Many students majoring in Hospitality Management often wonder when they first enter university: “How long does it take to become a manager while working as a receptionist? To what extent do supervisors or managers need to be exceptional?”
Students have the opportunity to learn from a teacher with extensive experience in the hospitality industry, Mr. Duy Ha - Front Office Manager of Nam Cuong Haiphong Hotel (Tray Hotel).
From Receptionist to Supervisor/Manager
Required conditions: Knowledge, skills, and professional experience are the essential “conditions” for you to become a supervisor. The job duties of a supervisor in any department require the following:
Professional knowledge: proficiency in regulations, standards, and procedures for all departmental operations; experience in handling unforeseen situations effectively.
Communication skills, observation skills, and teamwork skills – coordinating work smoothly during shifts; Guidance and training for new employees; "personnel management" skills – helping employees work together harmoniously and resolving disputes and disagreements smoothly (if any).
Good health, honesty, quick thinking, and a high sense of responsibility in work…
– Sufficient condition: "The time is ripe"
Regarding the question "How long does it take to go from employee to supervisor?"
The answer from myself and many ambitious colleagues is 2 years. To advance, you need to take advantage of your time as an employee to actively learn, carefully observe how your supervisor works, and how they handle problems and situations arising in practice… thereby accumulating experience for yourself. Of course, there will also be "superhuman" receptionists who get promoted faster or slower than two years; this completely depends on each individual's efforts. Don't be afraid to learn, because youth only comes once in a lifetime.
When you meet the "necessary conditions" and the "opportunity is ripe," if the hotel needs a Supervisor position, you will be considered for promotion to Supervisor. In fact, many hotels hiring Supervisors have given experienced staff members the opportunity to challenge themselves in a new role. Therefore, the opportunities for you are numerous.
Front desk management and supervision requires more than just professional skills.
A manager is someone who organizes and implements administrative activities such as planning, organizing, directing, and supervising the allocation of human resources, finances, and operational standards, helping the organization achieve its goals while using human resources, finances, information, and facilities as efficiently as possible.
Therefore, if someone in a reception department is only skilled in their job – meaning they correctly follow the procedures and standards of the reception department – it's not enough to become a good manager. They need to possess other skills such as:
- The ability to inspire and foster initiative
- The ability to train the team
- The ability to adapt to new and unfamiliar situations
- Personal and team development
- The ability to keep promises
- Staying up-to-date with the latest market trends
- The ability to listen and appropriately acknowledge shortcomings
Thus, the preparation to become a professional reception supervisor or manager doesn't require anything too extraordinary. It's about continuous learning, cultivating professionalism, and developing leadership and inspirational abilities. These things don't come naturally, but it's not difficult to choose to invest in your future and become a Hospitality Manager when you come to Hai Phong Tourism College - a specialized training environment for Hospitality Management according to international standards.
