A master’s degree is often sought after as an indicator of one's academic success in a field. In the hospitality sector, business owners are keen to employ highly-qualified and well-educated individuals for hotel management.
Hospitality degrees are definitely worth it. They show potential employers that you have an understanding of the key concepts and values of hospitality and how to effectively manage a business.
With a
master’s degree, you open many doors to opportunities and can distinguish yourself from others in the job market.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of a master’s degree in hotel management.
5 Career Benefits of Having a Master’s in Hotel Management
Gain Early Work Experience
One of the most notable benefits of achieving a master’s in hotel management is that it gives you a direct job in the hospitality sector. Many institutions typically integrate internships and employment within the curriculum and provide support to students to find a job or internship right for them. This enables them to gain relevant work experience early on in their career, giving them a head start in the job market.
Since these universities may be affiliated with various hotel chains, they are able to directly offer students job positions that they may not have otherwise been able to get. Many top hotel brands also provide specific training programs for university students and graduates and visit different universities to choose a potential candidate.
Better Networking Opportunities
It’s common for students to think that a university is only for studying and learning about the course content, but the most valuable aspect of a university may not be its courses but the environment it provides.
Interacting with like-minded people will help you broaden your own thinking and develop a network of peers, staff, and alumni. This kind of networking is a sure way to open up the job market and be referred for potential job opportunities. Research suggests that around 70% of jobs are never even published and that 80% of jobs are filled through personal or professional connections. This highlights the power of having a strong network of connections.
Acquire Transferable Skills
In a master’s degree, you learn a combination of soft and hard skills that can be applied across a range of positions within the hospitality industry. If you ever think that perhaps hotel management is not right for you, your education can help you change roles and transition to another sphere within the hospitality sector.
By enrolling in a master’s degree program, you’ll be able to learn transferable skills by studying subjects such as:
- Accounting
- Travel & Tour Operations
- Hospitality Management Communication
- Events Management
- Sales & Marketing
- Economics
- Business Law
- Human Resources Management
The above units, combined with a set of soft skills that you’ll learn during your degree, can make it easier for you to change roles and step into a new direction for your career.
Higher Chances of Promotions
People with a master’s degree in hotel management are usually able to get a quicker promotion compared to those without a master’s. This means you can soon expect an attractive salary package with benefits even when starting from a junior role.
The hotel and accommodation sector is also one of the fields that have the highest rates of promotion. A survey by the Hotel and Lodging Association shares that 50% of hotel managers started from entry-level positions and that 94% of people got promoted in the first year of employment.
Many major hotel brands are also open to promoting promising graduates that show potential in the hospitality sector. These young individuals are often more tech-savvy and in the know about the current industry trends, which may make them a better choice for management and leadership positions.
Internationally Recognized Qualification
Completing a master’s program from a reputable university in the hospitality sector will grant you an internationally-recognized degree. This will enable you to apply for jobs in the international market. Since hotel management is a global industry, you can increase your chances of finding employment opportunities anywhere in the world with an internationally recognized master’s degree.
Conclusion
Undergraduates might question the value of a master’s in hotel management as they believe it does not bring enough benefits for the cost of enrollment. However, in this article, we looked at five benefits that a master’s in hotel management can provide students.
Universities that offer a master’s degree teach students valuable soft and hard skills enabling them to easily transfer roles and get quickly promoted to senior positions. We hope this article will motivate you to pursue a master’s degree in hotel management to distinguish yourself in the job market.
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