Advantages

( Glencoe Marketing Series: I IV. Exploring Careen in I 16. Careers in Hospitality I I © The McGraw-Hill Hospitality and Tourism Hospitality and Tourism and Tourism Companies, 2006 )Section ^^J^

Career Choices

AS YOU READ .

YOU WILL LEARN

· To identify the advantages of working in the hospitality and tourism industries.

· To describe career segments in the hospitality and tourism industries.

· To identify possible career paths in the hospitality and tourism industries.

· To explain the advantages and disadvantages of owning a hospitality business.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT It is important to be informed about all of your career options because the choices you make early in your career will affect your ultimate career goal.

KEY TERMS

• entry-level « operations

· entrepreneur

· career plan

Choosing a Career

Y

ou make choices on a daily basis. These choices range from the personal-care products you buy to the food you eat to the car you drive. However, your selection of a career is one of the most important choices you will make and requires thought and research. That decision affects how you will spend eight hours a day, each workweek, for most of your life. It may also determine where you live, your family arrangements, and your continuing or graduate educational options. Your career choice affects your professional and personal experiences.

Variety of Opportunities

As the largest employers in the world, the hospitality and tourism industries offer a variety of exciting career options. Opportunities exist at all levels, including entry-level, which is the position of an employee at the beginning level of a particular career. These opportunities range from front-line, entry-level service positions to upper-level managers and owners. See Figure 16.1 on pages 328-329 for examples of career paths.

Hospitality & Tourism Career Segments

Y

ou can expand your horizons in any of the four segments of the hospitality and tourism industries: food and beverage; lodging; travel/tourism; and sports, events and entertainment.

PREDICT

How might a career plan help you?

entry-level the position of an employee at the beginning level of a particular career

Food and Beverage

A

s discussed in Chapter 3, the food-and-beverage industry offers various career choices. You might begin your career as an entry-level server at a quick-service restaurant, and then someday retire as the owner of a chain of assisted-living care centers or several independent restaurants. The possibilities are endless.

In general, careers in food and beverage are divided into three basic areas: operations, production, and service. All of these areas provide management opportunities. A manager must meet the operational and cost objectives of a company. Most managers also oversee personnel decisions. All food-service management positions require strong skills in leadership, time management, strategic planning, and multitasking as well as knowledge of safety standards.

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Operations

Operations are functions of a business that focus on the daily procedures necessary to maintain a business or establishment. Managers ensure that each work shift is properly staffed and that operations run efficiently. They are also responsible for implementing company standards and ensuring guests' satisfaction. Food-service managers, unlike other workers in the hospitality and tourism industries, must focus on compliance with all federal, state, and local safety standards and legislation. Some examples of operations positions include restaurant manager, contract food-service manager, or food-and-beverage director.

Production

In hospitality businesses, production involves the daily planning, organization, and production of high-quality, consistently prepared food. Performance standards and teamwork are essential to the success of the production staff. Production managers are responsible for staffing, scheduling, training, and development of their staff. Although not as visible as other functions in the industry, production is critical to the success of any food-service establishment. Some typical production positions include purchasing director, receiving manager, and chef.

Service

Service is critical to every segment of the hospitality and tourism industries. In the food-and-beverage segment, it is vital to provide timely delivery of quality food in a prompt and efficient manner. That is the sign of a true service professional. Service positions are the most visible to external customers, or the guests. Therefore, service managers focus on satisfying guest needs. Some typical service positions include beverage-service manager, catering manager, banquet manager, and convention-service manager.

THE

Electronic!

CHANNEL

Fighting Fraud

Identity theft contributes to nearly 25 percent of all credit-card fraud losses each year. Fraud includes embezzlement, identity theft, credit-card scams, and Internet fraud. In diverse industries such as hospitality and tourism, where money is spent internationally and reservations are made online, detecting fraud is essential. Now hospitality managers can take an online course to learn to recognize and prevent fraud. The 70-minute course called FraudAware/Hospitality trains managers to recognize and report signs of restaurant, bar, and hotel scams.

^►Find out more about fraud prevention and summarize information you find through marketingseries.glencoe.com .

Lodging

T

he lodging industry is extremely diverse. It includes everything from youth hostels and budget properties to glamorous five-star resorts. Careers in this segment are equally diverse. Career paths In lodging divide into five basic areas: finance and accounting, human resources, operations, rooms, and sales and marketing. In addition, food-and-beverage outlets inside lodging facilities provide job opportunities.

operations the functions of a business that focus on the daily procedures necessary to maintain a business or establishment

Finance and Accounting

A finance and accounting department employs managers who are organized and aware of the latest accounting trends. Financial managers maintain daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly reports. They are also responsible for the overall financial success and profitability of the property. Managers must be proficient in math and other accounting procedures. Some positions include night auditor, accounts receivable manager, and controller.

marketingseries.glencoe.com

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ETHICS & ISSUES

Over Overtime

Jobs in the hospitality industry in Great Britain account for about 6.3 percent of total employment. The industry also has an above-average turnover rate. This means fewer people stay in their jobs. High turnover is related to the seasonal nature of the work, the low pay, and the long hours. In 2002, the European Union (EU) required that a workweek be no more than 48 hours. However, hotel managers in Great Britain devised an opt-out clause in contracts to get around the restrictions. They convinced employees to sign contracts for longer workweeks. Workers would not be able to get overtime pay if they did not sign. This meant employees had to work longer than average hours. In 2003, the EU ruled that this practice was unlawful and that a 48-hour work week would be strictly enforced. Do you think this ruling was in the best interest of hotel employees? Why or why not?

CONNECT

What do you think is the most important skill to have when dealing with customers or guests?

Human Resources

The human resource department is responsible for recruiting, staffing, and training hotel personnel. Skills in planning and organizing are critical to the success of this job. Human resource managers must be up-to-date on all legal issues regarding the workplace. Some positions in this field include training manager, human resource director, and diversity manager.

Operations

Similar to the food-and-beverage segment, the day-to-day operations of a lodging facility are the responsibility of the operations division. Operations managers interact with other divisions within a facility, such as sales, marketing, rooms, finance, and human resources. The need for guest safety and security has created many new operations positions. Some typical operations positions include revenue manager, engineer, and security manager.

Rooms

The rooms division requires the largest percentage of staff positions in any lodging facility. It is also the largest revenue generator for a property. Jobs include front-desk positions as well as housekeeping and uniformed services. Staff members who work with telephones and retail services report to the rooms division. Employees in the rooms division are the first staff members to meet guests. Thus, creating a good first impression and having a strong focus on service are important. Typical positions are rooms division manager, concierge, and bell captain.

Sales and Marketing

The sales and marketing team is responsible for providing revenue for a property by selling sleeping rooms and meeting space. The sales staff generates leads and sells all services relating to special events. The marketing staff is the strategic planning unit that determines target markets and future customer base. Both groups closely monitor the competitive environment. Some typical positions include director of sales, marketing director, and catering manager.

Travel/Tourism

M

any businesses serve travelers domestically and internationally. As people travel more frequently, due to increased leisure time, rising incomes, and changing demographics, job opportunities in the travel/tourism segment continue to expand. Careers in travel/tourism divide into three areas: destinations, distribution channels, and transportation.

Destinations

Promotion of an area's scenic beauty, cultural attractions, and special events is critical to the success of a destination. Cruise ships offer onshore and onboard positions. Some typical positions are destination marketing operator, reservations manager, and purser.

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( I )

Case Study

Distribution Channels

ISLAND RIDING

Continued from Part 1 on page 323

To compete with local tour businesses, Brewer and Chianis assemble an inventory of bikes and find established bike paths for vacationing cyclists. The partners also assess the needs of their customers. For example, if approached by a group of expert and beginning cyclists, the Kona Coast Cycling Tours create a tour in which the less advanced riders take breaks to enjoy scenery or take photos. They also arrange for a van to accompany the group. This allows cyclists to rest and nonathletes to enjoy the trail. Brewer and Chianis also have a tandem bike for visitors with visual impairments to pedal their way through the lava fields and jungles of the big island of Hawaii.

ANALYZE AND WRITE

1. What businesses might compete with Kona Coast Cycling Tours? Write a sentence(s) in response.

^ 2. What are some unique risks Brewer and Chianis might face? List some ways they can prepare for them.

Intermediaries, or agents, who help promote goods and services to guests are distribution channels. Though many retailers deal directly with the public, travel suppliers also use distribution channels to connect with travel consumers. Agents in this category are responsible for recognizing guest needs and matching them to specific travel providers. Service and sales are critical skills for these agents. Positions in this area include tour operator, tour director, corporate travel manager, and incentive travel specialist.

Transportation

Passenger transportation includes air, ground, and water transportation systems. Customer-service skills and attention to detail are vital in this area of travel/tourism. An understanding of scheduling and intermodal transportation issues is also critical. Some typical positions include dispatcher, reservation manager, and flight attendant.

Sports, Events, and Entertainment

A

s noted in Chapter 7, the sports, events, and entertainment industries focus on leisure activities. From country clubs to large arenas, sports facilities offer a wide variety of career options. For example, a venue manager might arrange for a rock concert one evening and a major soccer game the next day.

Sports

Managing sporting events involves the operation of an actual facility as well as supervision of other areas, such as concessions, parking, security, spectators/fans, and talent. The world of sports management also features a variety of jobs. Typical sports-related positions are facility manager, fitness instructor, and sports agent.

Events

Events can enhance a tourist's experience, help attract guests to hotels, and generate revenue for restaurants. Typical positions include event planner, meeting planner, and special-event coordinator.

Entertainment

The entertainment side of the industry generates huge revenue. Jobs in this area can include promoting and booking acts as well as negotiating contracts. Some positions are box-office manager, cruise director, and activity director.

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