Hospitality, Tourism & Travel Jobs Chicago, IL

Interested in a role within the hospitality industry? The Chicago Hospitality, Tourism & Travel category is the best place to find open positions for bartender, chefs, servers, hotel staff, travel coordinators, and more! Whether you’re on the hunt for a part-time job to make some extra cash or ready for a full-time position, if the hospitality and tourism sector is right for you, you’ll be sure to find what you’re looking for here. Unsure of what you’re looking for? Then we’re here to help!

Is a hospitality career right for you?

For most hospitality roles, a good candidate is someone who loves working with people, has a “the customer is always right” mentality, with a positive attitude, and an outgoing personality. Of course, different positions will come with different opportunities and challenges so let’s dive into those career paths and what would make you a good fit for each.

Bartender: If you’re a night owl who can handle a fast-paced environment and learn quickly on the job, bartending may be the perfect gig for you. This role requires no formal education, there are courses you could take to learn about mixology and cocktails, but most bartenders learn as they go. You can find jobs typically in restaurants, hotels, bars, and clubs, but can also find more flexible positions in catering or events.

Chef, Cook & Baker: If you have a love of food and a passion for cooking, working as a chef may be an obvious choice for you. It is possible to work as a cook without a postsecondary education, but often people will go to technical schools, culinary schools, or take some local courses in culinary arts. On Locanto you can find roles for sous chefs, cooks, and bakers. If your goal is to become a head chef and lead kitchen staff, you will have to have the knowledge of food preparation, the creativity for developing recipes and menus, and also the business sense to be able to run a restaurant and work with suppliers.

Host, Greeter & Concierge: Are you an organized person with a positive outlook, happy to be the face of the company, and the first one to greet guests and assist them? If so, working as a host or hostess at a restaurant or a concierge at a hotel could be the experience you’re looking for. At restaurants, the duties usually are to manage reservations, greet and seat guests, hear out customer complaints, and handle telephone calls. At a hotel, the responsibilities are similar but there would be more administrative tasks and a higher importance on professionalism.

Recreational roles: In a recreational coordinator, specialist, or manager position, you would work with people in your community, children or adults, assisting with events and activities. Depending on the role and the organization the duties will differ, but you could put on classes for sports, arts, or other hobbies.

Tourism: Working in the travel industry is a great idea for people with great organizational and time management skills, as well as a love for other cultures and a passion for travel. You could find work as a travel agent or specialist, helping people plan their dream vacations. Or work as a tour director, introducing tourists to the must-see spots near you. However, if your goal is to travel, then landing a remote position, or a flexible role as a travel writer or flight attendant might be better suited for you.

Waiter & Waitress: If you’re looking for a job as a waiter or waitress, you can find plenty of listings available here. Working at a restaurant or bar is usually a fast-paced environment, ideal for an outgoing individual who loves working with people and providing great customer service. You can usually find very flexible full or part-time positions as a server, so this can be a perfect job for someone currently studying or working a side job.

Hopefully, this list helps guide you in your decision toward a career path, but keep in mind that this is not exhaustive. Every role will be different so it’s important to read each job description carefully and put yourself out there when applying.