Toward a Definition of Entry-Level Job Competencies: Hospitality Manager Perspectives

This article reports the findings of a study conducted in the central Florida metropolitan statistical area (MSA) to determine practising managers' perceptions of expected entry-level hospitality worker competencies. Preliminary phases of the study yielded the construction of an instrument used to determine the importance of certain knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes of newly hired workers. The information provided by the respondents is used to draw conclusions and provide implications for a more comprehensive understanding of hospitality worker competencies. Finally, the article considers future investigations in the areas of composite employee profiles, motivational preferences, and benchmarking. (C) 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.