Career Profile: Hotel Desk Clerk	Home	Español	Activity
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What I Do: I work as a desk clerk at a large hotel in my city. My job is very important because I am the first person our guests meet. I try to be friendly and helpful so guests will like staying at our hotel. Most of our customers are business people. When they arrive, I check them in and give them the key to their room. I use a computer to check on reservations and enter the room charges. When guests leave, I print a copy of the bill for them. Sometimes guests call the front desk and ask questions, such as "Where is the ice machine on my floor?" or "Can you suggest a good restaurant?" I have to know a lot about our hotel and about our city.

Best and Hardest Parts of My Job: I really like my job, but sometimes it can be hard when guests complain. If someone asks for a non-smoking room, and we put them in a smoking room by mistake, I have to correct the problem. Sometimes I have to work from midnight to eight a.m. because the front desk must be manned twenty-four hours a day. That can be pretty tiring. The best part of my job, though, is knowing that I've made a guest feel welcome and comfortable at our hotel. I feel proud when a guest tells me she would like to stay here again on her next trip.

How I Got Started: When I was first hired, I learned how to be a desk clerk through on the job training. In the future, I would like to get into hotel management. I have enrolled in a hospitality course at a local college to learn more about this business. Maybe some day I will even manage my own hotel!