Hotel front desk clerks

Annual Earnings

$38,584

Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities

High School Diploma

Job Openings
(2023-2033)

1,100

Career Overview

Hotel front desk clerks make room reservations, provide information and services to guests and receive payments. They are the "frontline" for hotels, as they greet customers and assign rooms.

People in this occupation:

Are the main contact for guests during their stay
Work for hotels, motels and resorts
Should have an interest in hospitality service, strong interpersonal skills and enjoy meeting new people
Need the ability to multitask
Should have excellent customer service skills, including conflict management and a knowledge of the local area
Should have computer skills and knowledge of a second language

Duties

Hotel front desk clerks perform the following duties:

Maintain an inventory of vacancies, reservations and room assignments
Register arriving guests and assign rooms
Answer inquiries regarding guest services and registration by email, letter, by telephone and in person
Provide information about services available in the community and respond to guest complaints
Compile and check daily record sheets, guest accounts, receipts and vouchers using computerized or manual systems
Present statements of charges to departing guests and receive payment
May perform the combined jobs of switchboard operator, concierge and night auditor

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$38,584

Provincial Hourly Rate

High

$28.00/hr

Median

$18.50/hr

Low

$16.75/hr

Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

2,555

% Employed Full Time

35%

Source: 2021 Census

Working conditions can vary depending on the size of hotel. Front desk clerks working in large hotels will likely work with guests at the front desk for their entire shift. These workers will likely also work with other front desk clerks. In smaller hotels, or during the winter season, a front desk clerk may work alone and may also perform more varied roles, including administrative work.

Most hotels are located in urban centres. However, individuals may also be employed in resorts and lodges in rural areas or in smaller establishments throughout the province. The pace of the work can be fast during peak periods.

As hotel front desks must be staffed almost around the clock, these workers are often required to work nights, very early mornings, and evening and weekend shifts.

Front desk clerks provide services to guests throughout their stay, which may range from making restaurant reservations to arranging security for celebrity guests., Front desk clerks must tend to guests needs, so they may have to deal with difficult situations when a hotel guest has a complaint.

Hotel front desk clerks spend a good portion of the work day on their feet. They also spend a good deal of time on the phone and using computer terminals for booking reservations. Technological advances are also changing the way front desk clerks operate, so they increasingly use email and search the internet to find answers to guests' questions.

Hotel front desk clerks may also have a dress code.

Career Pathways

New hospitality program graduates often find positions as front desk clerks, room checkers or reservations agents.

Front desk clerks can move immediately to concierge positions, office or housekeeping supervisors, or sales associates.

Workers with experience and further education may progress to positions in the sales and marketing department of the hotel or to other positions, such as front office supervisor or manager, rooms division manager, director of guest services, assistant hotel manager, hotel general manager or director of sales.

Hotel front desk clerks may also progress to supervisory positions in other areas of hospitality and tourism, food and beverage services, or recreation.

Related Careers

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Enterprising

(

Persuaders

)

Social

(

Helpers

)

Conventional

(

Organizers

)

Job Titles

Guest services agent - hotel

Hotel front desk clerk

Night clerk

Reservations clerk - hotel

Room clerk

Education, Training and Skills

Completion of secondary school is generally required. Employers may also require post-secondary courses in hospitality service or business.

Certification is available, but not required by employers. “Emerit” professional certification is available from go2, the official “emerit” representative in B.C. This certification leads to the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council's designation Tourism Certified Professional (Front Desk Agent).

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

Hospitality/Tourism Management

Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Visit EducationPlannerBC

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

73%

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

73%

Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

71%

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

67%

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

57%

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

51%

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

50%

Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

50%

Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

50%

Persuasion

Convincing others to change their mind or behaviour.

48%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

2,555

Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Cariboo

Kootenay

Mainland/Southwest

North Coast and Nechako

Northeast

Thompson-Okanagan

Vancouver Island/Coast

Region	Employment	% Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo	160	6.3%
Kootenay	115	4.5%
Mainland/Southwest	1,075	42.2%
North Coast and Nechako	70	2.7%
Northeast	90	3.5%
Thompson-Okanagan	490	19.2%
Vancouver Island/Coast	545	21.4%

Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)

1,100

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Cariboo

Kootenay

Mainland/Southwest

North Coast and Nechako

Northeast

Thompson-Okanagan

Vancouver Island/Coast

Region	Job Openings	Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo	70	2.7%
Kootenay	0	-0.8%
Mainland/Southwest	550	1.4%
North Coast and Nechako	0	-0.1%
Northeast	40	1.5%
Thompson-Okanagan	140	1.5%
Vancouver Island/Coast	300	1.7%

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

Industry	Job Openings (2023-2033)
Accommodation And Food Services	1,100
Educational Services	0
Agriculture And Fishing	0

For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

Many of the expected openings will result from new accommodations or the expansion of existing businesses. The other openings will arise due to the need to replace those who retire or move on to other occupations.

Older hotel properties are renovating and expanding to meet market demand. Other properties are merging under specialty property management firms that wish to target particular markets. This changing marketplace is, in part, creating new demand for these workers.

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games has resulted in some of the growth in tourism as those who visited the province for the Games return to travel to other areas.