What does the job involve?
As Conference and Event Sales Manager, you'll be in charge of the conference sales department in a hotel.
Key responsibilities
Main areas of a Conference and Event Sales Manager's work include:
- dealing with the public, including handling complaints
- selling conferences and events over the phone
- staff training and welfare
- controlling the use of rooms
- increasing turnover
In some smaller hotels you may also:
- run the department on a day-to-day basis
What skills do I need?
Your main focus will be dealing with the public so you should have:
- Excellent people skills: to help you in your day-to-day dealings with the public, including handling complaints.
- Good telephone skills and a willingness to carry out telesales: you should be comfortable using the telephone as you'll be required to sell conferences and events to clients over the phone.
What qualifications do I need?
There are a number of vocational courses available, and many hotel companies offer training programmes for sales staff on the specific skills they'll require.
Is it the right job for me?
To be a successful Conference and Events Sales Manager, you'll need to be comfortable dealing with the public, either face-to-face or on the telephone. You'll also need to be a strong manager. If you enjoy running your own department, you may consider working in a smaller hotel where this responsibility would fall under your remit.