OCCUPATION: FRONT DESK CLERK

Name: Sandra Navarro

Company: Red Lion Hotels & Inns

Thumbs up: “I get to meet a lot of interesting people from interesting places and from all over the world. We just had the Freedom Bowl people. And we had one of the high school bands that was in the Rose Bowl parade. It’s just a lot of fun. There is a variety of people from a variety of places. They come from as far as Australia to right down the street.”

Thumbs down: “The only thing I can think of is that since the hotel is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, sometimes the hours can be odd. And occasionally there will be one guest who is a little demanding, but you get used to it and it all seems to work out.”

Next step: “I originally started out as a switchboard operator in the hotel, then I moved to the front desk. The next step would be to a front desk supervisor, but being in the hotel gives me a lot of places to go.”

Advice: “Sometimes there is only so much you can do. But as long as you do your best, you’ll be OK. You really have to like working with people. And you have to be able to have something thrown at you and be able to deal with it and not leave it for the next guy.”

Salary range: $5 to $8.50 hourly.

Fringe benefits: Most receive medical, dental and vision insurance, paid vacation and sick leave. Some receive retirement plans, profit sharing, stock purchases, free meals and child care.

Educational and training requirements: Most hotels are willing to hire an inexperienced person and give on-the-job training for people who have good people skills and an ability to solve problems.

Size of work force: Small. In Orange County, 1,000 to 1,200 people, or 0.09% of the labor force, work as desk clerks.

Expected demand: Stable. Graveyard and swing shifts are especially difficult to fill.

Job description: Register and assign rooms to guests, issue room keys, transmit and receive messages, keep records of rooms occupied and guests’ accounts, make and confirm reservations, and present statements and collect payments from departing guests.

For more information: Call or visit the job service window at any office of the state Employment Development Department. In Orange County, the offices are at: 900 E. Pacifico Ave., Anaheim, (714) 978-7421; 233 E. Commonwealth Ave., Fullerton (714) 680-7800; and 1001 S. Grand Ave., Santa Ana, (714) 558-4294.

Source: Employment Development Department