Education · 1 of 5

The path

Two routes: a hospitality degree, or start on the floor at 17 and climb. Plenty of general managers took the second one.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Get a job at a hotel, restaurant or resort now. Front desk, housekeeping, bussing tables. It all counts and it is what interviewers ask about.

2. 2

   Degree, or not

   0 to 4 years

   A four-year hospitality or business degree is what large hotels prefer. A two-year associate degree or no degree at all still works at smaller properties if you have the hours.

3. 3

   Work every department

   2 to 4 years

   Front desk, housekeeping, food and beverage, sales. Good managers have done all of it, because you cannot supervise a job you have never worked.

4. 4

   Supervisor, then department head

   2 to 3 years

   Front office manager, executive housekeeper or food and beverage manager. This is where you learn schedules, budgets and firing people.

5. 5

   General manager

   After 5 to 10 years total

   You are responsible for the whole building, the profit and every guest complaint that gets escalated.