Most people think of a concierge as the go-to person at a hotel. In fact, a concierge is a person who provides personal services and assistance in a variety of settings. Although many concierges service guests at hotels, there are other types of concierge jobs available for those with a passion for helping people.
Concierges do not tend to make a great deal of money compared to many jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they had a median salary of $27,860, as of May 2010. However, becoming a concierge can be the first step in getting involved in the hospitality industry and is a rewarding job for those who like to help people.
The highest-paying concierge jobs do tend to be in hotels in New York, California, and Las Vegas. For example, New York concierges had a salary of a little over $40,000, and the Nevada group averaged $33,000. At around $30,000, California was a little lower.
There are other jobs for concierges, though. Some real estate management companies hire concierges to help orient new tenants to the facilities and surrounding areas. Of the 19,650 total concierges in the May 2010 statistics, almost 3000 were hired by these real estate management companies. Another 2000 or so provide some kind of personal services related to real estate.
Another group of concierges assist business owners and managers in office buildings. Some of the larger office buildings provide a variety of services that call for personal assistance, including both personal and business services.
Retirement homes accounted for close to 800 concierge jobs. These are vibrant communities with a great deal of public activities. Those interested in working with and improving the quality of life of the elderly may enjoy getting one of these concierge jobs.
A small number of people also start personal concierge services in their local area. They may advertise for personal services or just spread the concierge service options by word of mouth. Similar to others, these concierges provide assistance or information about the surrounding community to those who are not familiar with the area or do not have a lot of local contacts for information.
Getting work as a concierge can be very competitive. To give yourself an advantage, any experience working directly with the public can be helpful. In terms of education, hotel and restaurant management is a degree option that will allow you to expand your horizons beyond concierge work. There are also hospitality degrees that will provide many of the skills and knowledge necessary for work as a concierge.
Resources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics: Concierge Career and Salary Information