Online Hospitality Management Courses Worth Time

[cookderosa]

Hi everyone, 

I've been looking to move up in my current job as a bartender. I'm one of the most well respected bartenders at our establishment. But there's a pretty strict divide between management and those pouring the drinks. Is it worth my time (in this job or transferring to another) to take some non university credit courses for hospitality management/restaurant management? Or should I just look into going back to school.

I found a good list of online non-credit hospitality management courses ( http://hospitalitymanagementdegrees.net/...t-courses/ ). Anyone have any experience with Udemy, study.com, alison hospitality management courses?

restaurant management doesn't require a degree, but the kick in the pants is that everyone you're going up against will have one.
You could do a degree online, there are a handful of specialty colleges that would bring name recognition to the table, but you could also do professional development courses in a fraction of the time. Single classes probably won't be resume-worthy. As an example, if you could take a 1 week in person course through Cornell or CIA, that would certainly had some bravado to your credentials. Also, I would suggest you consider what you want to do TWO levels from now. For instance, restaurant management would give you all front of the house operations, but you are still going to hit a big fat ceiling in terms of pay and experience. If you wanted to head into club management, as an example, there are some strategies that will take you that direction and would BUILD on your restaurant management for sure. I guess what I'm saying is you have to decide if you want to manage a KFC or are you thinking more of something full service - if full service, then where? Hotel? CountryClub? Resort? Those are competitive, so while they are totally attainable, you have to plan so you don't have missteps that require explaining later. Franchise/chain management isn't going to require more than work experience but unless you go corporate, you're making more money now as a bartender. So- what's your end game?

PS one more thought, have you thought about adding wine /spirit credentials to your resume? Easy ones like WSET would be a slam dunk but very elite accomplishments like becoming a master sommelier make a lot more money than a restaurant manager.


CORNELL: https://sha.cornell.edu/admissions-progr...cates.html

Restaurant Manager data https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/food-...nagers.htm