All hospitality employers – be that hotels, extended stay accommodations, restaurants, etc. – value prior industry experience when hiring new employees. While the responsibilities that come with most hotel roles can be learned on the job with adequate training, prior experience is valuable as it likely means the applicant has worked in a similar, fast-paced environment and brings with them a customer service orientation.

For those looking to break into the industry and lacking that previous experience, it’s important to stand out in the application process in other ways to both secure an interview and ultimately – a job.

Highlight Relevant Experience 

If an applicant has never worked in a front desk position, or even in a hotel, how do they demonstrate their qualifications? Front desk positions require many characteristics and skills often picked up in other jobs, even those in completely different industries.

On a resume, applicants new to hospitality need to showcase they’ve got the skills needed to succeed in the role. Working at a hotel front desk requires organization, a service-oriented mindset, and lots of teamwork. Front desk teams are often the first faces guests interact with at an establishment. Providing a quality guest experience while also juggling multiple responsibilities is key to success.

Any previously-held role requiring a similar skill set needs to be highlighted on a resume and in an interview. Examples might include time spent in food and beverage industry positions, like serving or hosting at a restaurant. Also applicable is call center experience, where environments are often fast-paced and require a calm yet positive attitude.

Rather than focusing on the term “experience” as performing the exact role in the past that you’re applying for, focus more on highlighting the skills and expertise gained in roles that would help you thrive on the front desk team.

Express a Desire to Grow within the Organization

It’s safe to say that all employers value potential and current employees that want to stick around long-term and grow within the company.  Recruitment costs add up, and most employers agree that hiring new staff is more expensive than retaining existing employees. A cover letter is a great opportunity (pre-interview) to express that desire to remain long-term.

Often, those that begin in a front desk agent position move up within the company to either a front desk supervisor or another managerial position. Include in your cover letter your professional ambitions and desire to achieve those with the organization for which you are applying.

Similarly, in an interview setting, express a desire for long-term employment and growth by inquiring about opportunities for advancement and potential career trajectories if hired into the role. Showing passion for this new potential career path expresses to employers and hiring managers the dedication they look for when filling their front desk teams.

Demonstrate Top-Notch Communication Skills

A front desk position is all about customer service, but strong customer service requires effective communication skills. Even with little to no hospitality or hotel experience, those demonstrating professionalism and clear communication during the application or interview process have a solid chance of success in securing a front desk position.

What does strong communication look/sound like? When it comes to a resume or cover letter – keep formatting, spelling and grammar, and punctuation front of mind. Even for those confident in these abilities, it’s wise for everyone to have others read over their materials to check for any errors or confusing formatting.

Glaring mistakes in application materials are a sign to potential employers that an applicant either rushed through the process or simply doesn’t possess the skills needed in a front desk position, which is highly communications-based.

Interviews can be stressful, so focus less on perfection and more on preparedness. Practice before heading into an interview, be that with a job center, family member or friend, or yourself in the mirror. Many hiring managers pull from the same similar set of interview questions. While there is no way to know exactly what a recruiter or interviewer will ask, count on them inquiring about the following:

• Why you are interested in the specific role or organization
• What prior experience you bring to the table that would be valuable to the team
• Your current strengths as a worker and areas you’d like to grow
• Examples of problem-solving or conflict resolution in previous jobs
• How you might handle a potential customer interaction or issue
• Whether you have any questions for them

Always head into an interview only after having thought about these questions and your potential responses to them. Be sure to carefully read the job description as well and prepare and practice asking a few questions, either role-specific or about the organization. 

Finding Front Desk Opportunities Nearby

Keeping the above in mind and knowing where to search for front desk job opportunities in your area, a potential new career path awaits. Our database of openings is categorized by both location and department, making finding front desk positions specifically in your area quick and easy.

For those with a year or two of front desk agent experience, many of our locations are also hoping to fill front desk supervisor roles. In addition to other typical front desk responsibilities, supervisor positions liaise with the GM and other management staff, hire and train front desk agents, and handle departmental reporting. Whether you’re looking for management opportunities or that first front desk job, there are opportunities nationwide!