Career: Lodging Managers
People on vacation enjoy being pampered. They want extra pillows, plush towels, and delicious chocolates to appear like magic. Others travel for business. They need basic office services, such as Internet access, fax machines, and conference rooms, so they can get their work done efficiently.
Lodging managers work hard to make sure their hotels provide the experience their guests expect -- so those guests will return year after year.
Lodging managers oversee the day-to-day workings of hotels and motels. They supervise such departments as front-desk operations, housekeeping, and food services.
“The more you know your employees' jobs, the easier it is to train them and have them respect you, since you've 'been there, done that.'”
Trevor, District Hotel Manager
Are You Ready To...?
- Supervise staff
- Handle guest complaints
- Set room rates
- Order supplies
- Make special arrangements for conferences
- Use computers
- Work nights and weekends
It Helps to Be...
Someone who enjoys communicating with people from various backgrounds. You'll rely on your talent for solving problems, remembering details, and staying calm under pressure. As a good manager, you'll work hard alongside your employees instead of just giving orders.
Make High School Count
- Consider taking classes in business, computers, accounting, psychology, and family and consumer science.
- Find out if your high school participates in the Lodging Management Program run by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
- Get involved in Junior Achievement or DECA.
- Run for student government or take on leadership positions in school clubs and teams.
- Volunteer or intern with a hotel. Learn about each department and talk to the managers about their careers.
- Practice hosting friends and relatives who visit your home. Stock up on treats, arrange flowers, lay out fresh towels … make their stay memorable.
Did You Know?
- Most lodging managers work in hotels and motels, but some work in other types of lodging such as camps, dude ranches, and resorts.
Outlook
Government economists expect job growth for hotel managers to be as fast as the average for all careers through 2014.
Growth in hotel management will be hindered by the shift to economy hotels. These hotels provide fewer services and need fewer managers. Another reason is that front-desk clerks are often taking on duties once performed by managers and their assistants. However, an increase in business travel and tourism will lead to growth in employment of lodging managers in full-service hotels. Hotel managers with degrees in hospitality management will find the most jobs.
Compensation
Manager salaries differ greatly from one type of hotel to another. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of lodging managers was $51,140 in 2007.
Keep in mind, though, that they have the potential to earn big bonuses -- up to 25 percent of their base salary. They may also be provided with food and lodging as well as profit-sharing plans and other benefits.
