EVENTS MANAGEMENT

The events industry is a dynamic, fast-paced sector offering opportunities to work on

anything from small staff events and festivals to weddings and charity fundraisers

Job options
Jobs directly related to your degree include:

 Conference centre manager

 Event manager
 Hotel manager
 Outdoor activities/education manager
 Public house manager
 Restaurant manager

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

 Charity fundraiser
 Marketing executive
 Museum/gallery exhibitions officer
 Public relations officer
 Sales promotion account executive
 Talent agent
 Tourism officer

Work experience
Events management is a competitive area and experience can be just as important as your
degree subject for getting a job in the sector. Experience in any role involving customer
service will raise your profile, especially in hospitality or tourism. Many events organisations
look for casual staff to help at their events, and this can be a good way to gain skills and build
up contacts in the sector.

Your extra-curricular activities can give you valuable experience, for example, organising the
end of term ball or a fundraiser for a university society. In the run up to a large event, and
during the event itself, staff may need to work long hours and be very adaptable, so any role
where you can demonstrate an ability to work hard and think on your feet is useful.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers
Large hotel chains, conference venues and wedding organisers all offer opportunities for
events management graduates. Some courses give students the chance to specialise in
festival or cultural and arts events, so museums, large galleries and festival organisers are
possible sources of vacancies.
Graduates can also find work in events management companies and charities, which
organise large scale fundraising events.

Find information on employers in hospitality and events management, leisure, sport and

tourism, charity and voluntary work and other job sectors.

Front Desk Professional: Skills And Career Paths

Front desk agents are the first interaction guests’ have with the hotel, so it’s essential to be
friendly, welcoming, and enjoy helping people. As a front desk agent, you will help check-in and
check out guests, process payments, and special requests, while answering phone calls.
Currently, during the pandemic, you may also have to inform guests of the safety precautions
and learn new technology to limit guest interactions with staff. 

What does a hotel front desk agent do? You are the first point of contact with guests as they
arrive at your hotel. Typical duties include:

 Check guests in and out of the hotel

 Share details about the services and amenities available as well as any other information
guests may need
 Resolve any guest complaints
 Create invoices and take payment
 Communicate clearly with guests to provide the best service possible

To be successful in this role, you’ll need a minimum of a High School Diploma (some hotels
may want an Associate’s Degree) and some basic skills, such as:

 Strong interpersonal communication 

 Computer knowledge – you should be computer literate in order to generate bills and
book rooms, answer emails and use industry-specific software
 Customer service skills – being aware of other’s reactions and a willingness to help
 Resourceful, problem-solving skills – think on your feet to handle unique situations 
 Time Management/Multi-tasking – being able to get all your duties done efficiently 
  Basic accounting to track invoices and payments accurately

Soft skills are highly valued in the hospitality industry. You should be able to demonstrate:

 Stress tolerance – be able to handle high volume periods and complaints calmly and
effectively
 Attention to detail – be able to handle multiple tasks thoroughly and accurately
 Initiative – demonstrate a willingness to take on responsibility and challenges
 Adaptability/Flexibility –  be open to changes and variety in your everyday experience
 Leadership – be willing to take charge when needed, offer opinions and solutions
 Creativity – be able to think outside the box to develop new ideas and processes
 Empathy – be aware that guests may be tired, stressed or hungry when they arrive and
treat them with understanding and care

Possible career paths you can pursue using your skills as a front desk agent include:

 Concierge: sharing your knowledge of your community and environment, things to do,
places to go, and what guests will enjoy. When you’re passionate about providing an
exceptional guest experience, this can be a fulfilling opportunity to serve.
 Assistant Office Manager: With your experience, you may be interested in managing
other front desk agents by training and supervising them and managing their schedules.
You’ll be responsible for solving any guest complaints or issues brought to you and gain
management experience for the future.
 Events Coordinator: Many of the same skills you used as a front desk agent will be
needed in this position, particularly your ability to coordinate with other departments,
take care of large groups, and schedule activities. 
 Back Office Accounting: If you enjoy the experience of working with numbers and
taking payments, and especially if you’ve worked the night audit shift, this may be for
you. Reconciling accounts and working with vendors is a good stepping stone toward an
accounting manager position.
  Sales or Marketing: With your customer service experience, you may make a smooth
transition to sales or marketing where your knowledge of customer preferences may
come in handy.
 Front Desk Manager: With the front desk experience you gain as an agent, you can get
promoted into a front desk manager.
 General Manager: After gaining enough experience with hotel operations, you can
become a general manager and be in charge of the day to day hotel operations while
managing a team.

Housekeeping
If the manner in which a guest is welcomed by the Front Office department signifies how
hospitable the staff would be, the work of the Housekeeping department offers a
glimpse into what one may expect the rest of the hotel to look like. The Housekeeping
department in a hotel is responsible for the cleanliness, maintenance and the aesthetic
upkeep of the property. Just as guests wish to walk into a spotless property, they like
being welcomed into a room that is comfortable, clean and conveniently arranged. The
intention of this department is to offer a ‘home away from home.’

There are many job categories within this department and it is likely that you would not
have seen many of them during your stay as a guest. Remember, the more rooms the
hotel has, the bigger the department.

Job Roles
Entry Level
Trainee/Apprentice: In this department staffers deal with a lot of chemicals that are
used to disinfect and clean spaces, as well as machinery such as floor polishers among
others. It may be difficult for a newcomer to grasp all of this in one day. It is likely that
you would be in training for at least three months.

Store Attendant: Reports to the store or floor supervisor. Their main duty is to keep an
inventory of cleaning equipment such as detergents and bathroom amenities and to
make a requisition to purchase new items.

Public Area Attendants: The public areas of the hotel are spaces that are frequented
by guests. This person must ensure the reception, lobby, corridors, lifts, parking spaces
are kept clean and smelling fresh. They report to the public area supervisor.
Night Shift Attendants: This person will perform housekeeping duties during the night
and help troubleshoot hotel safety issues to the night supervisor.

Uniform/Linen Room Attendants: This person segregates dry linen according to its
type and sends it to the laundry. Keeps an inventory of the linen while stacking towels,
bedsheets, pillowcases, into shelves. This person also collects uniforms and maintains
them for next use.

Guest Room Attendants: Reports to the floor supervisor. They clean guest rooms,
bathrooms and corridors, arrange linen, top up guest room supplies, make beds and
replenish the hotel cleaner trolley with supplies.

Supervisory Level
Store Keeper: This person needs to know if the stores are well stocked. He will check
with the store attendant to ensure that the stores have all necessary amenities.

Public Area Supervisor: This person needs to ensure that there are enough staff to
help with the upkeep of the property. He or she will inspect the public areas including
the coffee shop, gym, swimming pool, restaurant, banquet hall, lobby, lifts and parking
and ensure they are well maintained.

Night Supervisor: Takes over at night and must ensure that guests’ provision of water
and other amenities are available. He/she will also ensure that there is sufficient
operating staff at night and oversee overall cleanliness of the hotel.

Uniform/Linen Room Supervisor: He or she should inspect linen, send it for laundry
or ironing and maintain a registry.  Must provide clean, ironed uniforms, suggest
procurement and keep track of the condition of the uniform.

Desk Supervisor: This person is in charge of the lost and found unit of the
Housekeeping department. He or she will coordinate with other supervisors and
managers in the event an item is found or if the owner contacts the hotel.

Floor Supervisor: Issues keys to the room attendants, coordinates floor operations,
inspects rooms for readiness and reports status to the Front Office. Caters to VIP
arrivals and facilitates their stay.

Executive Level
Assistant Housekeeper: This is an executive or managerial level position because it
comes with supervisory duties while requiring effective communication and
organizational skills. This person conducts thorough inspections, will look over
worksheets and schedules, assist the hotel to organize events for its in-house staff,
ensure protocols are followed and speak to guests when needed.

Executive Housekeeper: This executive manager is the chief of the department. He

has to ensure overall cleanliness, aesthetics, training of newcomers, establish standard
operating procedures for cleaning and decorating, monitor regular inventory, evaluate
employee performance, present an estimate for a budget to the General Manager.

Career Progression 
Housekeeping is a physically demanding job that requires many tasks. You need to first
prove that you are proactive and have the attitude it takes to survive in this department.
If you find yourself tired after making a few beds, this department may not be for you.

Promotions
If you are willing to put in the effort, career progression is fairly easy. You may need to
work at an entry level position for at least a year before being considered for a
supervisory position. At a supervisory level, you will have more tasks and
responsibilities with many staffers working under you. You may have to work between 1
and 3 years at this level. Once you reach the level of an assistant, it will be easier to
progress. If a Managerial position becomes vacant, it is likely that you will be
considered.

Knowledge & Skills

Knowledge
While you are expected to have some level of English proficiency to work in the
hospitality industry, if you feel you are not yet confident enough, you may try for an entry
position within the Housekeeping department. Just like any other department, however,
you need to have completed your schooling to qualify.
Entry Level

 A minimum of Ordinary Level qualification is a must. If you do not have this (but are still
within the right age group), you can pursue foundation level programs that may last
between one and two years to make up for it.
 A basic certificate or diploma in housekeeping is necessary, as this job is physically
demanding and requires the acquisition of certain skills. You may have been making
your bed your whole life, but when it comes to a hotel, it is done a different way and
takes practice to learn. You can learn the necessary skills through courses offered by
vocational training institutes under the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission
(TVEC).

Supervisory Level

 It is not possible to start your career at a supervisory level if you don’t have any prior
experience and the necessary educational qualifications. If you have worked at bigger
properties it is likely that you will be considered for a promotion at smaller or boutique
hotels. But if you have worked mostly at smaller properties, you may need to start at an
entry level position at larger hotels.
 Overseas experience in similar positions will be an added advantage.

Executive Level

 Years of experience and a diploma from a reputed institute recognized by TVEC will help
you qualify for an executive position.
 In addition to experience and qualifications, age too plays a significant role in
determining suitability for an executive level position. Your level of maturity is very
important as you may have to deal with many staffers, troubleshoot human resource
problems, in addition to other duties.
 Your temperament, your problem-solving skills, your attitude and your personality are
key factors to be considered for positions in this level.

Skills
 Housekeeping hard skills
 Excellent problem-solving skills
 Ability to multitask
 Good knowledge of equipment and amenities
 Strong time management
 Attention to detail
 Self-directed and motivated