Work in this line involves ensuring that all operations, including accommodation, food and drink and other hotel services run smoothly.

Nature of Work

Hotel management often overlaps with other managerial jobs and is mostly supervisory in nature. Much of the work is in motivating others to perform their tasks well, and in efficient deployment of staff and utilization of equipment. 

Hotel employees at every level, in all departments work very hard and long hours. With the greatest demand for services being during customer's leisure times, they are often on duty in the evenings and on holidays. All staff, when required must be able and willing to perform any task, however menial, to keep operations going in their departments. 

As all hotel jobs involve some degree of interaction with guests, who can often prove demanding, employees are expected, regardless of the pressure or a client's rudeness, to remain calm and pleasant while listening to complaints or sorting out problems. Specific tasks vary according to operational departments.

Major Hotel Operations

Hotel jobs are in any of the following areas:

GENERAL OPERATIONS

Main responsibilities of this department are supervision, coordination and administration of all other departments as well as overall financial control.

FRONT OFFICE

Always situated in the reception/lobby area, is the guest's first contact with the hotel, and at the center of all activities. Major tasks performed here are providing information; making room reservations and taking care of check in's and check outs besides other duties normally performed by the personnel department of any company.

SALES AND MARKETING

Keeps in touch with travel agents and tour operators as well as other potential corporate clients in order to sell hotel facilities. Advertising and public relations is also handled by this department, or is linked to it.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

This department is the hub of the hotel industry and is responsible for all the food prepared and
served in the hotel.

HOUSEKEEPING

The function of the housekeeping department is to make sure that the rooms are kept in order and all the needs of the guests are met. Apart from the above-mentioned departments, other areas such as engineering, security, finance and personnel are also very essential for the smooth operation of a hotel.

Specialist Areas

Most of the above areas are specialist functions that require specific training and skills.