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Things that get you promoted

• A front office certificate

  The education arm of the American Hotel and Lodging Association sells short credentials such as Certified Front Desk Representative. Cheap, and some employers pay for it.

• A registered apprenticeship

  Lodging apprenticeships are listed on apprenticeship.gov, the United States Department of Labor site. You earn wages and a national credential at the same time.

• Night audit experience

  Once you can run a property alone at 3am, managers treat you differently.

• Revenue management basics

  Learning how room rates are set moves you off the desk and into an office job that pays much better.

• A hospitality degree

  Two or four years. It is the normal route into corporate hotel jobs and into managing a large property.