Career Research Assignment
The Travel and tourism industry has created many jobs and many countries
depend on tourism as a source of their revenue. Tourism industry are linked among others
like hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, eco tourism, catering and airlines, just to name
a few. I have decided to choose Hospitality Management as career because it interests me
a lot. I have learned a couple of things about the salary, the hours, the benefit and other
little secrets in my research.
My research got me to find out that many hotels increasingly emphasize in
specialized training. Postsecondary training in hotel, restaurant, or hospitality
management is usually preferred for most hotel management positions. However, a
college Travel and Tourism degree may be sufficient when added with related hotel
experience or business education. Another helpful thing is an Internships, part-time or
summer work experience in a hotel. It can serve as an asset to students like me, seeking a
career in hotel management. The experience gained and the contacts made with
employers can greatly benefit students after graduation and most degree programs
include work-study opportunities.
In searching about my career, I could also learned that there are many programs
that offered different trainings for people who are planning to get any lodging position.
For instance, they have more than 450 high schools in 45 states that offer lodging
management programs created by the Educational Institute of the America Hotel and
Lodging Association. These two year program offered to high school juniors and seniors
teaches management principles and leads to a professional certification, which is called
“Certified Rooms Division Specialist”. While I was reading, I got more interested in
knowing more about these special programs because I think it is a great opportunity for
students like me who wants to continue studying anything involve with hospitality
management or want to get a position in this field.
As for the task of the hotel managers, they are responsible for the day-to-day
management of a hotel and its staff. They have commercial accountability for planning,
organizing and directing all hotel services, including front-of-house (reception, concierge,
and reservation), banqueting and housekeeping. In larger hotels, managers often have a
specific remit (guest services, accounting, and marketing) and make up a general
management team. If this seems like a lot, you have not seen the rest. Financial
management - preparing budgets and marketing strategies and achieving targets for the
business - plays a major role. The manager must make a balance between customer
satisfaction and effective business management, making sure that at the end the customer
is happy and that there is profit accomplish by a good teamwork.
The tasks of the hotel manager can tell us two things; first, it is a job with many
responsibilities. Second, it’s a job that requires a lot of hours including night and
weekend work, this may sound scary but in fact the hotel manager will have several
assistant managers, each responsible for a phase of operations.
The majority of hotel managers in 2002 earned between $26,000 and $45,000
with a median of $34,000. Earnings differ based on experience, level of responsibility,
type of establishment, and location. Salaries are often supplemented by large bonuses.
Some managers may get benefits like housing, food, and other services provide by the
hotel like laundry and fitness centers. Incentive travel also is part of the benefits and the
hotel managers are often sent on vacation in thanks for their good work.
Based on my research, the hotel management career still seems to be a good
option because this is what I want to do; this is what interests the requirement fits and me
my profile. I’m soon to be graduating for an associate in travel and tourism and I’m
planning to go further more and get a bachelor degree in Hospitality Management,
probably in City Tech or I might go back home to Colombia to pursue on my education. I
think the option of transferring to a four-year college will be better because the program
they have will fit what I am looking to achieve in terms of my goals and expectations. I
really got more interested in this field of Travel Industry because I think it will open
many doors for me to work in many different positions and will help me to growth as a
person as well as enrich my lifestyle.
Instructor Stacy Perry
CEP100 7200
Viviana Duran
July 14, 2007
Writing Assignment
&
Work Book Assignment
Pages 187-188