Career in Hotel Management

Major activities of the hotels are:
Catering: The catering department headed by F&B Manager provides food to he guests. The Manager strategies and controls the different works of this department. The Manager and Asst. Managers decide the price of the menu items; ensure consistent quality food preparation and service. The Executive Chef is in-charge of the operation of the kitchen while the Restaurant and Food Managers meet with the sales representatives of the restaurant suppliers to place orders to replenish stocks of tableware, linens and cooking utensils etc.
The catering section consists of culinary section, the steward section and the food service section. The culinary section plays a vital role in hotel and the steward is at the head of the restaurant arrangements. Food and beverage services workers deal with the customers in all kinds of dinning establishments while the waiters and waitresses take care of customer orders and serve food.
Housekeeping department: A hotel is also maintained just like a house but on a large scale and with a professional touch. The housekeeping department is responsible for the cleanliness and other types of maintenance in the rooms, lobby, lounges, parks, etc. The department is headed by the Executive Housekeeper who ensures that guest rooms, banquet rooms are tidy and well maintained. Shift duties are assigned in this section especially because of the nature of the work that goes on round the clock. There are floor Supervisors in-charge of rooms on a floor who instruct and direct the room boys, linen maids and sweepers etc.
Front Office Department: people of this department are the first ones to welcome the guests in the hotel premises. The Front Office Manager who is the in-charge of this section supervises the reservations and room assignment scenario while the reservations etc. are done by the front desk staff. Reservation clerk, bellboy, receptionist, information clerk are some of the personnel of this section. A courteous and pleasing dealing of the customer is their main task.
A large chunk of employees is easily absorbed in the hotels because of the magnitude and diversification of the activities performed. This field is rapidly growing in our country and emerging as a potential employer offering multi-faceted employment opportunities.
Requirements for a career in hotels: A good personality, a desire of meeting and attending people, confidence and an extrovert attitude are the most desired requirements for this field. A lot of hard work is expected because working in a hotel is never an eight-hour job and goes way beyond.
Hotel management, the art and technique of managing the hotels is today’s one of the most sought after careers in our country. Hotel management ensures a cosy and glamorous job because of the luxurious and automated office system providing the best job conditions.
There are four areas in which training is imparted. Front Office, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage and Kitchen. Students of Hotel management are also taught law, economics, accounts, management and a foreign language and are thus fully equipped to manage all the aspects of a hotel. A course in hotel management is a package combining practical learning with theoretical sessions. Practical training of the kitchen is given in the fully equipped kitchens of the institute or in reputed restaurants. A 22 weeks’ internship/ practical training in a hotel is also one of the important aspects of the hotel management course. This prepares the students to relate their classroom sessions to the practical side of working in a hotel and to gain an insight as to which area they would like to work in after completing their course.
Growth avenues exist in all the areas of hotel management, be it Front Office, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage or the Kitchen. Housekeeping is an area that does not demand odd hours and is ideal for girls. One may go on to become a manager in this section. In the kitchen, one can expect to be a chef, which is a managerial position after 10-12 years. Similarly, in food and beverage section, a managerial position can be achieved depending on performance.
The employment scenario: The industry is expected to flourish further with the expansion of the tourism sector. With hotels coming up in record numbers to cater to the ever growing domestic and international travellers, the demand for trained professional has multiplied and will further increase in the days to come. That is why, the hotel industry has a bright future and so have the hotel management professionals. After completing a course in hotel management, a graduate is usually taken as a trainee. During this period the trainees are required to understand the practical aspects of the system of their employer hotel. They are given a good amount as stipend during the training period. After the successful training in the hotel, the sky is the limit for growth and development. Depending on the performance, one can expect promotions. This industry is known for providing a handsome package to its professional staff like Chef, Managers, and Public Relations Officer etc. Senior managers in a private hotel are paid like Corporate Managers.
Salaries: Starting salaries or say stipends during training range between Rs. 5,000 to 7,000. After successful completion of the training, they are absorbed in positions with salaries range between Rs. 9,000 to Rs.15, 000 plus perks. Salaries would, of course, vary from chain to chain.