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Five Great Jobs with a Hospitality Degree

Hospitality degrees lead to diverse careers in the welcoming world of hospitality and tourism.

Five Careers for Hospitality Degree Grads

A hospitality degree paves your way to a fun and exciting career in the hospitality and tourism industry. And your options go way beyond the obvious restaurant or hotel jobs you may automatically think about when you hear the words "hospitality career."

The modern hospitality industry includes not just hotel and restaurant management, but also casinos, spas, cruise ships and more. Here are just a few of the careers you could launch with a hospitality degree.

1. Casino and Gaming Supervisor

No longer confined to Las Vegas, Reno and Atlantic City, casinos now operate in 40 U.S. states. Casinos have evolved in recent years into hotbeds of entertainment, retail and cuisine. Many feature live performances, concerts, theaters, world-class retail centers and five-star restaurants. As a gaming supervisor you'll be at the center of it all.

Gaming supervisors are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the casino. This may involve the following duties:

• Planning and organizing events for guests
• Making sure there are enough dealers on the floor
• Handling customer complaints
• Ensuring a high level of service and professionalism among casino staff

2. Hotel Concierge

A fixture at luxury hotels across the globe, concierges have a history of helping travelers since the Middle Ages. Many concierges speak several languages and are trained to assist people of different cultures. Having a hospitality degree with a concentration in international tourism will definitely put anyone wishing to enter this respected profession at the top of the hiring manager's list.

Responsible for fulfilling the requests of guests, a concierge's job description often includes:

• Securing hard-to-get theater tickets
• Making impossible last-minute reservations
• Arranging day trips to local hot spots

3. Food and Restaurant Critic

While it may seem like a foodie's dream job, being a food and restaurant critic involves a lot more than just enjoying a good meal. Food and restaurant critics are often chosen for their experience and expertise in the restaurant business. Having a food and hospitality management degree is definitely an asset, because critics are expected not only to critique the food but also the service, decorum and quality of an establishment and its kitchen.

Opportunities for food critics exist at newspapers, magazines, on the web and in books such as the famous Zagat's guide. However, job openings are often limited, which makes the competition for these positions fierce.

4. Tour Director

As a tour director, you will travel the world, sharing your knowledge of local history and customs with other travelers—offering them the vacation of a lifetime. Working for private tour companies, local resorts or attractions, tour directors are responsible for the following:

• Traveling with the tour group
• Managing transportation and lodging
• Arranging meals, leading tours
• Attending optional excursions and events
• Working with international customs and laws
• Dealing directly with people from across the world

Hospitality degrees or other related certifications or training are essential for landing a job in this field—it will give you the knowledge and terminology to make you an effective guide no matter where you travel.

5. Event Planner

As an event planner, you'll be a part of some of the most memorable and cherished events in people's lives. Design lavish weddings, rock-star style bashes or elegant sit-downs. Event planners work with clients to generate the event's theme, location and budget. They work with vendors to secure favors, arrange locations and order food.

A hospitality degree or certificate will give you the food industry insight and management skills that put you at an advantage above other planners, most of whom have no formal education in event planning or hospitality.

Get Started with a Hospitality Degree

If you're ready to take the first step toward a career in the hospitality industry, find a hospitality degree program in our directory of schools by clicking the button below, and get started today.