Your first job · 2 min read
Hotel front-desk practice in Ethiopia: handling a booking problem
Practise a respectful response to a fictional booking problem and prepare examples for interviews.
Front-desk work can involve listening carefully, checking a booking and asking a supervisor for help when a guest has a problem. This guide offers a fictional practice exercise. It is not a question from Ethiopian Airlines or a claim that a hotel is currently recruiting. For actual employer vacancies, check the Ethiopian Airlines careers page and the details for the individual notice. Hotel and airline roles can have different requirements, locations and application routes.
Practice scenario
A visitor arrives saying their reservation was for two nights, but your practice booking sheet shows one. You cannot access real guest information for this exercise. How would you respond?
A useful first response would be: “I’m sorry for the confusion. Let me check the reservation details and speak to my supervisor about the options.” Then compare the dates and booking reference, ask for clarification without blaming the guest, and follow the hotel’s procedures. Do not promise a room, refund or discount that you are not authorised to give.
Show what you can do
Think of an honest example from a class project, volunteer activity or previous work where you helped someone, solved a misunderstanding or recorded information carefully. Explain what happened, what you did and the result. If you speak multiple languages, identify your actual level rather than claiming fluency you do not have.
Before applying
Check whether the advert is open and whether it asks for a hospitality qualification, a particular language or previous experience. Confirm the workplace, hours, contract and any transport arrangements. Use the employer’s stated application route, and never pay an intermediary for a guaranteed job.