Getting ahead...

What is the best training for becoming a hirable concierge? What types of ongoing training or certifications are necessary to be an effective concierge?

What do non-traditional career paths look like?

Although there are hotel schools out there that teach you everything about hotels and how they operate, the concierge element is something that is rarely focused on in detail. Generally, students are led to internships or externships during/after school to get hands-on experience.

It helps if the individual is is skilled in the following areas; have street smarts, be good at networking, be keenly intuitive, have an outgoing personality, be an excellent communicator, be eager to learn (we do every day!), team player, strong desire to serve the [visiting] public.

All that being said, there is no real (training) offered on a professional level to be a concierge other than trial-by-fire. There is/was an International Concierge Institute in Montreal that offered classes in how to become a concierge in a hotel, but I would make sure they are still in operation. Many companies (especially hotels) offer continual Guest Service Training to all of their sta, but that merely helps with handling the guest through any situation, not the 'Art of the Concierge'. Most major cities throughout the USA have local Concierge Associations that you can [and should] become a member of to expand your contacts base, and then at a more professional level is Les Clefs d'Or (the Golden Keys) - which is the National and International organization of professional hotel concierges throughout the USA and the world. More information can be obtained from www.lcdusa.org and www.uichlesclefsdor.org

Regarding non-traditional career paths, the word 'concierge' has been stretched to go well beyond hotels and into residential properties, real estate companies, corporate offices, medical fields, etc..all under the guise of offering a 'higher level' of service to the consumer/customer.

If your desire to serve the public is strong and are able to think quickly and solve unique requests, then this would be the field for you. It is very rewarding on many levels, speaking from 16 years of experience!