Hospitality management: Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Hotel manager - organises and directs hotel services, such as front-of-house, housekeeping and food and beverage operations, with overall responsibility for staffing and business development. 
• Restaurant manager - ensures that a restaurant operates efficiently and profitably whilst at the same time maintaining its reputation and ethos, high standards of food, health and safety and business performance.
• Catering manager - plans, organises and develops the food and beverage services of organisations and businesses, including restaurants and bars, as well as catering at events, or services in hospitals or schools.
• Conference centre manager - manages the day-to-day operations and facilities and staff of a conference centre, with accountability for planning, organising and directing services including reception, catering and accommodation.
• Customer service manager - ensures the company they work for satisfies customers’ needs, which could involve managing a team of customer services staff, creating customer service policies or dealing with customers face to face.
• Accommodation manager - has responsibility for the efficient and economic operation of space and accommodation services, typically within a hotel, hospital or educational institution.
• Public house manager - maintains the commercial success of a pub or bar, adapting the premises to ensure that the pub is profitable, pleasant and safe.

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Retail manager - runs all aspects of a department or store in accordance with overall company policy. Improves commercial performance and maximises profit by monitoring sales and ensuring availability of popular stock.
• Event organiser - organises a range of events, from conception through to completion, such as conferences, promotional launches and exhibitions.
• Human resources officer - develops, advises on and implements policies relating to the effective use of personnel within an organisation, such as working practices, recruitment, pay and diversity.
• Tourism officer - develops and promotes tourism in order to attract visitors and produce significant economic benefits for a particular region or site.
• Fast food restaurant manager - responsible for safeguarding the financial success of a specific outlet/site and maintaining the reputation of the company by ensuring a fast, efficient service and good standards of staff training.

Other options

Work experience is expected by employers in this industry, but any hospitality role or setting is likely to be viewed positively. Regular part-time jobs that you can fit alongside your studies will supply valuable evidence of your commitment to the sector as well as your attitude to work. If you have a specialist area in mind, opt for the closest matching environment you can find. For example, if you ultimately hope to work in a luxury hotel, apply to local hotels of a similar standard. It is possible to achieve responsibility relatively quickly in this sector, so you can gain experience of supervising and training new staff early on if you show a willingness and ability to learn.

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it’s not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here. Look at your degree... what next? for informed advice on career planning and graduate employment, or login/register with My Prospects to find out what jobs would suit you, a helpful starting point for self-analysis.

Explore types of jobs to find out more about the above options and related jobs.