The hospitality industry encompasses a wide variety of businesses; from bars, restaurants and other types of food service, to hotels, motels, providers of recreation and establishments that cater to tourists. Common to all of the sector’s many specializations is a focus on quality customer service and fast-paced, day-to-day problem solving. So if you are detail-oriented, excel at communicating with others and are able to tolerate a sometimes hectic work environment, you may find hospitality suitable.

This is a field with many entry-level positions that require little to no education or training, but are often accompanied by low wages. There is, however, ample opportunity to advance through certification, education and experience into a managerial role, and there are even degrees and graduate programs that focus on the finance, marketing and management of hotels, resorts, restaurants and related businesses. The American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute has published a detailed career path of available certifications and their corresponding positions in hotel management, which illustrates the wide array of positions with transferable skills in the hospitality industry.