Careers: Hospitality/Getting started

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Expert: Steve Young - 9/4/2008


Question
Hi. I am currently pursuing my degree in HR and Business Administration but wanted to know a little bit about the Management in training type programs that most hotels offer. Would it be difficult for someone going in w/o a degree or experience in hospitality to get in?

Answer
Hyatt has a training program, they make you go through houskeeping, front desk and so on....you have no guarantee of where you will end up.  

You can also start at a front desk and work you way up.  This is a common practice.  Start at the bottom and work your way up.

Many people currently in the business did not have hotel degrees.  You can break into a lucrative hotel sales job, you just need to know the terms, speak the language, and demonstrate you can land new business.

For instance, you need to know how to find group business, what market segments to go after, how to evaluate business.

You can get some free courses at www.aprinda.com  (scroll to the bottom of the page)

You can also try www.ahla.com

Good Luck  

Careers: Hospitality

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Steve Young

Expertise

My expertise is hotel sales and marketing? If you want to know how to break into the field as a sales manager..... I can help. If you are currently a sales manager, director of sales, or hotel owner, you can ask me for suggestions on how to increase your business and increase profits. To start a career in hotel sales, you can review www.hsma.com www.aprinda.com ecornell.com Job opening are located at www.hacareers.com or hospitalityonline.com

Experience

Deployed sales teams to effectively capture markets which generated higher REVPAR. Year over year increases in rate ranged from 5% to 30% per hotel, year over year increases in revenue ranged from 4% to 25%. Trained sales teams to effectively prospect and negotiate. Implemented reservation yield management strategies in several hotels. Designed reservation training to teach effective closing techniques. Helped individuals start careers in hotel sales......now many of them are General Managers and VP's of Sales.....and owe me big time!!!!!

Education/Credentials
Business Degree.

Awards and Honors
Director of Sales and Marketing of the Year. Selected out of 400 plus hotels and resorts.

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