Hospitality Management Careers: Opportunities for Graduates in Ghana
Pursuing a career in Hospitality Management can be very promising. In fact, there is a wide range of job opportunities once you complete your studies at university. Career opportunities abound both in the private and public sector of the economy. A career in Hospitality management can lead you to prolific job opportunities.
If you have a natural flair of being caring for people, planning events and overseeing the daily activities in hotels and resorts, and can work under pressure then a career as a Hospitality manager might be right for you.
As a Hospitality Manager, you’ll need to oversee the work of all staff, set deadlines and delegate tasks to your team. Ultimately, you’re responsible for ensuring that clients are satisfied at all times.
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What is Hospitality Management?
Hospitality Management involves overseeing the administrative tasks of a hotel or resort. As a hospitality manager, you employ different methods to ensure the satisfaction of clients who either visit for vacation or business-related purposes.
The Hospitality industry is large and not limited to hotels and restaurants. People who study Hospitality Management can go on to work as air hostesses, tourist guides, event planners, etc.
The primary aim of every Hospitality Manager is to make sure that clients feel at home throughout their stay, and also to ensure that their establishment is profitable and efficient.
Also, this industry deals with people directly, your working hours might not follow a typical 9-5 job as more work would be required of you at times where more clients patronize the business.
Industries Where a Hospitality Manager Can Work in Ghana
As a Hospitality Manager, you can work across a variety of sectors such as:
- Catering and Event Manager
- Offering Personal Consultation services
- Lodging Manager
- Facilities Manager
- Food/Restaurant Critic
- Resort/Country Club Manager
- Hotel Supplier
- Hotel/Motel Manager
- Industrial Caterer
- Marketing/Sales Manager
- Menu Design Consultant
- Menu Planner
- Public Relations
- Restaurant Manager
Responsibilities of a Hospitality Manager
As a Hospitality Manager, you will need to:
- Be able to analyze and interpret information
- Have good Interpersonal Communication skills
- Interact well with people from different ethnic groups.
- Have a good Knowledge of Community Resources
- Be keen on Research and Planning
- Be able to think outside the box
- Know-How to Handle Conflict Resolution
- Work Well Under Pressure
Qualifications to Become a Hospitality Manager
You can get into Hospitality management with a degree in any subject. However, studying towards a foundation degree, HND or degree in business or Hospitality management will provide practical knowledge about the commercial aspects of projects.
As a new graduate in the field of Hospitality, you might have to start from being an assistant to gain relevant experience that would enable you to function better as a Hospitality Manager Later on.
Work Experience with Hospitality Management Jobs
Work experience in managing resources, costs and people will help you to get into Hospitality management. Look for opportunities in supporting roles, such as administrator, coordinator and scheduling positions. From a supporting role, it’s possible to undertake professional qualifications to progress into management.
Extracurricular clubs and societies, including volunteering at organizations and events, can help to develop your Hospitality skills.
You can join a professional body as a student member. This can provide you with opportunities to network with other professionals, keep your skills up to date through training, events, news, and publications and point you towards job opportunities.
Skills to Include in Your CV for Hospitality Management Jobs
During your degree, you develop specific skills that employers look for including analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills. Besides, you can also learn some other skills like:
- Excellent organization skills, to plan the use of people and resources to meet deadlines
- Strong interpersonal skills, to motivate and lead your team
- Ability to monitor and control budgets
- Good communication and negotiation skills, to manage expectations
- Ability to use your initiative and make decisions under pressure
- Negotiation and teamwork skills which can be developed through working both independently and on group projects.
