Lisa was working in an environment that is essentially a 'people' business. Her role called for excellent communication and number skills. However, this is very much a multi-skilled job and Lisa found she had to draw on all her Key Skills to get the job done.

The Main Key Skills

Communication:
Being a good communicator is one of the main requirements for this type of job. Lisa's strength was that she was very good with people. She got on well with staff and clients. The job involves talking to people at all levels, from briefing staff to liaising with clients and dealing with customers.

Lisa found that being a job listener was an advantage. She took good notes on what the client was looking for. Doing the job well meant being clear and organised, in order to avoid confusion or costly mistakes. Lisa also needed good written communication skills to help put across a professional message.

Good presentation skills are also important. If you come across as a professional and can put your ideas across clearly, your client is going to have more confidence in your abilities.

Number:
This job is all about selling bookings that will generate money for the hotel. It involves dealing with major costs, so you need to have a good grip on numbers. Lisa was expected to cost out all the facilites and accommodation and present them as a package for the client. She also had to understand her calculations so that she could justify the costs and ensure that the booking was cost effective.

IT:
Good IT skills are definitely an advantage in this job. All the bookings are likely to be held on a central booking system. This means learning how the system works and being able to understand how to interpret the information held there. You will also need to know how to enter bookings into the system yourself.

A good knowledge of word processing packages means that you will be able to put together written confirmations for your client. You will also need to know how to use email and how to send faxes. Spreadsheets help with organising financial information.