Are you a restaurant or hotel manager thinking of pursuing a higher-level role? You may be considering multi-unit management, district management, director of operations, or a VP-level role. When I was in your shoes, my sights were set on general management and executive positions. 

In this blog, I’m sharing honest feedback on the pros and cons of hospitality general manager roles versus VP-level roles to help you think through your next hospitality career move. If you’d like to discuss these or other high-level hospitality roles in more detail, get in touch and let’s talk. I’m a Senior Recruiting Partner with Goodwin Recruiting, the leader in hospitality talent recruiting, and I welcome a connection with you. 

A unique perspective from a hospitality industry recruiter   

I joined Goodwin Recruiting with more than 35 years of hospitality experience. During those years, I ascended through a variety of hospitality management roles. There were things I loved about each job, and there were also different levels of stress and pressure, depending on the role. But there was more.  

What I found over time is that as my title shifted up the ranks, the number of job opportunities shifted in reverse. In other words, the higher I climbed, the fewer the job openings became.  

This is the reality of career progression in any industry. There are just fewer people at the top; however, think about this in terms of gaining qualifications and leadership skills that will give you a stronger competitive edge in landing those more limited, sought-after leadership roles! 

Which leadership path will you choose? 

Let’s say you’re torn between pursuing a general manager role versus moving into a multi-unit, director, or VP role. From my perspective as both an industry veteran and industry talent recruiter, you may find better options and more opportunities at the GM level. 

Let’s dive into some pros and cons of the GM versus VP career direction.  

Hotel and Restaurant General Managers:   

• Pros: Typically, hospitality general managers enjoy comfortable pay, less stress than VP-level roles, rewarding leadership for the establishment, relationship-building opportunities with staff and guests – and as mentioned, more job opportunities.  

• Cons: Challenges include dealing with guest complaints, keeping up with evolving guest expectations, and especially staffing issues, like high turnover and employees who may not show up for work.  

Hotel and Restaurant Vice Presidents:   

• Pros: Hospitality VPs enjoy significant compensation for their leadership abilities through salaries, bonuses, and benefits packages. They’re central to strategic planning for the company and have influence and impact on the guest experience, revenue, and business success. 

• Cons: Hospitality VPs are typically required to invest more hours on the job, and today, they experience higher levels of stress, pressure, and accountability due to rising operational and labor costs. And there are fewer job opportunities (the higher you climb…).  

Strong leadership is in demand, no matter what path you choose 

The hospitality industry has dramatically changed through technological advancements, market expansion and diversification, sustainable and eco-friendly practices, health and safety innovations, and much more.  

While all of this creates more jobs, what stays constant is the number of high-level hospitality management positions, which have remained proportionate during industry growth and expansion. 

For me personally, looking back, I so enjoyed the day-to-day of being a general manager – the flexibility, the camaraderie with my team, improving guest satisfaction, and a little less stress when I went home at night. Those are all things that meant a lot to me while working in the hospitality industry, and they still do. If this resonates with you, read on! 

Check out our hospitality general manager roles  

If you are a natural leader and enjoy the day-to-day of connecting with people (minus the added stress that often comes with director and VP-level roles), then landing a general manager role might be the best next step for your career. 

There are plenty of amazing general manager opportunities available through Goodwin Recruiting with leading hospitality companies nationwide. Many are listed on our hospitality job board, which is updated daily. You can also sign up to receive job alerts that are specific to your job search.  

Call on me if you’re looking for a recruiting partner for career guidance and an industry expert to be on your side during your job search for a leadership role. I’d love to learn more about your story and see if I can help you take the next exciting step in your restaurant or hotel industry career!