What can I do with a Hospitality Management Degree in the Field?
Hospitality will always be in demand as long as people keep traveling or dining out. Hospitality management education should prepare you for an exciting career as a hospitality manager at hotels, events, or food service companies.
With most hospitality management degree programs preparing you to manage people and run a business, you could come out as an independent and highly marketable individual once you finish your degree. Couple this with a strategic internship or a couple of years at a fast-paced work place and you should have all it takes to manage anything from a small family business to a full-fledged franchise.
Some of the job positions that have a direct relationship with what you will be exposed to at school include
- Catering manager
- Event organizer
- Accommodation manager
- Fast food restaurant manager
- Public house manager
- Restaurant manager
- Hotel manager
If you don’t fancy being in direct hospitality management, you can still find your degree useful in other job positions like,
- Customer service management
- Human resource management
- Retail management
- Tour management
You Will Need Experience to Go Up the Ladder
You will probably need more than your hospitality management degree to land a great job in this niche. Most of the positions are highly practical and you will first have to apply what you learned in class to real life scenarios before you can strike out on your own.
Knowing your area of interest long before you finish your first semester will make you more focused, giving you the freedom to specialize in what matters. If you hope to work as a restaurant manager, show some interest in restaurants. If possible, arrange for an internship or first employment opportunity with a restaurant. This makes your learning more streamlined, increasing your chances of getting relevant work experience within the shortest time possible.
Additional Skills to Bump Up Your CV
Adding a couple of skills or certifications to your CV will improve the rate at which you penetrate the hospitality management field. The degree should give you the basic understanding of the industry and related fields. It is up to you to gather additional skills that most of the employers will be looking for when hiring.
- An analytical, critical and problem-solving mind that can come up with fresh and sensible solutions to dynamic problems
- IT skills will always come in handy in any field now that IT solutions are proliferating sales points and inventory management
- Negotiation and teamwork skills
- Leadership and delegation skills come in handy as you climb up the ladder
- Cheerful, friendly and outgoing to interact better with your customers
What to Expect After Graduating
If you study at the right institution, you should graduate with all the skills you need to jump straight into the job market. While you might not necessarily begin as a senior manager, your degree will probably give you plenty of room for career advancement.
Graduates interested in getting field specific experience should join the job market immediately after grad school. These will end up starting their own catering related businesses or running things like fast food franchises. However, if you are interested in climbing the corporate ladder of already existing institutions, you will have to advance your studies and bring benefit to the niche.
Is Hospitality Management The Right Career For You?
Hospitality management would be perfect for anyone who likes working with people and will excel in a variety of exercises ranging from setting a budget to serving guests. It is a highly dynamic career field requires you know how everything works before you can move up the ladder and manage others.
You will need strong interpersonal skills that will come in handy when communicating with colleagues or talking to guests. It is more of a real life career path where there are not straight cut solutions to everyday problems. You will have to be creative and rely on negotiations to keep things moving smoothly.
Are you interested in working in the hospitality industry? If you want to earn a Bachelor's of Business Administration with a Focus in Hospitality Management, consider ECPI University. For more information on this exciting program, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Hospitality Management - Bachelor’s
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