Careers in Hotel Management - Studies, Qualifications and Career Prospects

Hotel Management and hospitality is one of the most prospering industry worldwide with lots of students undertaking studies in hotel management. There is a huge scope for careers in hotel management and this article details the career prospects, studies and qualifications in hotel managements to guide young students who are willing to take this industry as their career.

What is Hotel Management all About?

The professional ladies and gentlemen working in hotels and restaurants always presents themselves in a perfect way attached with a helpful gesture and an encouraging smile that they always make sure you are at ease and comfort. These men and women are all professional in hotel management who work all day and night to maintain the standards of the 'Hotel Industry.'  The hotel industry has become a part of the glamour world and with the tourist growth and corporate clients increasing so much in the recent years that have come by, hotel management has a lot of scope with professionals in this field having a lot of reasons to smile about for having chosen this field.

Qualification and Training for Hotel Management Students:

Those students who have completed their high school, that is, their plus two of their school level or anything equivalent, can go for a diploma in hotel management or a Bachelor's degree programme which is for three long years or maybe four years in some cases, where one can gain professional training in this field. Most institutes for hotel management have written tests for admissions, in English, reasoning or general knowledge. They may also have group discussions or personal interviews for admission. The course of hotel management usually includes an internship programme or an industrial training where the students train themselves in the hotel industry, working there as an industrial trainee for several months to gain industrial exposure. The students may specialize themselves in their area of interest in their final year of the course, whether it be front office, food and beverage service, house keeping or food production. There are other departments too to further specialize like human resource, food and beverage controls, sales and marketing, etc.

Career Prospects for Hotel management students:

Hotel management professionals have to work for long hours with hectic shifts and is not a typical job that starts at 9 and ends at 5. Working in a hotel means one should be ready to go to work at anytime when the work calls for, and be ready for all emergencies that arises in the hotel. One may have to start their work early in the morning and end in late at night or may include night shifts and break shifts. Professionals working here have different kinds of work to do. Front office staffs welcomes guests, take reservations, holds check-in or out while housekeeping staffs may prepare clean rooms for the guest, decorate the lobby with fresh flowers or the chef preparing Caesar salad in the kitchen. Well these are the work that goes on in the hotel, depending upon the department one's working.

     Career prospects in hotel management is quite huge in India and other countries abroad as hospitality is a booming industry worldwide. Not just hotels, hotel management graduates can opt for event management organizing events, parties, conferences in hotels and communities, or take up financial and marketing work too. One may also go for other hospitality jobs in hospitals, airlines, railways, cruise liners and other tourism departments.

Pros and Cons of Hotel management:

    Well, it may particularly be difficult for one to do various types that includes administrative and financial jobs regularly, working at various shifts for a long time may also be a problem for some people. But for someone who is efficient in doing multitasking and can cope up with the hectic shifts in hotels, one can have a huge scope of growth and progress in hotel management.