Career in hotel management;

What is Hotel Management?

The hospitality industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade. Demand for trained manpower in this industry is immense. Star hotels require trained staff for the following departments:

Food and Beverage (F&B) Housekeeping Accounting Marketing Recreation Computer Applications Financial Management Engineering Maintenance Security Fire Fighting Public Relations

The Prospects

Besides working in hotels, hotel management diploma/degree holders have the following options:

Restaurant Management/Fast Food Joint Management Club Management/Recreation & Health Centre Management Cruise Ship Hotel Management Hospital Administration and Catering Institutional and Industrial Catering Airline Catering and Cabin Services Manufacturers and Suppliers of Hotel and Restaurant Equipment and Services Hotel and Catering Institutes Hotel and Tourism Associations Catering Departments in banks and insurance houses With government owned catering departments, for example railway, armed forces, ministerial conventions, etc. In food, confectionery, beverage production industries.

Jobs in Hotel Management

The Managers
Hotel managers are responsible for the efficient and profitable operation of their establishments. The General Manager controls the finances, establishment norms to be followed by the staff while providing their services to the guests, housekeeping, food quality, decor and interiors. Assistant Managers supervise the day-to-day operations of their departments. Large hotels have Resident Managers to resolve problems round the clock. The Department Managers work under the supervision and guidance of the top management.

The Front Office 
The first people to welcome guests in a hotel are the personnel in the front office. The Front Office Manager supervises the work of the receptionists, information clerk, reservation clerk and other service personnel like bell captain, bell boy and doorman. The Bell Boy assists the guests with the baggage to check in to the room. The Bell Captain supervises the work of bell boys. The Information Clerk delivers the telephone messages to the guests through the Bell Captain.

F&B (Food and Beverage)
This department includes:

Culinary Unit Steward Department Food Service Department

Restaurant and Food Service Managers are responsible for stocks of tableware, linens, paper, supplies furniture, and fixtures cleaning. They arrange for equipment maintenance and repairs. They also have to maintain records of hours and wages of employees, payrolls, and taxes, etc. Banquet Managers are in-charge of catering assignments.

Housekeeping
A hotel requires maintenance on a very large scale. Hotels have a house keeping department to look after cleanliness in rooms, lounges, lobby, restaurant, dining halls, parks etc. This department functions under the supervision of the Executive Housekeeper.

Executive Housekeepers are responsible for ensuring that guest rooms, meeting and banquet rooms and public areas are clean, orderly and well maintained. They train, schedule and supervise the work of housekeepers, inspect rooms and order for the necessary supplies. Housekeeping is a round the clock job .This department works in shifts.

Marketing Department
Today marketing of services is a major aspect of hotel management.Sales and marketing division works to identify the needs of prospective customers, develop stay packages to suit their needs and sell the services, which have been developed.

HM Entrance Tests

To be eligible for the entrance exams, a candidate must have secured a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (10+2).

 Numerical Ability & Scientific Aptitude (30 Questions)
 Reasoning and Logical Deduction (30 Questions)
 General Awareness and Current Affairs (30 Questions) 
 English Language (80 Questions)
 Aptitude for Service sector (30 questions) 
 Non-specified negative marking is there
 Total questions-200; marks-200; Time 3 Hours
 Selection is based on the NCHMCT-JEE Performance; No GD /PI

In some institutes, those who clear the written test are called for group discussions and personal interviews.
After Class XII: Diploma/degree in hotel management – These courses are conducted by several types of institutions — government and privately managed institutions or institutions operated by chain of hotels, hotel schools conducting training programmes in collaboration with international hotel institutions etc. Selection to most of these courses is through an entrance exam that includes a written test, interview and group discussion.

After graduation: Graduates from any stream or from hotel management institutes are recruited as trainees for prospective management positions. There are rigorous selection tests for management trainees, which include aptitude tests, group discussions, and public speaking.

Thanks to Ms Ruchika Bhutani for sharing this info.

Also See: 

Top 50 Hotel Management Colleges in India

Top 25 Commerce Colleges in India

Top 10 Arts / Humanities colleges in India

Top 50 Science Colleges in India