The hospitality industry presents a vast choice of jobs for all tastes and aptitudes. Hospitality job provides enough space for expansion creating an opportunity for sideways moves in career advancement.
Learning about hospitality as a field of study might help you discover whether or not it is something interesting for you and decide if it is a suitable industry to follow as a career path. This article explores the concept of hospitality and catering jobs and introduces several career options within the industry.

Types of Hospitality and Catering Jobs

Hospitality and catering jobs are usually divided into two categories which is front-of-house jobs (with an average salary of $14.32 per hour) and back-of-house jobs (with an average salary of $14.84 per hour). Let’s discuss job posts in detail for each category:

Front-of-House Positions

Waitstaff and Servers: Waitstaff and servers play a pivotal role in ensuring a delightful dining experience for guests by providing attentive and exceptional customer service. Effectively communicating with the kitchen, taking orders adeptly, warmly welcoming and seating guests, and memorizing the menu to suggest insightful recommendations including delectable desserts, enticing appetizers, and refreshing beverages are all included within their role as front-of-the-house employees.

Hosts and Hostesses: Guests should always feel welcomed and appreciated, and the Host/Hostess plays a crucial part in achieving this. Handling reservations, answering the phone with kindness, and giving a warm greeting upon arrival are all important aspects of their job. It is their responsibility to make sure every guest is treated with the utmost care. Consistently monitoring the dining area, preparing tables for guest seating, and maintaining menu cleanliness are just a few of the tasks that are involved in the pivotal role of these individuals. Once guests are seated, they can expect to be presented with menus and offered beverages. These individuals also provide support to the serving staff whenever it is necessary.

Bartenders: Bartenders are renowned for their skill in multitasking. They are personable, smart, and innovative. From a range of cocktails that portray their creative abilities at serving bar to the finest customer care, they leave ‘no rocks unturned’ while serving the customers. Bartenders do possess vast knowledge on aged liquor, liquor combinations, and tastes. They create anything ranging from the classics to some of the very avant-gardist works. Besides their craft, the bartenders also know about payment and control of stocks. Secondly, they ensure that the bar supplies are kept neat and clean throughout.

They effectively coordinate an efficient bar operation while attending to customer’s drink requests as well as those of the servers. This involves ensuring adherence to rules and regulations regarding food and beverages, replenishing bar stock, proposing new deals, and contributing towards decision making in regards to menus. As such, it facilitates effortless running of the facility.

Back-of-House Positions

Chefs and Cooks: Chefs and head cooks play a pivotal role in overseeing the daily food preparation in various dining establishments. Their responsibilities extend to supervising kitchen staff and addressing any food-related matters that may arise. Within the culinary industry, catering chef jobs are much in demand.

A structured hierarchy operates in the kitchen where chefs, senior cooks, and other cooks work together amicably. There is a clear organizational hierarchy where each person has a defined task and the managers and subordinates are delineated. Here are some different types of chef positions in back-of-house:

● Commis Chef
● Pantry Chef
● Chef-Owner
● Head Chef
● Sous Chef
● Executive Chef

Kitchen Assistants: Kitchen assistants play a vital role in ensuring the smooth functioning of kitchen operations by carrying out various cleaning, washing, and preparation tasks. They work in collaboration with cooks and kitchen supervisors to maintain the cleanliness and organization of the kitchen environment. The responsibilities of a Kitchen Assistant include, but are not limited to:

•  Thoroughly cleaning and sanitizing all food preparation areas in adherence to established hygiene standards.
• Washing and appropriately storing all cooking appliances, tools, utensils, cutting boards, and dishes.
•  Supporting the Cook in preparing meal ingredients, which involves tasks such as washing, cleaning, peeling, cutting, and chopping fruits, vegetables, poultry, and meat.
•  Keeping the kitchen floors clean by sweeping and mopping, in addition to wiping down the kitchen walls.

Dishwashers: Dishwashers help to keep the kitchen clean and tidy. These are personnel involved in operating dish stations and dish-washers. They put in the dishes to the washer, wash any pan as well as scrub away any stuck food on the plates, utensils and pans. After washing the dishes Diswashers line them up on drying racks and store dry ones in cabinets or on shelves.
The other category of workers involved in housekeeping services at hotels involves clearing out used kitchen utensils from dining rooms and dishwashing the appliances. Moreover, they make sure enough tableware is clean and ready to use again when it is busy.

Key Skills and Qualities Required for Hospitality and Catering Jobs

Before applying for hospitality and catering jobs, even if you are new to the industry, you should acquire and refine some key skill sets. Some of these common qualities and skills include:

Attention to key details: Paying attention to detail is key in the hospitality industry. It means being attuned to the small elements that collectively contribute to a guest’s overall satisfaction. High-end establishments set themselves apart by meticulously anticipating and addressing every aspect of a customer’s experience, ensuring a memorable and exceptional stay.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Communication and people’s skills are very important in the hotel sector, helping clients to have a good and friendly welcome. Nothing compare to having a bad experience with your waiter. These skills are important for every person. However, working in this field offers a perfect ground to improve them as they involve interaction with different people who have unique problems and concerns.

These are the skills that hospitality professionals practice on a daily basis and therefore they enhance excellence in delivering customer services. In addition to that, effective communication skills like empathy, negotiation, active listening, creative problem-solving, patience, as well as tolerance play a crucial role of enhancing positive interactions amongst guests and other employees.

Time Management Skills: Time is of paramount importance for hospitality. Efficient execution of tasks is crucial for a smooth running of all hotel and restaurant activities. Imagine the inconvenience if incoming guests were left waiting for their rooms to be cleaned long after the previous occupants had checked out. Such delays could lead to dissatisfied customers and negative reviews, significantly impacting the reputation of the establishment.

Flexibility: In the hospitality industry, being flexible is essential. Catering jobs often require long work hours and demanding shifts, including holidays, as these periods are typically the most lucrative for hospitality businesses.

Educational and Training Requirements

If you’re considering a hospitality and catering jobs or aiming to advance in this sector, various qualification options can pave the way for you. Here’s a concise overview of the main choices, highlighting how they can contribute to your progress and what each entails:

Apprenticeship Standards: With an apprenticeship, you’ll gain hands-on experience while earning a salary. This program typically involves on-the-job training, accounting for at least 20% of your time.
BTEC: Geared towards young individuals (aged 14-19) interested in a specific industry, BTECs offer the opportunity to explore different career paths. These can be pursued at Level 2 or 3, either alongside academic qualifications or as part of a broader program like an apprenticeship.
HNCD and NHC: Unlike traditional Bachelor’s degrees that focus on theoretical knowledge, HNCs and HNDs emphasize practical skills applicable in the workplace. These courses often include work placements and can be completed within one to two years, either full-time, part-time, or through distance learning.
SVQ: These are Scottish vocational qualifications known as (SVQs) which are competence based with workplace component. There is no particular age limit and no minimum requirement for entry. There is a program of courses with five levels that take about one year of full time study or two years of part-time courses.

Tips for Landing a Job in Hospitality and Catering

Here are some tips to help kickstart your journey to find hospitality and catering jobs:
1. Find a niche that you truly aspire to be. As the industry is really vast with many people out there with the best skills and knowledge, it’s essential to focus on a specific area that you are good at and interested at. If you want to become a chef, catering chef jobs can help kickstart your career.
2. Always remember that being a small fish in a big pond does not have to be a disadvantage, in fact, it can provide you with more opportunities to make a noticeable impact.
3. Consider pursuing further education. Many individuals choose to advance their careers in hospitality through additional studies. There are many free and paid courses, both online and offline, you can consider. You can also read important novels and books on your chosen career path.
4.  Seek out volunteer or internship opportunities. Both private companies and international organizations often offer internships or catering jobs, providing valuable hands-on experience and insights into the workings of the hospitality industry.

Conclusion

The hospitality industry is a good opportunity if you are good with people and have keen interest in the intricacies of the Hospitality sector. In a broad sense, these professional activities provide customers with comfort services, goods, and entertainment.
Starting out in a career into the hospitality industry calls for an understanding of what the industry entails as well as how you can make your first step into this vibrant sector. So make sure you understand each concept and start on your career journey.