How To Become A Banquet Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a banquet manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A banquet manager is an individual responsible for organizing and coordinating events, such as weddings, conferences, and parties, at hotels, restaurants, or other venues. They oversee the planning process, ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day of the event, and manage staff to provide excellent service to guests. A banquet manager must have excellent communication skills to work with clients, vendors, and team members to ensure that all details are executed flawlessly.

ScoreBanquet ManagerUS Average

Salary

4.2

Avg. Salary $53,423

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.1

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.59%

Asian 8.03%

Black or African American 10.31%

Hispanic or Latino 18.24%

Unknown 5.58%

White 57.25%

Gender

female 45.36%

male 54.64%

Age - 38

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38

Stress level

9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a banquet manager?

Pros

Opportunities to work with a variety of clients and events
Potential for high earnings through tips and commissions
Ability to develop and manage a team of staff members
Chance to be creative in planning and executing events
Chance to build long-lasting relationships with clients and vendors

Cons

High stress levels due to managing multiple events and clients simultaneously
Long hours and potential for working holidays and weekends
High pressure to meet revenue goals and maintain profitability
Need for strong communication skills to manage staff members and clients effectively
Potential for difficult or demanding clients or guests

Key steps to become a banquet manager

Explore banquet manager education requirements

Most common banquet manager degrees

Bachelor's

58.7 %

Associate

22.5 %

High School Diploma

10.4 %

Start to develop specific banquet manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Wine	12.20%
Customer Service	11.50%
Guest Satisfaction	9.01%
Customer Satisfaction	5.28%
Guest Service	4.77%

Complete relevant banquet manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New banquet managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a banquet manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real banquet manager resumes.

Gain additional banquet manager certifications

Banquet manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific banquet manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for banquet managers include Food Safety Manager Certification and Certified Manager Certification (CM).

More About Certifications

Research banquet manager duties and responsibilities

Manage the hotel restaurant a few nights a week and assist with bartending.
Manage bar functions, as well as maintain inventory and train all bartending staff.
Manage department service standards, POS system, payroll, schedules and labor /beverage costs.
Develop specific plans with UN affiliate organizations to achieve their goals and to accommodate VIP and other special requirements.

Prepare your banquet manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your banquet manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a banquet manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable banquet manager resume templates

Build a professional banquet manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your banquet manager resume.