Making a Difference - Hospitality as a Career Option

Let’s get the facts straight. Working as a professional in the hospitality industry is no cakewalk. You are required to work long hours without the weekends off and round the clock during the holiday rush. To top it all, the guests are sometimes rude. It definitely takes nerves of steel to face all this and more. It’s a torture to see your kith and kin have the time of their life holidaying while you slog to please others’ folks. And all this with a perpetual smile on your face. But, despite all these shortcomings, the perks offered, the awesome money involved, and the benefit of working in a partially recession free industry draws potential workforce towards it.

Do you fit the bill?

Enjoying being among people is the first and foremost requirement for a person to be able to chart a course of success in the hospitality trade. The job of a person serving in this field requires one to be people friendly, flexible and adaptable. Other essential attributes include the ability to work in a team, problem solving capabilities and working in a customer centric ambience. If the smiles on your guests’ satisfied faces make you forget all your woes including the pressure of working on-your-toes for late hours without the weekends for yourself, you are probably tailor made to suit this profession. On the contrary a recluse who likes keeping to himself, working in a cubicle for a stress free job or a typical nine to fiver is a complete misfit.

Getting ready for a career

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 the following to take forward your plans.

Enroll for a full time course

Identify your area of interest and enroll for a full time program affiliated to a reputed university. Choose a program depending upon the eligibility and the time you wish to spend on education.

Go for a training program

Join a program that is conducted by an employer or an agency that is associated with employers. Such programs are generally the blend of theory or off the job training at a college or institution, and practical or on the job training at affiliated joints.

Get yourself employed

Find an employer who will train you on the job and pay you a minimal stipend. It will arm you with the necessary and invaluable experience.

Opportunities in the hospitality trade

Though it has been recognized as a full fledged industry relatively late in the day, the hospitality trade is as old as Cain and Abel. The current trend of globalization, coupled with the exponentially rising spending power of people is at the core of the fillip that the hospitality trade has received in the past few years. But, people who are naïve about the nitty gritties 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, pleasant, tidy front desk executives and alert, shipshape waiters. Few are aware of the deluge of other opportunities that await a young hospitality industry graduate.

Contrary to the common perception, hospitality definitely does not pertain merely to hotels. We conveniently 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, cinema and workplace canteens, or motor way service stations and event management agencies are as much a part of the hospitality industry as hotels and restaurants.

A qualified hospitality professional has 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 and consulting and research firms beckon the trained graduates.

Qualification or Personality?

Since employers believe that success in the hospitality industry is regardless of the qualifications that you clutch, personality and charisma is more score over the list of qualifications of a prospective employee. Outgoing people focused on business goals are always the most watched out for. Qualifications are definitely a value addition, but not a must. Some believe in the credibility provided by these qualifications but nonetheless fervently advocate the performance oriented nature of the industry.

It is, therefore, important to get on the job training that teaches you how to interact with people from varied socio cultural backgrounds and economic strata. This is also where the internship creeps in. Though bringing about a complete change in the person you are is not possible, improvements on the front of interpersonal skills will take you a long way on the road to success.

Job requirements

Any field of activity demands a particular skill set of its employees. Hospitality is no exception. A job in the hospitality industry will take on your nerves if you are expecting a one shift, stress free job. Juggling numerous responsibilities without a single crease on your nose must do the trick. Holiday season might mean working overtime without cribbing about it and making no bones about being on your toes. Being able to handle certain periods of inactivity followed by a bout of frantic bustle of demanding customers is what needs to be learnt. The job requires you to experience a rush of adrenaline in your blood by simply being a part of a place buzzing with guests.

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Posted in: career,employers,experience,globalization,hospitality,hospitality industry,job requirement,job training,opportunities,trade

Make A Career In Hospitality

If you think a nine-to-five job is not meant for you because you love meeting people and entertaining them, a career in hospitality could be a good idea. This career is best suited to those who are ready to take up everyday challenges and work in high-pressure zones. However, there is more to the hospitality sector than pressure. It is a 24X7 entertaining job that lets you enjoy on the job.

India is a booming economy and upcoming tourist destination. In the current scenario, hospitality is a promising industry. According to reports, presently tourism and hospitality are the third largest net earners of foreign exchange. By 2010, they are expected to be number one. Thus, there are bright job opportunities in this field. The ninth five year plan predicts a shortage of 30,000 trained professionals every year.

Demand for hospitality professionals exists at many places such as hotels, resorts, restaurants, catering companies, guest houses and lodges, fast-food outlets, casinos and clubs, spas etc. Considering the flourishing tourism sector and the increasing spending capacity of the Indian middle-class, hospitality is set to be the next big thing in India.

High job opportunities and attractive salaries are making it a very sought after industry. Another attractions of this field is that, with a minimum academic qualification, one can find employment anywhere in the world.

There are various branches under Hospitality. These are Housekeeping, Bakery, Kitchen Stewarding and Cookery. Housekeeping has come a long way from being a job for illiterates to a high-profile job that requires people who hold diplomas, hold diplomas, have technical qualifications and are fluent in English. Housekeepers take care of housekeeping, horticulture, laundry, interiors and even guest relations. Private housekeeping businesses are also flourishing these days. There are both part-time and full-time options in this field.

Next comes cookery. A chef is the most important staff member at any restaurant or eating joint. A good chef can really raise the standard of place he is working at. For being a cook, one requires creativity, shrewdness, knowledge and willingness to learn through trial and error. The pay of a chef largely depends on his/her prowess, experience and skill-sets. These days, chefs can look beyond restaurants to work in sectors like in-flight catering, hospital catering, food styling, catering, restaurants, cruise liners and as entrepreneurs and consultants.

Bakery is a branch separate from cookery. Within baking, one could specialize in fields like bread-baking, pastry baking, cookie baking, demonstrating, R&D, marketing etc. There are good opportunities for bakers, decorators, trainers, process managers and distributors in this field.

Kitchen stewarding requires maintenance of the kitchens of an eatery or hotel. Earlier, this used to be Head Chef's job but now it is a separate branch of work. A kitchen steward looks after cleaning and organizing dishes, taking stock of inventory, maintaining hygiene and quality in the kitchen, keeping a tab on breakage and replacements. One can become a kitchen steward without any specific qualifications.. It is the attitude that matters here.

Those who are looking to pursue a course in hospitality have good options in India and abroad. One can either go for a course straight after 12th or a post graduate diploma.

Institutes of Hotel Management are based across India in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Aurangabad. The institute offers degree as well as diploma courses in hotel management, catering technology and applied nutrition.

Those who can afford to spend can also pursue courses in international universities. One can get an edge in the international market with a degree or diploma from a good hotel management school. Most of the reputed schools adhere to international standards and offer good facilities and learning environment to students.

Depending on one's qualification and interest, one could find a good job in the hospitality industry. It is a good time to join this sector as it is growing fast and promises good job options to youngsters. It offers unlimited growth opportunities and one can grow from a small job to a reputed career in short time based on the skill and hard work that one puts in this hospitality job .

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Posted in: career in hospitality,catering companies,employment,hospitality management,hotels,job opportunities,professionals,replacement,resorts,restaurants,tourism sector

Monsoon Tokio Hotel Lyrics

Therefore your employer must be in quest of something unique in your hotel manager resume, when he will be going to put extreme dependence on your shoulders.

Monsoon Tokyo Hotel Lyrics

A hotel manager's resume coalesce the characteristics of both functional and sequential resume. It explicates all accomplishments and highlights an extensive career account in reverse sequential order.

The major headings of this resume should be -

• Personal Synopsis
• Expertise and Skills
• Professional Experience
• Work History
• Academic Qualifications

Apart from these you can also write on other specific headings such as- Career objectives, memberships, credentials and accolades.

Your Hotel Manager resume must embrace your endorsements and career developments, whilst emphasizing upon your credentials and achievements. This kind of resume provides substantial elasticity and room to make you presentable. There are certain focal points that you must consider while drafting this resume:

• If you are in the same organization, but have worked on diverse roles, it would always be better to underline skills in each profile rather than replicating parallel skills again.

• In case you are applying for a new job profile, which you have not done previously, then you must emphasize on your skills and achievements instead of your prior work history.

• In hotel line itself if you have done various jobs, then again don't highlight your work history. Instead put more emphasis on your achievements.

• If you are a fresher, and at a low level of professional experience then it is recommended that you highlight your academic credentials, skills and amateur works.

While evaluating your resume question yourself for each and every point included into your resume, whether that specific point is appending clarity to your statement or not and if yes then to what extent its improving your marketability. This will definitely help you to build a perfect Hotel Manager resume to get the attention of all hoteliers.

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Posted in: highlights,hotel manager,hoteliers,marketability,monsoon hotel,perfect hotel manager,professional experience,resume,statement,Tokyo hotel

Popular Exotic Holiday Destination Phuket

Phuket has long been a popular exotic holiday destination with almost all of the world's 5 star chains having a hotel or resort located there. Places like Pattaya, Samui and Phuket are now enjoying significant rental yields during the peak season when visitors are willing to pay thousands of dollars per night to accommodate their families in luxury villas. Villa rentals often work out cheaper and are more convenient for families and large groups of people and so are becoming more and more popular, especially amongst European and North American's as well as wealthy Asians seeking regular breaks from the stresses of daily life.

Phuket is very controlled in terms of the planning and environment. Fittingly the market is dominated by people who invest into a lifestyle. The villas are built to specifically please foreign visitors with large open terraces that run seamlessly into large living quarters and nearly all villas include a swimming pool and excellent amenities. Despite the development on the island of Phuket, the market is still in its infancy, however is set for a large growth period. The island's growth is guaranteed as the property is resilient to domestic economy fluctuations because most of the investment is from oversea companies. The developers are all established and proven, with only the most professional and dedicated developers surviving the high end market.

Phuket features white sand beaches, clear seas, jungle and waterfalls and no pollution making it a desirable place to holiday at. Traffic, while on the increase, is still insignificant. Over the last 10 years Phuket's infrastructure has burgeoned with international hospitals, schools, marinas, golf courses, restaurants, bars and shopping malls, offering everything a tourist could need.

Another major benefit is that 32% of the world's population resides within 5 hours flying time of Phuket. The International airport has increased not only the number of flights from Asian capitol cities but Australasia and Europe too, making the prospect of relaxing holidays in Phuket more appealing for many people. For Europeans the lure of Phuket is helped by the fact that the Mediterranean is pricing itself out of the market for many people, so a few hours further is Phuket, providing more desirable property at a fraction of the cost of European villas. In addition to these benefits is the health system in Phuket and Thailand, again, a fraction of the cost of Europe, North America and Australasia but providing world class service without any waiting times. This provides peace of mind for all people staying in Phuket.

Over the last 10 years Phuket has built up an impressive portfolio of leisure, entertainment, dining and commercial venues, so much so, that Phuket has become Hong Kong's playground. The islands golf courses are partly responsible for wooing many of these high end buyers. Phuket boasts 5 International golf courses with some of the most scenic and challenging holes in Asia. As the costs of renting property near the sea increases, many villas are now being built inland, located near these gold courses and now developments built along the green pastures of a golf course have become the second most popular choice for lifestyle investors. Other than the attraction of the golf course, other advantages include the seclusion of the property often closer to commercial and entertainment venues.

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Posted in: european,golf course,holiday destination,international hospitals,island,luxury villas,marinas,market,north america,phuket,resorts,trip planning

Hospitality Management Opportunities In Miami

If you want to find a really good hospitality management career position, then Miami is the place to go. There are a number of reasons why Miami is considered to be a hotspot for this kind of career positions. Other than that, there are also various institutions that you can find in Miami that offers courses and training programs in relation to this kind of career.

Why Go For Miami?

Miami is considered to be a vacation paradise. It is a place where hundreds of hotels and motels alike stand side by side facing the beautiful waters. Every year, millions of people flock to Miami to experience its colourful nightlife, pristine beaches and exquisite accommodation services. What does this mean for someone who wants to pursue hospitality career?-more job opportunities of course!

Go Gastronomic

Other than the numerous hotels and motels you can apply in, there are also a lot of bars and restaurants that you could find a job position in. Miami has a rich mix of cuisines from all over the world. It doesn't mater whatever kind of cooking you may specialize in; whether it is American, Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, Jamaican, French or whatever kind of food, one thing's for sure; you can find numerous restaurants in Miami that caters your specialty! Thus, you have more choices of where to apply!

Casinos

Along with hotels and restaurants, there are also a lot of casinos in Miami. It doesn't matter what district you are in, for sure there's a casino out there.

Clubs

Miami is also known for its very lively nightlife. It is home to numerous clubs that accommodate Miami's party people. If you want a bartending position, then going to this place would be your best bet. However, competition can be tight since the best in the field also have Miami as a target.

Big Tippers And Baby Boomers

Miami is also known to have a lot of big tippers roaming around. Since it is a vacation hotspot, a lot of people from all over the world come here, particularly the rich ones. Baby boomers or those rich people in retirement are also considered to be as Miami patrons. Hence, tipping in Miami would be very lucrative if you would pursue a hospitality career in this place.

Where To Find Positions?

There are various sources where you can find job openings in Miami. One would be the Internet. You can try searching online and for sure you could find job openings in various areas. There are also specialized Web sites where they only post advertisements for employers in the Miami area that have openings.

Local Papers

The news paper is also one good source. However, it would be best to look in local papers in Miami. In this way there is a much higher probability that you can find an opening within the area.

Company Web Sites

Company Web sites are also great. Although you may not see their ads up on the front page of their site, most companies usually have links toward another page in which they place their job openings. Try to know the different establishments in Miami and look up their Web sites on the Internet. As you browse through their page, try to be watchful for small printed links leading to their hiring page.

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Posted in: accommodations,baby boomers,bartending position,big tippers,casinos,club,hospitality management,miami,miami patrons,tipping in miami,vacation hotspot

Hotel Sales Job At 50 Thousand Plus Bonus

Hotel sales job. What's that most people say? If your looking for a fun, lucrative career with rapid advancement potential, hotel sales might the right choice for you. Entry level salaries start at approximately 40-50 thousand plus bonus. After just three years you could possibly earn 60 -85 thousand plus bonus. After about 5 years many sales managers move on to Director of Sales Positions. The Director of sales oversees the sales department and typically earns from 85 thousand to 120 thousand dollars or more plus bonus. There are hundreds of hotel sales positions available, simply visit www.hcareers.com for available hotel sales positions in your area.

So what exactly does a hotel sales manager do? Simply put, a hotel sales manager sells a hotels guest rooms, services, and amenities to maximize revenue for a hotel. If you have a professional image, enjoy working with people, and have good common sense you may be qualified. The trick to getting a job in hotel sales is that hotels want people that have experience; they don't have time to train new recruits. This obstacle can be overcome by going to www.aprinda.com. Aprinda trains people on-line to begin a hotel sales career and hit the ground running from day one. The course only takes about 14-20 hours on-line to complete and has a number of free courses.

The hotel business is in need of good sales people. If you are ready for an exciting career with rapid advancement opportunities you might want to take a look at the hospitality industry. The travel perks are pretty good as well.

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Posted in: exciting career,hospitality industry,hotel jobs,hotel manager,hotel sales job,hotel sales manager,rapid advancement,recruits,sales job,sales manager

The Many Career Paths in the Hospitality Industry

Hotels and other accommodations are as diverse as the many family and business travelers they accommodate. The industry includes all types of lodging, from upscale hotels to RV parks. Motels, resorts, casino hotels, bed-and-breakfast inns, and boarding houses also are included. In fact, in 2004 nearly 62,000 establishments provided overnight accommodations to suit many different needs and budgets.

Establishments vary greatly in size and in the services they provide. Hotels and motels comprise the majority of establishments and tend to provide more services than other lodging places. There are five basic types of hotels - commercial, resort, residential, extended-stay, and casino. Larger properties offer a variety of services for their guests, including a range of restaurant and beverage service options - from coffee bars and lunch counters to cocktail lounges and formal fine-dining restaurants.

Some properties provide a variety of retail shops on the premises, such as gift boutiques, newsstands, drug and cosmetics counters, and barber and beauty shops. An increasing number of full-service hotels now offer guests access to laundry and valet services, swimming pools, and fitness centers or health spas.

Conventions and business meetings are major sources of revenue for hotels and motels that are specialized (commercial hotels) and have banquet rooms, exhibit halls, and spacious ballrooms to accommodate conventions, business meetings and wedding receptions.

Conference hotels are fully self-contained entities specifically designed for meetings. They provide physical fitness and recreational facilities for meeting attendees, in addition to state-of-the-art audiovisual and technical equipment, a business center, and banquet services.

Resort hotels and motels offer luxurious surroundings with a variety of recreational facilities, such as swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, game rooms, and health spas, as well as planned social activities and entertainment. Resorts typically are located in vacation destinations or near natural settings, such as mountains, the seashore, theme parks, or other attractions.

As a result, the business of many resorts fluctuates with the season. Some resort hotels and motels provide additional convention and conference facilities to encourage customers to combine business with pleasure. During the off season, many of these establishments solicit conventions, sales meetings, and incentive tours to fill their otherwise empty rooms; some resorts even close for the off-season.

Residential hotels provide living quarters for permanent and semi permanent residents. They combine the comfort of apartment living with the convenience of hotel services. Many have dining rooms and restaurants that also are open to residents and to the general public.

Extended-stay hotels combine features of a resort and a residential hotel. Typically, guests use these hotels for a minimum of 5 consecutive nights. These facilities usually provide rooms with fully equipped kitchens, entertainment systems, ironing boards and irons, office space with computer and telephone lines, fitness centers, and other amenities.

Casino hotels provide lodging in hotel facilities with a casino on the premises. The casino provides table wagering games and may include other gambling activities, such as slot machines and sports betting. Casino hotels generally offer a full range of services and amenities.

In addition to hotels and motels, bed-and-breakfast inns, recreational vehicle (RV) parks, campgrounds, and rooming and boarding houses provide lodging for overnight guests.

Bed-and-breakfast inns provide short-term lodging in private homes or small buildings converted for this purpose and are characterized by highly personalized service and inclusion of breakfast in the room rate. Their appeal is quaintness, with unusual service and decor.

RV parks and campgrounds cater to people who enjoy recreational camping at moderate prices. Some parks and campgrounds provide service stations, general stores, shower and toilet facilities, and coin-operated laundries. While some are designed for overnight travelers only, others are for vacationers who stay longer. Some camps provide accommodations, such as cabins and fixed campsites, and other amenities, such as food services, recreational facilities and equipment, and organized recreational activities. Examples of these overnight camps include children's camps, family vacation camps, hunting and fishing camps, and outdoor adventure retreats that offer trail riding, white-water rafting, hiking, fishing, game hunting, and similar activities.

Other short-term lodging facilities in this industry include guesthouses, or small cottages located on the same property as a main residence, and youth hostels - dormitory-style hotels with few frills, occupied mainly by students traveling on limited budgets. Also included are rooming and boarding houses, such as fraternity houses, sorority houses, off-campus dormitories, and workers' camps. These establishments provide temporary or longer term accommodations that may serve as a principal residence for the period of occupancy. These establishments also may provide services such as housekeeping, meals, and laundry services.

Increased competition among establishments in this industry has spurred many independently owned and operated hotels and other lodging places to join national or international reservation systems, which allow travelers to make multiple reservations for lodging, airlines, and car rentals with one telephone call. Nearly all hotel chains operate online reservation systems through the Internet.

Hotel operations are becoming diverse and complex, but all positions require employees to maintain a customer-service orientation. Hoteliers recognize the importance of personal service and attention to guests; so they look for persons with positive personality traits and good communication skills when filling many guest services positions, such as desk clerk and host and hostess positions. Many hotel managers place a greater emphasis on customer service skills while providing specialized training in important skill areas, such as computer technology and software.

Although the skills and experience needed by workers in this industry depend on the specific occupation, most entry-level jobs require little or no previous training. Basic tasks usually can be learned in a short time. Almost all workers in the hotel and other accommodations industry undergo on-the-job training, which usually is provided under the supervision of an experienced employee or manager. Some large chain operations have formal training sessions for new employees.

Many hotels fill first-level manager positions by promoting administrative support and service workers - particularly those with good communication skills, a solid educational background, tact and loyalty. People with these qualities still advance to manager jobs but, more recently, lodging chains have primarily been hiring persons with four-year college degrees in the liberal arts or other fields and starting them in trainee or junior management positions.

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Posted in: banquet rooms,commercial hotels,cosmetic counters,establishment,fitness centers,health spas,hotel industry,laundry,overnight accommodation,restaurants,swimming pools,valet services