Accommodation manager : Career development

Most new entrants will need to work at assistant manager level initially, in order to gain enough experience to progress to manager level. Once that is achieved, progression is normally to larger establishments offering wider opportunities and often greater responsibilities. Geographical mobility can be an advantage for more rapid career progression.

Natural career progression is to general manager level, overseeing the management of an entire hotel, residential service or estates division. General manager roles are much more business focused, concerned with profitability, strategy and planning.

Progression is normally achieved by acquiring a combination of experience and relevant qualifications. Postgraduate-level study, for example an MBA, is often undertaken by managers looking to secure the highest-level management positions.

As accommodation managers will have gained experience and skills in business management generally, they may wish to move sideways into a management role within a different division of their organisation or within the wider hospitality or business sector (e.g. human resources management).

They may also wish to move into another services role such as restaurant management or contract cleaning management. The latter involves managing cleaning services in environments such as businesses, schools and hospitality and so relevant experience may have been gained from the accommodation role.

Those with an entrepreneurial flair may decide to invest in and run their own establishments, such as independent hotels or residential flats.