Every hotel, large or small, includes a variety of employment opportunities. A smooth-operating hotel needs workers in departments with diverse responsibilities dependent on one another.

General Manager

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A general manager is responsible for a large number of tasks. You will be required to prepare a yearly budget and submit it to the hotel owner, corporate office or possibly a district manager. All employee terminations and new hires will be your responsibility. Hotel room rates fluctuate consistently, and as the general manger of the hotel, it will be your responsibility to decide the best rate for any given day, night, weekend or special event. You will also have the authority to set hotel service standards as well as choose extra services or amenities to make the hotel more appealing to travelers.

Front Desk Supervisor and Staff

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The front desk staff will take reservations by phone, cancel reservations, check in guests, check guests out, and keep the front desk area and lobby clean and presentable. As a front desk agent, you may be required to help in other areas of the hotel, such as housekeeping, during busy seasons or if staff is short-handed. You will be responsible for large amounts of money, authorizing guest refunds, and taking care of any guest complaints or room issues. The front desk supervisor also will work the front desk and may be responsible for scheduling the work days and hours for the other front desk staff.

Housekeeping Staff and Laundry

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Housekeepers are responsible for the cleanliness of all rooms in such a way that a guest would not realize someone had just checked out of the room earlier that same morning. You will also strip every linen off each bed and make each bed according to the hotel standards. The guest rooms are meticulously cleaned and sanitized before a guest arrives. Smaller hotels may require the housekeepers to do the laundry, which will require you to wash, dry and fold all linens, including sheets, pillowcases, comforters and blankets. As a laundry person, you would be required to also remove stains that may be in any linens, when possible.

Breakfast Host, Hostess and Cooks

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Many hotels offer a complimentary breakfast bar. As the host or hostess you will be responsible to keep the bar stocked at all times, clean up any messes, brew coffee, wash dishes, break down the breakfast bar and wash the breakfast dishes. If the hotel has a hot bar, you or another person will be responsible for cooking items such as eggs or waffles, and keeping a steady flow of the items to the breakfast bar. The cook will also help break down the bar and clean up the work area before the shift for the day is over.

Maintenance

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A hotel maintenance person will ensure that just about everything in the hotel is in proper working order. Daily tasks may include changing light bulbs, removing waste and painting. Other tasks will be assigned as needed, including fixing or replacing toilets, piping, room appliances and vacuums. Many hotels have an indoor pool, and you must ensure that the water pumps and chemical pumps are working correctly. Also, you will need to be familiar with heating and air conditioning units, electrical wiring and plumbing, and how to troubleshoot, fix or replace these items.

Other

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Larger hotels may have more positions, such as loss prevention officer, security guards, bell boys, concierge and shuttle drivers. Many hotels may also offer a shuttle service if they are close to an airport, amusement park or other guest attraction. In smaller hotels that do not offer an on-site or on-call concierge, the front desk staff usually tries to assist in finding exactly what the guest is looking for.