How To Become A Hospitality Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a hospitality specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Steve Hood

Hospitality specialists are responsible for providing customers with excellent customer service and satisfaction. They respond to calls and e-mails with requests for meeting space, as well as with requests for services in the conference rooms which have already been booked online. They provide a memorable check-in experience for guests and anticipate guest needs to ensure that no guest leaves unhappy. Hospitality specialists earn a median sum of $41,000 annually or $19 per hour.

Hospitality specialists are primarily tasked with welcoming visitors warmly and creating a warm and friendly atmosphere to make the guests comfortable. They process all guest request via different outlets, namely through phone, in-person, email, and other online services to ensure seamless service. They also assist with luggage storage and maintain a professional relationship with the guests.

The role of a hospitality specialist doesn't require an academic degree. However, a high school diploma or its equivalent should come in handy while applying. Hospitality specialists are expected to have in-depth knowledge of the use of various types of office equipment, including personal computers, copiers, phones, and intercom systems.

What general advice would you give to a hospitality specialist?

Steve Hood

Director of Industry Services, ICHRIE

Hospitality and tourism graduates of 2020 are faced with a similar challenge as hotels in the current COVID situation. Many are having to think outside the box and reinvent themselves. It may mean looking at different chains, different locations, and different roles, but there are still opportunities.

ScoreHospitality SpecialistUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $36,217

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.67%

Asian 7.35%

Black or African American 12.93%

Hispanic or Latino 18.79%

Unknown 5.72%

White 54.55%

Gender

female 62.07%

male 37.93%

Age - 39

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 - 39

Stress level

5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.5

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a hospitality specialist

Explore hospitality specialist education requirements

Most common hospitality specialist degrees

Bachelor's

61.9 %

Associate

14.1 %

High School Diploma

10.0 %

Start to develop specific hospitality specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
POS	19.31%
Patients	17.93%
Proprietary Software	11.93%
Quality Customer Service	9.64%
Patient Care	9.31%

Complete relevant hospitality specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New hospitality specialists 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 hospitality specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real hospitality specialist resumes.

Research hospitality specialist duties and responsibilities

Manage blood bank solutions for blood plasma expander as well as blood infusion for chemotherapy, emergency room, and trauma.
Operate the point of sale terminal (POS) ensuring package handling fees are collect.
Target audiences include anesthesia, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, pharmacy and nursing.
Maintain orders, stock and cleanliness in the kitchens, catering areas and visiting offices.

Prepare your hospitality specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your hospitality specialist 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 hospitality specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable hospitality specialist resume templates

Build a professional hospitality specialist 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 hospitality specialist resume.