Innkeeper search

My name is Christine.
A little about me, I am a single mom of three wonderful children. One is away at college. I currently have two jobs. I am a Police, Fire and 911 dispatcher. I have been with the same department for 13 years. I have been looking for a change due to the nature of this position and the increase in heart wrenching calls. It has been hard lately to keep a positive outlook on the world. My work has always been rewarding but lately it is harder to stay positive. My second job is as rewarding as the first but it allows me to use my creativity and organizational skills. I am a Wedding and Event Planner. Every moment of time I get to spend with a happy couple or planning a party for families is so much fun. I have been planning events for many years, I enjoy it so much I started my own business two years ago. I have learned a lot about customer service and dealing with difficult clients as well as blissfully happy people which makes my day.
If you are still reading you are probably wondering why I am telling you anything about myself. Well, I have been dreaming of owning my own Bed and Breakfast or Inn for a very long time. Unfortunately my wallet doesn't agree with me at this time. I have been visiting different Inns and Bed and Breakfast to get a feel for what qualifications and abilities go into running a successful facility/home. I do not take this lightly at all. I know that this endeavor will require a lot of time, creativity and commitment, but I am a highly motivated person. I love to laugh, and smile and I try to find the positive, in everything. I am a good listener and problem solver, which I kind of have to be with the jobs I currently have. I pay attention to details and believe that it is the little things you do that people remember the most.
Currently, My fiance, who has been an auto mechanic and landscaper for 16 years and I are looking for a live-in innkeeper position and have sent out multiple resumes. We are willing to relocate.
I was wondering if you have any advise for us and if you could tell me what qualifications you believe a good innkeeper should possess. Do you have any recommendations on what my next step should be on this innkeeper journey. Any direction you have would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for your time.

Best of luck! You sound like a good fit for an innkeeper job!

any kind of courses you can take are useful - there are some online if you can't get away - this may be of interest - http://bedandbreakfastcoach.com/new-home/ or http://creatingbookings.com/
both do a lot of free stuff you can read any time or paid for stuff depending on if it interest you - shows you are serious.
Lots of State specific inn courses just do a google search

Sound like you are doing the right things. Take some courses online or at a conference. I would suggest doing the conference one if you can since you will meet people-social networking- as they call it. That person you ate lunch with at the conference might be looking for help in a couple months or a year, or maybe knows a friend who might need someone, you never know. Also see about being a maid at a B&B, working front desk at a hotel, etc. See if you even like the work!
Also put some money aside. Even if it means getting a piggy bank and each paycheck put so much in there and determine not to take it out. I heard of people doing that so I decided to give it a try this year, it couldn't hurt. So I put my tip money aside. I had a nice stash at the end of summer. I plan to do it again because it works!
The B&B Team and other places have innkeepers wanted ads. You can also put an ad up, looking for a position. One place its free to do so. Try Indeed as well since they pool from other locations and ads.

Experience. Think of it this way - would you turn over your seat at the 911 desk to someone who only knew how to answer a phone?
You know how to plan a party. But you're asking owners to hand over their livelihood to someone whose experience is equivalent to a 911 dispatcher only knowing how to answer the phone.
See if there are innkeepers in your area who need short term minding of their operation while they go out for dinner. Then work up to minding the shop overnight. Then a full weekend.
Cold calling resume mailing will generally get you nothing because I see nothing in your comments here that say I can trust you with my only source of income.

Please keep us up to date on how it is going and you can learn a lot right here.

Dispatch is so stressful with the nature of the job plus changing shifts. But....
It is generally well paid, so (not knowing you), if you can stay long enough to build a nest egg, do it. I did very similar very stressful work for 18 years (and nearly transitioned into 911 dispatch). It paid for much of the rehab and remodel on the property we eventually purchased. Inn-sitting is not lucrative. That said, everyone's path is different.
With your event planning and your fiance's landscaping, you are well on your way to being of use to innkeepers during vacations or long term. You know as a long time dispatch operator, how your abilities have grown and changed over the years. Innkeepers prefer seasoned innkeepers for minding the store. It is our livelihood, plus an important part of our identities.
Agree with Mort, you need experience and a list of core skills.
They include cooking and service, presentation and timing, immaculate housekeeping (the dust every surface kind - including the air cond vents and tops of light and room fan blades, removing mold before it starts in tubs/showers, removing and/or painting out wall marks, the list is endless and very time consuming), housekeeping is hard work, guests notice what we would overlook in our private homes. Some inns have help with this, my two room does not.
You'll need familiarity with various booking engines as each inn is different, and double booking will engender some very negative business-killing reactions. Check out similar inn-minding services for the list of skills the service is selling. Same for experience with credit card processing.
Agree if a local inn is willing to give you a try, that would be a good start.
Your telecommunication experience tells me you have the tenacity to pursue this line of work and the ability to roll with the punches.
You can do this.

Thank you for your responses. I have always been the type of person that when I want something I jump all in, never been the dip your toe in kind of person. While in high school I was not as outgoing as I wanted to be. When I decided to go to college I made a promise to myself that I would not be the girl in the corner. My first week there, I decided that the best way to do this would be to run for our class Vice-President. I enjoyed the whole process from getting nominations and running my campaign. I met so many great people. I won that election. The next year I ran for the presidency. I was fortunate to hold this position through out my graduation from the University. The work I did with the University and students was amazing but hard work and time consuming. I graduated with a bachelor degree. I needed a job so I applied everywhere. But everyone wanted experience. I took a front desk job at a YMCA. For a few months I checked people in and out, created memberships and handled all complaints. I got to know the job and created friendships. When the payroll manager for three YMCA's retired a month later, I jumped at it. I had no experience but I did have the support from the YMCA President who liked my friendly attitude and willingness to learn. For five years I held this position as well as the Assistant Swim coach. Unfortunately due to the economy there were layoffs and hours cut. I was asked to cut my hours. Needing full time employment, I decided to leave. A friend told me about an emergency dispatcher position so not having any experience I jumped in. Boy do I have experience now! Thirteen years later, hear I am again looking to make a change. Yes, I do make good money here, but I ask myself is it worth it. I enjoy helping people but it is the people who I cannot help that sticks with me. Those horrible calls that make you think could I have done better. So with your advice and my go get it attitude I will continue my search for the right opportunity. Thank you! I look forward to any future advise and support.

cpierce55 said:

Thank you for your responses. I have always been the type of person that when I want something I jump all in, never been the dip your toe in kind of person. While in high school I was not as outgoing as I wanted to be. When I decided to go to college I made a promise to myself that I would not be the girl in the corner. My first week there, I decided that the best way to do this would be to run for our class Vice-President. I enjoyed the whole process from getting nominations and running my campaign. I met so many great people. I won that election. The next year I ran for the presidency. I was fortunate to hold this position through out my graduation from the University. The work I did with the University and students was amazing but hard work and time consuming. I graduated with a bachelor degree. I needed a job so I applied everywhere. But everyone wanted experience. I took a front desk job at a YMCA. For a few months I checked people in and out, created memberships and handled all complaints. I got to know the job and created friendships. When the payroll manager for three YMCA's retired a month later, I jumped at it. I had no experience but I did have the support from the YMCA President who liked my friendly attitude and willingness to learn. For five years I held this position as well as the Assistant Swim coach. Unfortunately due to the economy there were layoffs and hours cut. I was asked to cut my hours. Needing full time employment, I decided to leave. A friend told me about an emergency dispatcher position so not having any experience I jumped in. Boy do I have experience now! Thirteen years later, hear I am again looking to make a change. Yes, I do make good money here, but I ask myself is it worth it. I enjoy helping people but it is the people who I cannot help that sticks with me. Those horrible calls that make you think could I have done better. So with your advice and my go get it attitude I will continue my search for the right opportunity. Thank you! I look forward to any future advise and support..

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Also don't just hold out for the perfect opportunity its all about stepping stones, keep looking around, enquiring, networking etc you never know what might pop up - shame you don't live anywhere near me (UK based) as have a neigbour who will need back up shortly as is having to have a hysterectomy due to fibroids and will need solid back up for at least 2 months.