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The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Hotel Front Desk Jobs

February 16, 2021 | Career Blog

Compared to a lot of positions in the hospitality industry, working the front desk at a hotel is a pretty clutch deal. The hourly pay is decent, there are often perks & benefits included, and usually a lot of room for growth. However, those who have worked in customer service & hospitality know that this industry isn’t always sunshine and roses. To be fair, this is the case with pretty much every job everywhere. Still, if you’re considering a front desk job you’ll want to be crystal clear on what you’re signing up for. Keep reading for the good, bad, and ugly of hotel front desk jobs.

The Good

Really though, we aren’t just saying it, front desk jobs are a pretty sweet deal. Take a look at this list and the one under ‘The Bad’ and you’ll see this one is much longer. Hosts, waiters, and restaurant management will feel a sense of luxury in this position. Alright, alright, what’s all the hype about? Check it:

  • The guests are usually pleasant. Being the person that helps people get set up for a holiday stay or their chance to finally relax puts you in a pretty good position. Travelling isn’t always a piece of cake, so they’ll be happy to have arrived at their destination. The easier you make the check-in process, the more they will love you.
  • The perks are often generous. Hotels usually have a restaurant, and they have meals to please every type of visitor. This means all the more choices for you when you go on your lunch or dinner break! Often you get a discount or may even get one free meal per shift. Your discount may also count toward room rental, and some hotels include family members as a part of that as well.
  • Benefits in a hospitality job! If you work for the company for the required time you may also have the option of getting medical and dental insurance from them. This is major for the hospitality industry and can really solidify stability in your life. It not only is required by law to have insurance coverage, it also feels good to know your job is taking care of you in this way and that you’re protected.
  • Meet people from around the world. Whether you’re living in a small town or New York City, being the person that takes care of folks in a hotel allows you to meet people from all over. This is a great learning opportunity for so many reasons: wisdom and networking are a couple examples of the takeaways.
  • So many growth opportunities. If you like the hotel you’re working at and get along well with upper management, you’ll no doubt climb the ranks quickly. The front desk is a great place to groom potential management staff, and your supervisor will be watching to see if you’re the right fit for grooming to grow. If you have any desire to manage a team and make more money, this job is a definite stepping stone.

The Bad/Ugly

On the flip side, there are some things that keep this job from being perfect. As mentioned earlier, this is going to be the case wherever you go. It’s just up to you to decide if the good is enough to outweigh the stuff that isn’t quite as pretty.

  • Complaints come to you. You’re who the guests call when they’re unhappy, which is never an enjoyable situation. However, if you play your cards right, you’re also the one to make their problems go away, aka their savior who they will love forever.
  • You need to remain at your post. This means you won’t have a lot of bathroom breaks. And expect that the one time you tell yourself you can get away with running to take care of it quickly, there will be someone waiting there tapping their foot when you return.
  • Long hours & late nights. When you first start out, you will most likely have to work some overnight shifts, and the shifts aren’t short. As you gain seniority however, you’ll have more say over your schedule. Stick it out and show your value and you will get there.
  • Expect to work during the holidays. The busiest times of the year for hotels are the holidays, and that means all hands on deck. This will be the case for most hospitality jobs however. And if you move up to a higher management role, you will get a few of those off eventually!

Sign Me Up!

All in all, the bad really isn’t all that ugly when you consider all the great that front desk jobs have to offer. Trust us! We would know. We specialize in staffing hospitality, and front desk jobs are a highly sought after position for that very reason.

Would you like us to help you land a front desk job? We would be happy to, and won’t charge you for our assistance either. Reach out to us today to learn more.