Education · 1 of 4

The path

You can be working in a few weeks. Everything after that is on the job.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Most hotels want one, some will hire without it. Any customer service job on your resume helps more than marks.

2. 2

   Apply and interview

   Weeks

   Hotels hire year round and heavily before summer. Willingness to work nights, weekends and holidays is what gets you picked.

3. 3

   On the job training

   2 to 4 weeks

   One to three weeks shadowing, learning the property management system, the room types and the complaint scripts.

4. 4

   Add a specialty

   Year 1 to 2

   Night audit, reservations or concierge work. Each one raises your rate and widens where you can go next.

5. 5

   Supervisor

   2 to 4 years

   Front office supervisor, then assistant manager. This is the standard route into hotel management.