How To Become A Members Club Host

A Host is the first point of contact for members and guests in a Members Club, which makes you responsible for delivering 5 Star first impressions to members and their guests – that’s no small task!

A Host will also typically be responsible for handling reservations & bookings, seating arrangements, queries, taking payments, and overall creating a relaxing setting for guests to enjoy their time in.

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Useful skills to put in your CV:

• A welcoming character that everyone can get along with.
• The ability to think quickly and appropriately handle challenging situations.
• Strong organisational skills.
• The ability to handle several tasks at the same time.
• A high level of technological literacy – must be comfortable using relevant software for bookings, seating plans, etc.

Top Skills-boosting Tips

Having great customer service and a friendly and respectful personality is crucial to being an excellent host and providing guests with consistently high quality, memorable service.

How Do You Get These Skills?

Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.

Build Your Skills With the FREE Young Professional Programme

School, College And Training

Though this may not be the case for some clubs, typically there are no specific academic qualifications needed for entering work as a members club host, although the following qualifications will help your application to stand out:

• A higher education qualification such as a bachelor’s degree.
• Short course/BTEC qualifications from courses focused on hospitality.

Hospitality Apprenticeships

If you want to get straight into a role and don’t have directly relevant qualifications or experience, you can train on the job and earn money at the same time by taking an apprenticeship in hospitality.

These are available at different levels. After gaining some experience you could take the:

• Level 1/2 Hospitality NVQ/SVQ
• Level 3 Hospitality supervisor advanced apprenticeship
• Level 4 Hospitality manager higher apprenticeship

Once you are ready, the GOV.UK Find an Apprenticeship service can help you to find suitable positions.

What experience do you need to be a Members Club Host?

The following experience can be useful:

• Previous experience as a host in a member’s club.
• A year or more’s experience in a similar role may be considered. What qualifies as a similar role could be a number of Front of House positions whereby delivering a high standard of customer service is the first priority.
• Candidates with experience as a receptionist in hospitality environments could potentially be additionally desirable as there is a significant crossover between the duties of a receptionist and that of a host.

Who Can Help?

Many professional bodies also offer a range of training opportunities, including activities that count towards continuing professional development (CPD). Find out more below:

• Hospitality Guild – lists training courses including college-based qualifications and apprenticeships, regulation and licensing courses, and CPD options.
• Institute of Hospitality – offers a range of hospitality-related qualifications, professional development workshops, webinars, online courses and networking events.
• UKHospitality – hosts various events across the year and provides publications and resources for members.

With time and experience, you can move in different directions – for example, you could become a head wine buyer, and focus on the sales side of wine, rather than the hospitality side of helping guests.

You could work to become the owner of a Members Club, or become a hotel manager in time – your understanding of five star service can take you in all kinds of career directions.

• Hospitality apprenticeships
• Hospitality graduate schemes

You can also take a look at our database of local opportunities to see if there are any relevant jobs, work placements, or careers events and workshops to help you get started.

These employers all carry our Youth Friendly Employer Mark. We work with them to make sure that they are providing great support and opportunities to young people.

Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.

These employers all carry our Youth Friendly Employer Mark. We work with them to make sure that they are providing great support and opportunities to young people.

Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.