity and efficiency. POS systems can help minimize the workload by automatically talling sales, supplies and ranking which dishes on the menu are the most popular among clients.

Training to be a Restaurant Manager

Given the multitude of responsibilities managers face each day, it is important that he is well equipped to handle the job. Colleges and universities offer two to four-year programs on restaurant related subjects like food technology, nutrition, food planning and preparation, accounting, even restaurant and hotel management itself.

The demands of the times today do not only call for a vast experience on the business, but also the adequate formal and technical know-how in order to grow safely with the changes and industry advances.

To further bolster you chances of becoming a restaurant manager, you might want to acquire a certification as a Foodservice Management Professional from the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association. This can be obtained after you've successfully completed a series of food service management related courses, passed a written test, and met certain minimum requirements pertaining to performance and experience.

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Posted in: candidates,experience,Food service,managerial roles,potential,restaurant manager,restaurants,supervisory,work conditions