How to land a hospitality job (with examples)

Are you a people person who feels energized after spending their day surrounded by others? If so, hospitality jobs could be perfect for you. The best part about hospitality careers? Many of them have entry-level positions and allow room for growth as you gain experience and develop your skills. Read on to learn about the types of hospitality jobs you can land with or without a college degree and the skills you’ll need to succeed in these positions.

What is a job in hospitality?

Jobs in hospitality include a wide range of professions. As a hospitality professional, you work to provide services to patrons for different types of businesses, including but not limited to:

• Restaurants
• Hotels
• Spas
• Cafes
• Clubs
• Event management
• Casinos
• Bars
• Catering companies A career in hospitality can have room for advancement depending on the type of positions you pursue. For example, you can use your experience to become a wedding planner or event manager. You could also move up in the ranks of a hotel and become a hotel manager or spa manager. Similarly, you could become a restaurant manager. Entry-level positions usually involve lots of customer-facing responsibilities. Because of this, hospitality jobs aren’t the best option for someone who wants to work from home. The hospitality industry is a sub-sector of the service industry. The average hourly earnings for all employees in the hospitality industry are $19.68. On average, hospitality professionals work 26 hours a week. Many hospitality jobs are seasonal. For instance, some ski resorts are only open during the winter season, which means their employees only work for part of the year. The opposite can be true — fishing lodges in northern states may only be open during the summer months, making them attractive job opportunities for students. In February 2022, there were 1.6 million job openings in the hospitality industry.

What skills do you need to work in hospitality?

Here’s the great news — most entry-level hospitality jobs don’t require hard skills or tons of education. On the other hand, many positions require several soft skills if you want to succeed. First, you need to be comfortable working around people and helping customers. Because of this, skills such as empathy, patience, active listening, and communication are crucial in the hospitality industry. Because hospitality workers represent their employers in front of customers, they also need a high level of professionalism. Knowing more than one language is a huge asset in businesses that serve international customers. You’ll also be working closely with your colleagues to provide a hospitable environment for customers and patrons. As such, you’ll need teamwork skills and adaptability. Resilience, attention to detail, and the ability to multitask are other skills that can come in handy for hospitality jobs. If you feel intimidated by all these skills, there’s no need to worry. You’ll naturally develop many of the required skills over time as you gain experience on the job. As long as you’re able to be professional and communicate well with customers, you’ve got a good chance of building a fruitful career in hospitality.

9 hospitality jobs you can get without a degree

Need some inspiration to know whether you’d enjoy working in hospitality? Here are nine entry-level hospitality jobs that can develop into long-term careers.

1. Server

Servers work in restaurants, bars, cafes, and more to serve food and beverages to customers. They’re responsible for making sure customers have everything they need. Servers are the crucial liaison between the kitchen and the customers. Server jobs are mostly entry-level — no high school diploma is required. Most establishments also hire employees of all ages, including those under 18. The minimum age you’ll need to be to work will depend on which state you intend to work in. However, this position is physically demanding since you’ll be on your feet for most of your shift. You can expect a median pay of $11.42 per hour when you work as a server. Keep in mind that the majority of a server’s wages come from tips. How many tips you’ll get depends on the guests, the average cost of a meal, and the quality of service you provide.

2. Hotel clerk

A hotel clerk can work at the front desk of a hotel or as a phone receptionist to take guest reservations. Usually, you’ll be responsible for both of these jobs. Hotel clerks greet guests upon their arrival at the hotel. They guide them through the check-in and check-out process. Plus, they need to provide support to patrons who call the front desk. Some hotels will run a background check before they make a hire. Apart from that, this entry-level position doesn’t have any education requirements. You can expect an average hourly wage of $13.48.

3. Concierge

A concierge supports customers with their needs, usually in a hotel setting. They respond to customer requests and make arrangements for them. Concierges can also provide personalized recommendations for guests. For instance, let’s say a guest wants to plan a full day of activities. The concierge can provide information about local activities and help the guest plan those activities by building a detailed itinerary. If guests want to book services at the spa, concierges can also help them with that. In short, think of a concierge as a personal assistant for all hotel guests. The requirements to become a concierge depend on the hotel. Some hotels will require concierges to have years of experience in the hospitality industry, especially if they provide luxury experiences for their guests. Others are willing to hire entry-level candidates who show promise in hospitality skills. However, you need to have advanced problem-solving skills to succeed as a concierge. Good knowledge of your city is helpful as well since you’ll need to guide guests in the right direction. Concierges make an average hourly wage of $18.04.

4. Event planning assistant

When you’re an event planning assistant, you’ll work as an administrative assistant for an event planner. It’s a great position if you want to become an event planner one day. Event planning assistants work closely with event planners to carry out delegated tasks. While some of your work may be administrative, such as taking phone calls and responding to emails, you may also help with the setup and execution of events. Working as an event planner will usually require a high school diploma or equivalent. You also need good written and verbal communication skills, time management skills, and an ability to multitask. Some employers will appreciate the ability of their assistants to anticipate their needs and act proactively. Event planning assistants have a median pay of $19.71 per hour.

5. Kitchen staff/cook

If you don’t see yourself working closely with customers or patrons, working in the kitchen of a restaurant could be a better option for you. You can work as a cook or dishwasher in a restaurant kitchen or for a food catering service. Kitchen staff handle the preparation of food, so they need to work quickly and efficiently. To work in this field, you need an interest in food preparation. This is something you can practice on your own at home if you have access to a basic working kitchen. No diploma or degree is required for some entry-level positions, although moving up as a head cook or chef may require additional training. All you need is the ability to learn quickly under pressure. Cooks have a median hourly wage of $13.10. Food prep workers have a median hourly wage of $12.53.

6. Hotel housekeeper

Hotel housekeeping is another hospitality job that’s well suited to people who don’t enjoy customer-facing jobs. While you may come across guests from time to time, you’ll be doing most of your work on your own. Hotel housekeepers clean hotel rooms for guests as well as in between guests. You need the ability to use cleaning equipment and products. Having good attention to detail is also important since it can be easy to miss spots while you’re cleaning. Successful hotel housekeepers must also work quickly. They make $14.22 per hour on average.

7. Bartender

Bartenders cater to bar, nightclub, or restaurant patrons behind the bar. They mix and serve drinks while keeping their work environment clean. During rush hour, bartenders will need to manage several customers at once. As such, this job is better suited to people who work well under pressure. Keep in mind that bartenders usually need to be over the legal drinking age. This is 21 years old if you want to work in the US, though ssome states allow you to work if you’ve turned 18. Taking a mixology or bartending course is a plus but not always required by employers. Many establishments provide their bartenders with on-the-job training to learn the drinks they serve. Bartenders make a median pay of $12 per hour. Patrons often provide tips when they receive drinks.

8. Driver

Working as a driver is a great job for people who enjoy spending time behind the wheel. But having customer service skills is also important. That’s because drivers don’t just provide driving services — they also provide a complete experience for patrons. The level of service you provide as a driver will depend on the nature of your job. For instance, some driving companies equate their drivers to concierges. In other cases, some patrons may prefer to keep to themselves. As a driver, you can work for:

• Driving companies
• Taxi services
• Limo services
• Hotels
• Rideshare apps like Uber You’ll need a valid driver’s license to work as a driver. Many companies will also run a background check to make sure you have a clean driving record. If you’re using a rideshare app to provide driving services, such as Uber, you’ll also need your own vehicle. On the other hand, if you work for an employer directly, they’ll usually provide you with a vehicle to perform your job. Drivers make a median pay of $16.67 per hour.

9. Spa assistant/receptionist

Spa assistants or receptionists greet guests at the front desk of spas. They also book clients for services and guide them in the right direction. As a spa assistant, you need to uphold the standard of the spa. As such, you’ll often need to be patient and friendly when dealing with guests. It’s also important to have a calm demeanor since guests often come to spas for relaxation. Many positions will require a high school diploma or equivalent. Others will require you to have previous experience working in customer-facing jobs, but some positions are entry-level. Receptionists make a median hourly wage of $14.96 per hour.

How to find a hospitality job on Jobcase

Think you’ve got what it takes to work in hospitality? Here’s how you can find hospitality job opportunities near you. First, navigate to jobcase.com and click the “Jobs” tab on the top menu. You’ll land on the job search menu. Search for the keyword that’s relevant to the specific hospitality job you want. For instance, type “server” or “waiter/waitress” if you want to work as a server. Next, select your location and hit “search.” Browse through job listings and look for opportunities for which you qualify. If you don’t have any experience, look for job opportunities that have the “No Experience Required” tag. This will filter the search results to show you entry-level jobs only. Read instructions on the job listing carefully before you apply. Remember to customize your resume for each application to improve your chances of landing an interview.

Get a fulfilling job in hospitality

One of the best parts of working in the hospitality industry is that you can work from anywhere. The skills you develop in one location will be transferable to the next. No matter where you live across the globe, you’ll find businesses that need your skills. Join Jobcase for free to access job opportunities in hospitality or any other industry, no matter your location.