Management careers offered by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) are those of Banquet Manager, Bartender, Beverage manager, catering manager, counter server, dining room manager, executive chef, food and beverage director, human resources manager, kitchen manager, public relations manager, Sous Chef, wine steward, server, pastry chef, and pantry cook.
Responsibilities of the baker are limited to “bakeshop, which is found within the food service establishment, while banquet manager, on the other hand, plans and oversees parties, banquets, and conventions, which the restaurant s/he works for hosts” (Stensson & Salabes, 2012, Para. 8).
S/he solicits banquet business and ensures that customers are satisfied. His/her main duty is that of ensuring that clients’ specifications are strictly met. Bartender mixes ingredients for cocktail. S/he also takes orders from the patrons coupled with washing and sterilizing glassware. Beverage managers on their part oversee smooth management of the bars. They have to ensure that the bar is profitable.
The catering manager is responsible for catering functions. S/he also works with sales personnel with a view to generating new business together with handling customer complaints and ensuring that such complaints are remedied.
The dining room manager coordinates “foodservice activities coupled with supervising and training of employees as well as planning menus and related activities, while executive chef is responsible for all activities that take place in the kitchen” (NRA, 2012, p.8).. S/he ensures that safe and sanitary conditions are observed in the kitchen establishment.
Management careers offered within Lodging and Food and Beverage Association (AH&LA) include accounting and finance, administration, airline staff, catering, chef, consultancy, corporate office, cruise ship staff, customer service, event manager, director of operations, warehousing, education, maintenance, entertainment, food and beverage, gaming and healthcare.
Others include hotel manager, human resources, kitchen manager, maintenance manager, marketing/public relations, management information systems, operations manager, planning, purchasing, restaurant manager, revenue management, rooms, sales, security, spa management, transportation, travel counselor, and unit manager.
The unit manager can be in-charge of operations or perform any other duty as defined within his/her job description. Individuals with managerial duties confined to the rooms can discharge duties related to front office/guest services, housekeeping, and reservations. Some can be rooms’ directors.
Food and beverage managers can be in-charge of beverages, catering, convention services, and kitchen and restaurant management. There are myriad categories of chefs including Sous chef, pastry/baker chef, executive chef, Chef de Partie, and Banquet (AH&LA, 2012).
The National Restaurants Association is an umbrella body of all America’s restaurants whereas American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) “represents all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industry” (AH&LA, 2012, p.6).
The general management positions within AH&LA, as earlier mentioned, broadly cover the areas of club management, financial management, food and beverage the front office, guest service, housekeeping, human resources, maintenance and engineering, risk management, sales and marketing, and spa (AH&LA, 2012).
The general management positions within the National Restaurants Association are those of general manager/unit manager (full service) and general manager/unit manager (quick service). The former coordinates food service activities of the restaurant. S/he estimates food and beverage costs, requisitions, equipment, and food and beverages.
S/he “facilitates cleaning and maintenance of equipment and facilities coupled with ensuring that health and safety regulations are maintained” (NRA, 2012, p.4). In addition, s/he can direct hiring, training, motivation, and termination of services rendered by the employees together with developing marketing strategies to increase business.
The later nevertheless maintains overall management responsibilities for food service unit. S/he “directs, coordinates, and participates in preparation, cooking, wrapping or packaging of food prepared by the establishment where s/he works” (NRA, 2012, p.5). S/he also assembles food orders.
The National Restaurants Association core mandate is limited to research, education, and training of their members about different aspects of management through their “manage first program”. The program is tailored for colleges, universities, restaurants, and food service companies.
Participants taking part in these programs are trained on aspects of controlling food service costs, management practice leadership, shift management, training and development, staffing, hiring, recruiting, and selection, administration of human resources and employee relations.
Participants are also trained on food safety and sanitation, facilities and equipment management, customer service, food quality, inventory, and purchasing. Managerial accounting and budgeting is normally offered to those with managerial accounting background. Other competencies passed on to trainees include nutritional issues, business promotions, marketing, and advertising.
According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association records, out of the 1.6 million jobs that were created during 2011, over 7 per cent came from the travel industry. The travel industry has so far expanded its employment base by 119, 000 positions. The jobs that were created in travel and tourism industry were double that of construction and real estate industries combined.
The department of labor records point to a sixth consecutive quarter of travel and tourism employment growth. These records clarify that the trend would be positive for the next ten years. Employment in the lodging industry has risen by 3.4 per cent in the most recent report, which is the largest rate of growth ever witnessed this year.
The travel industry gets $759 billion in sales and spends $ 188 billion in wage bills of its 7.4 million employees (AH&LA, 2012). The travel industry boasts of a capacity to employ even more people hence a positive path to America’s economic recovery. The travel industry generates $ 118 billion in federal, state, and local taxes. The lodging industry is among the top ten employers in 48 out of 50 states within the United States.
Given that the lodging industry is interlinked with transportation, restaurants, agriculture, manufacturing, and retail sectors, these sectors of the economy also generously gain from it in terms of revenue generation and job creation. Approximately, “for every 35 international tourists who come to the United States, one American job is created” (AH&LA, 2012, p.8). This aspect benefits the national economy and the local communities.
The National Restaurants Association new analysis, on the other hand, indicates that the restaurant industry is the leading creator of job opportunities in the United States. The drinking place employment, according to NRA, moved up to 2.7 per cent in June 2012. It doubled the U.S. employment rate at that time, which was at 1.3 per cent with restaurants creating 116, 000 more job opportunities in the first half of 2012.
Since the rolling out of employment recovery in March 2010, the restaurant sector alone has created 575, 000 jobs. The restaurant industry, despite having slowed down during the second quarter of 2012, is still the net contributor to economic recovery as it is the second largest private sector employer.
Its workforce is almost ten percent of the U.S. workforce. The National Restaurants Association projects that, in the next ten years, it will have created 1.4 million positions (Stensson & Salabes, 2012).
This scenario will make the total number of Americans employed in this sector 14.3 million. Some of the fastest emerging positions are those of “supervisors and food and beverage serving workers” Stensson & Salabes, 2012, Para. 9)
For the National Restaurant Association and American Lodging and Hotel Association to recruit and retain management talents efficiently, it has to develop clear job descriptions so that it may know the skills of the potential employees. Only employees having superior potential should qualify for the selection process.
Employees who successfully pass the interview should then undergo on-going coaching and mentoring coupled with the creation of a system of getting feedback on their progress. The management of these companies must also conduct quarterly performance development planning, and design a proper and effective compensation and recognition systems.
Appreciated employees will always concentrate on doing their work, and will not contemplate leaving their current job for greener pastures in other rival industries. The NRA and AHLA should consider paying talented employees above market rates.
These two organizations can also provide promotional and career development opportunities for their employees other than the on going coaching and mentoring programs. They should also consider holding exit interviews to understand why some of their valued employees decide to leave.
This interview will help employers put in place systems that can help in retain talented management employees. In conclusion, these two bodies should centralize their HR efforts, allow innovation around key functions like workforce by developing specialized practices within recruiting, and engage in focused recruiting.
Reference List
AH&LA. (2012). The 2012 Issue Briefs. Web.
NRA. (2012). Who’s Who: Job and Career Possibilities in the Restaurant Business. Web.
Stensson, A., & Salabes, R. (2012). National Restaurant Association Reports Continued Restaurant Job Growth Outpaces Overall Job Growth Rate by Two to One. Web.