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HTM Chapter 2
Careers in Hospitality and Tourism
Objectives

• 2-1 List the characteristics of careers in the hospitality and tourism industry.
• 2-2 Identify the types of careers in the hospitality and tourism industry.
• 2-3 Explain the various career paths in the hospitality and tourism industry.
• 2-4 Explain the purpose of and benefits offered by professional organizations.
• 2-5 Categorize the types of leadership roles in the hospitality and tourism
industry.
• 2-6 Identify steps in the job application process.
• 2-7 Describe how to excel in the job interview process.
 Terms to know

Transferable Professional Closed-ended

Portfolio Entry-level jobs Certification
skills associations questions

Front of the Open-ended Back of the Verbal

Leadership Networking
house (FOH) questions house (BOH) communication

Nonverbal
Cross-training Job description Internship Résumé Apprenticeship
communication

Cover letter
Introducti
on
The hospitality and tourism
industry offers a wide This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-ND.

variety of jobs.
Diverse Career Options

• In the United States as

of January 2020,
• over 2 million people
were employed
in accommodations.
• over 14 million people
were employed in
foodservice.
What to expect

WORK FLEXIBLE MEET NEW PEOPLE CREATE MEMORABLE TRAVEL TO WORK LONG HOURS,
SHIFTS AND EXPERIENCES FOR DIFFERENT WEEKENDS, AND
SCHEDULES GUESTS LOCATIONS NIGHTS
Transferabl
e Skills
• Transferrable skills are skills an
individual can apply to
other opportunities in their
career or personal life.
• Transferrable skills include
organization skills, customer
service skills, and interpersonal
skills.
Skills you will need...........

Time
Organization Multitasking Flexibility Attention to detail
management

Crisis
Work ethic Customer Service Problem-solving Interpersonal
management

Communication Cultural
Teamwork Professionalism Teaching/training
(oral and written) awareness
A Selection
of Careers
• Entry-level jobs are jobs that require little or no experience.

• Some examples of entry-level jobs in the hospitality and tourism industry

are servers, concierges, event planning assistants, and ticket agents.

Some activities you may do include-

• Hiring

• Conducting orientation

• Training

• Coaching

• Counseling

• Disciplining

• Conducting performance evaluations

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Front of the House

• Front of the house (FOH) are areas

of the organization or employees
who serve or interact directly with
guests.
• FOH positions include front
desk employees, servers,
hosts, concierges, event
planners, flight attendants, and
tour guides.
 This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC.

• Back of the house (BOH) is a staff-only area of

Back of the the organization where guests generally do not enter.
• BOH departments include human resources,
House accounting, the kitchen, and maintenance.
Compare Large and Small Organizations

1 2 3
Cross-training is a type of In a small organization, In a larger organization,
training that allows employees employees will have to learn employees will have to actually
to learn the functions of the functions of multiple work in many different roles to
another job inside the positions. learn a variety of skills. the
same organization. In a larger the organization, the
smaller organization, you will more focused a position will
have to learn the functions of be.
multiple positions.
Third party opportunities
• In addition to working in hospitality directly, you might explore opportunities in
related or support industries. For example, consider companies that provide the
supplies, inventory, and equipment needed to operate a hotel, a resort, an
amusement park, or a restaurant. There are careers with companies that deliver
food, such as U.S. Foods or Sysco. Careers also exist with housekeeping suppliers
(e.g., American Hotel Register, Guest Supply). Other vendors, like EcoLab, provide
services such as pest control.

• Many operations hire outside companies to create their marketing campaigns, to

install or support technology, or to conduct quality inspections. You might even
become an entrepreneur and create your own business to fill a gap in the industry.
Let’s look at tourism. People have started companies that offer walking tours of
their city or cooking classes emphasizing regional specialties.
 List the types of positions available in the
hospitality and tourism industry.

Knowled What are some of the pros and cons of

careers in hospitality? Why would
ge check someone choose a career in this industry?

Describe the difference between FOH and

BOH employees.
An Example
• Requesting a Move to a New Position
• InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) allows employees to request a move to a new position in the same hotel or
within IHG’s portfolio of hotels. The company only requires that employees are in their position for a minimum of
12 months. Before submitting their application, employees must inform their manager of their intention to apply.
With a global company like IHG, transferring is an excellent way to explore other positions and locations.
• Requesting this type of move allows employees to pursue personal growth, new challenges, and cross-training in
another function. In addition, they may have the opportunity to move to a new location in (or even out of) the
country.
• Meanwhile, the company keeps a valued employee who knows the organization’s processes and culture. This
person is gaining experience in multiple functions and/or locations. So, they bring a different perspective to their
position.
Getting
experience
• Education provides a strong
foundation for positions in
the hospitality and tourism
industry.
• An internship is a position, either
paid or unpaid, that
allows students to earn school
credit while gaining experience
and skills.
• An apprenticeship is a system of training that
includes a combination of on-the-job training and
some accompanying training.(national recognition)
• First-hand experience allows employees to
understand all of the tasks a position requires.

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC.

Professional
Associations This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC.

• Professional associations are organizations to which members pay annual dues or a

fee whose purpose is to further the interests of a particular profession.
• They provide access to tools, resources, scholarships, networking opportunities, and
conferences.
• Certification is the recognition given to an individual who has exhibited a level of skill
and met certain performance requirements.American Hotel & Lodging Association
(AHLA) promotes hotels as a critical part of our economy.
• Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) is the world’s largest hotel
owners’ association.
• National Restaurant Association (NRA) represents the food and beverage association.
• Word Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the top 200 travel-related
businesses in the world.

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Career Paths
• With a career ladder, you start with an entry-
level position and work your way up step
by step.
• With a career lattice, you might make lateral
moves or a slight step back in a
new company.

• How does a career lattice approach, versus a

traditional career ladder approach, benefit
employees and employers?
 • Leadership is the act of motivating and guiding a group
of people or an organization to accomplish certain goals.
• A leader is an individual who creates a future vision,
motivates others, and builds a successful team.

Leadershi
p

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r02b_findingajobinhospitalityandtourism.mp4
Knowledge check

How can you

Describe the role develop yourself
of a leader. for a leadership
role?
Jobs in Hospitality & Tourism

PREPARE YOURSELF. IDENTIFY THE CONDUCT COMPANY CREATE/UPDATE YOUR EVALUATE AND
INDUSTRY. RESEARCH. RÉSUMÉ AND COVER MANAGE YOUR SOCIAL
LETTER. MEDIA PRESENCE.
Job Search
• Networking is connecting with others to
build relationships that may result in
benefits to your career and theirs.
• Company research is important to see
whether an organization is a good fit for you.
It also helps you prepare for an interview.
• A job description is a written explanation of This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC.

the tasks and responsibilities of the position.

• A realistic job preview (RJP) is a tool
companies use to provide people with a
glimpse into a position.
Applying
for a job
•Online applications
allows companies to search
and track applicants more
easily.​
•A résumé is a
written summary of an
individual’s personal,
educational, and professional
qualifications and experience.​
Interview tips
• A cover letter is a brief letter that potential employees
include when applying for a job. The letter connects
their professional experience to the specifications of the
position they are applying for.
• A portfolio is a collection of materials that demonstrates
an individual’s experiences, specialized training,
skills, certifications, and awards.
• Be sure your social media presence is appropriate
and professional.
• Sell yourself by creating a 30-second elevator pitch.
The interview

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Interview questio
ns
• Closed-ended questions are questions that ask for
a simple one-word answer, such as yes or no.
• Example: Are you certified in CPR?
• Open-ended questions are designed to elicit a full,
meaningful answer using the interviewee’s
knowledge or experience.
• Example: Where do you see yourself in five years?
STAR
questions
• To answer a behavioral-
based question, use the
STAR method.
Communicati
on
• Verbal communication is
the act of using sounds
and words to convey
meaning.
• Nonverbal
communication is the act
of using
gestures, mannerisms, or
other nonverbal cues to
convey meaning.
Don’t forget
the thank
you!
• At the end of the interview, ask the interviewer for
their business card.

• Follow up to thank the interviewer and remind them of

your qualifications.

Tips for showing your work ethic:

• Talk about a time when you went above and beyond your
duties to handle a situation. It can be from a school
experience or at another job.

• Demonstrate that you are reliable by sharing how you

deliver results on time. Give specifics. Talk about a project
you handled.

• Offer an example that shows how you work to overcome

problems. Don’t be afraid to talk about how you turned
around a negative experience.

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Knowledge check

What steps would you How can social media

Explain the steps to take
take to prepare for a help or hurt you
to engage in a job search.
job interview? when applying for a job?
 • Benefits of working in the hospitality and tourism industry include opportunities
for a flexible schedule, for rapid career advancement, to travel, to work as part
of a team, to provide great experiences for people, and to enjoy “perks.”
• The hospitality and tourism industry may require long hours, nights, weekends,
and holidays.
• Front-of-the-house employees serve guests directly. Back-of-the-house
employees work outside the public space.
• With a career ladder you start at the ground level and work your way up step by
step. A career lattice follows a more flexible path that is more focused on

Summary acquiring skills and development in multiple areas.

• Professional associations are organizations where members pay dues to access
tools and resources. They are a great source for networking.
• Leadership paths often start at entry-level positions. They then move to
supervisory roles, managerial roles, and director roles.
• Steps in the job search process include creating a résumé, writing a cover letter,
creating a professional networking profile, maintaining a professional social
media presence, identifying job search engines, conducting company research,
applying for a job, preparing for the interview, interviewing, and following up.
• Interview questions may be closed-ended questions that require a yes or no
answer and open-ended questions that require a more detailed explanation.