Bilingual skills are a plus. Many hotels demand computer skills. Neatness, patience, and a friendly and courteous personality in dealing with the public are important. Dependability, a sense of responsibility, maturity and good customer relations skills are also needed. There are two ways of getting the job.
Some hotels have a policy of promoting from within.
In some hotels, trainees start as switchboard operators and key clerks, information clerks, or mail clerks. A Hotel Desk Clerk may advance to chief room clerk, assistant front office manager, front office manager, sales and promotion manager or hotel manager. Experience is important for upward mobility. Top managerial posts usually require many years of experience and specialized training. Employers prefer a college education for management training positions.