From having a good memory and excellent vision to handling small and large vehicles in narrow spaces, the role of the valet has its own specifics.
Whether you are a job applicant considering a job as a valet or an employer looking to learn more about the valet role in your business, you’ve come to the right place!
We’ll explain what being a valet looks like—from a valet job description to educational and training requirements, salary range and interview questions. Explore how much you can make as a valet in hospitality hubs like New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Valet Job Description
Serving as the first and last point of contact with guests in full-service hotels, restaurants, stores, sports arenas and other high-end establishments, a valet adds to a smooth and efficient guest experience.
With opportunities for growth and advancement, a valet job can be the start of a fulfilling career.
Provided for free or for a fee, valet services help to set upscale venues apart from their competitors.
Valet Responsibilities
Depending on the type of establishment, the responsibilities of a valet include:
- Directing traffic in the parking lot as guests are coming and leaving and providing them with instructions about the place where they can locate their vehicles
- Helping guests out of the car and assisting them with luggage or heavy items
- Parking guests’ cars in the designated parking area
- Returning the cars as guests leave
- Operating guest vehicles safely and securely
- Making sure the keys are either returned to the owner or labeled and stored safely
- Responding to inquiries from guests about nearby attractions, establishment features and amenities or additional services
- Ensuring that the parking area is clean and safe
- Working with other team members to coordinate luggage delivery and vehicle retrieval, as well as to report incidents or emergency situations
- Sorting and filing the documents related to the guests’ vehicles and the establishment’s daily business
- On some occasions, handling basic maintenance tasks, including tire or oil change, flat tire change or tire pressure checks
Valet Training & Education
Most hotels and restaurants require a valet to have a high school degree or GED equivalent.
Usually, no additional education is required, but a valet operation certificate and previous experience may be considered a plus.
Skills & Qualifications Needed to Become a Valet
Becoming a valet requires a specific set of skills and qualifications that ensure both handling vehicles with ease and providing top-notch customer service from the get-go.
Although the skills and qualifications needed to become a valet may vary from one facility to another, they typically include:
- A clean driver’s license
- In some companies, a valid personal car insurance
- Ability to handle various car types, from a small sports car to a large SUV, with both standard and automatic transmissions
- Excellent driving skills that allow maneuvering a vehicle in tight spaces
- Excellent vision and eye-hand coordination
- Good memory to remember where a car is parked and identify it among many other vehicles
- Ability to follow grooming standards and maintain a neat appearance
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Punctuality and reliability
- Ability to stay organized and focused
- Attention to detail
- Ability to prioritize the needs of the customer
- Ability to pay attention to several customers simultaneously
- Ability to stand for long hours
- Ability to work weekends and holidays
- Ability to work in various weather conditions
- Ability to work with private and sensitive information
- Accountability and personal integrity
- Strong work ethic
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