Hotel Front Office Management, 3rd Edition

CAREER DEVELOPMENT 27trying to decide where to begin, consider reviewing the job responsibilities of variousdepartment managers, to learn what types of tasks are required to complete each job andwho is involved in doing so.Try to work in as many areas as you can before you take the leap into a generalmanager position. The job will be a lot easier, and you will go a long way toward meetingthe establishment’s goals, if you are well prepared. You will make mistakes, no matterhow much experience you have had; however, your success rate will be much higher ifyou have a varied background in many departments.Researching Growth Areas in the Hospitality IndustryAreas that offer the most potential for growth need to be explored. Since such areaschange frequently, it is not possible to list the most current trends in a textbook. However,some of the trends that support continued growth and strong business activity are regularlyreported in such publications as Trends in the Lodging Industry by Pannell, Kerr,and Forster. They usually cover such issues as new hotel developments; hotels underconsideration; activities of convention and visitors’ bureaus; strength of local economies;development of business, recreation, and arts activities; and need for office space; as wellas area hotel occupancy percentages and average room rates. This information is listedfor selected cities both within the United States and at international sites.The Internet is increasingly being used as a method for researching career opportunitiesin hospitality management. Various search engines will produce multiple listings of hospitalityrecruiters with key words such as “hotel manager,” “front office manager,” and“hotel careers.” Also, professional hospitality organizations usually offer a job-postingservice on their Web sites.The Internet provides many opportunities for a new graduate to examine trends thatare driving the industry and new technologies that will shape a career in hotel management.This information will assist a job applicant in exploring the employment possibilitiesand prospects in different geographic areas.Your survey of career possibilities should include a review of a potential employer’seconomic performance on a balance sheet and other selected features of its profit-andlossstatement. This information is available on computerized business databases. TakeINTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTSwtudents of hotel management should consider international employment opportunities. ASrecent listing of international hotel openings in Hotel & Motel Management included GlobalHotel Development Group’s efforts to construct six hotels in Poland in 2001. Jones Lang LaSalleHotels offered research concerning a $700 million addition to the Indian hotel industry. “An additional4,000 upscale and upper-upscale rooms are expected by 2004, and room supply will be driven by growth inMumbai, Delhi, and Chennai.” 18TLFeBOOK