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You may be reading this article because you are interested in catering, you are thinking about what you want to be when you grow up or maybe you are already in the catering business. Maybe you are in food job service or maybe you've done catering services jobs or even restaurant management jobs. What is it like to be a director of catering? Let's look at a job description.

The director of catering must be experienced in many things, especially management, hotel management, as well as organization and planning. The director will be communicating information related to all events and all aspects of each event. Hours are crazy, as some of the people with whom you will work, work for ten hours, 12 hours, 17 hours, you may find yourself vacuuming the ball room at 2 am after you sent all your exhausted workers home. You might say your hours are long and never-ending.

How does it sound so far? It's not an ordinary life by any means. You may do sales calls 2 to 4 hours some days and 10 plus hours other days to build your list of clients for the upcoming months. Boring is not a word you will never use as director of catering. This is not a job you like, you have to love it! Depending on the place you work will require different types of hours. A director of catering for a corporation can plan a picnic and several holiday parties throughout the year; and also possible staff events throughout the year. You might even do catering for large seminars the corporation offers to employees or clientele.



Where Does a Director of Catering Work and With Whom Does He Work?

A director of catering can work any where food is served to large groups. Hospitals, schools, colleges, churches, corporations, independent catering businesses that do catering for everything from catering weddings, Christmas parties, new years eve parties, to picnics. A director will work with all kinds of people in the food service industry—people in food server jobs, food hospitality jobs, food and food services managers. Other people will be found in guest services jobs, food beverage jobs and food restaurant jobs if creating an event at an exclusive restaurant.

What is the Salary for a Director of Catering?

A catering/sales director can earn 55k to 65K plus large commissions as a percentage of sales. A catering sales manager can bring home 38K to 45K and bonuses are small like 500 or 1000. However benefits are great, you can usually get insurance, 401K plan, vacation time plus free stays in sister hotels if it's a large chain. Really great perk, eat for free most of the time.

When Does a Director of Catering have Days Off?

This is something you have to know before going into the industry. Catering is usually done on all major holidays. So forget being off for National Days, Christmas, Fourth of July, New Years Eve and New Years Day. If you have a family it's a tough business to work not only because of working through holidays but also the long hours that are worked for other large events. Days off would have to be planned in between events. You have to have a passion for the job and nothing less will do. There are many who try the job because it is exciting, there's never a normal schedule and pay is good. The job market is wide open for food services employment.

Other Skills Required in Managing or Directing Catering Events

Here is a sample ad that a hotel placed to hire a director of catering/convention services. It's not uncommon to see director positions paired with other positions such as marketing, sales or managerial. The scale for the need of "catering director" alone has only increased slightly over the past year and appears to be dipping a little in 2008. But this is not representative of the food service industry. It appears, as pointed out earlier, the catering director's job is being paired with other necessary lead jobs in the industry. Now let's take a look at the director of catering/convention services position.

''Director of Catering & Convention Services

Candidates must possess strong communication skills; the ability to negotiate, convince, sell and influence customers. They will be able to demonstrate extensive experience with social catering and banquet group events. the ability to solicit, negotiate and book new and repeat business through various efforts including, outside sales calls, telemarketing, mailings, referrals and networking. The right candidate will have experience maximizing catering revenue by yielding high demand periods; the ability to develop a marketing strategy by analyzing historical, current and future hotel/market trends and creating selling strategies to capture the maximum amount of revenue and meet/exceed sales goals. In addition this individual must be proficient in computer skills, be detail-oriented and organized. Proficiency in Delphi is a plus and knowledge of the hotel and/or convention center operations is required. Responsibilities include planning, up-selling and detailing all aspects of events with the client, including verification and modification of space requirements, times, equipment, menus, and audiovisual requirements. This position is also responsible for the guest room details of the events, including rooming lists, upgrades, VIPs, amenities and cover sheets.

Key requirements for the position include; ensuring that all revenue goals are achieved or exceeded.''

Resources:
Lancaster Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, PA

Here's another ad that lists the requirements of a very high position as Director of Catering:

Job Requirements: Director of Catering

Experience, Skills, and Knowledge
  • 5+ years in Catering Sales and Convention Services required.
  • Must have experience at a similar size and quality hotel.
  • High School Diploma required; Bachelor's Degree preferred.
  • Must possess computer skills, including, but not limited to, use of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Delphi. Knowledge of computer accounting jobs programs, math skills, as well as budgetary analysis capabilities required.
  • Extensive knowledge of catering sales and convention services skills, revenue management, recruitment, supervision, training, and motivation of managers.
  • Knowledge of hotel management operations, including marketing plans, security and safety programs, personnel and labor relations, preparation of business plans, repairs, maintenance, budget forecasting, quality assurance programs, hospitality jobs law, and long-range planning.
  • Ability to work effectively under time constraints and deadlines.
  • Command of the English language both written and verbal.''
Resources:
HEI Hotels and Resorts
Norwalk, CT

This last position is very demanding and the salary is highly competitive. It's a great field of work with incredible challenges. If you're currently in the food service field and wish to move up, there is always a place to go with a degree and/or experience.
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