What does a Porter do?
Porters typically work for cruise ships, hotels, or motels to help customers check-in and out of their rooms. They work closely with other staff members to ensure that their guests receive top-tier customer service during their stay. Their job is to greet guests upon arrival, open and close doors for guests and place luggage on baggage carts, and assist in storing them before a guest’s required check-in time. They may also be responsible for acting as a Valet to park or retrieve their guest’s vehicles.
Porter skills and qualifications
A successful Porter candidate comes with various prerequisite skills and experience. The following list highlights some of the most vital qualifications for the role:
- The ability to lift at least 40 pounds or more
- Interpersonal skills
- Mechanical skills and knowledge to work and fix various industrial equipment
- Knowledge of how to use guest booking software platforms
- Familiarization with the essential security regulations
- Great verbal communication skills to interact well with other employees, guests and service providers
Porter salary expectations
A Porter makes an average of $12.48 per hour. Salary may depend on the candidate’s level of experience, education and geographical location. Porters also make an average of $25 per day in tips. Typically, their tenure lasts for less than one year.
Porter salary expectations
-
Common salary:
17.28 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
7.25 -36.40 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Porter education and training requirements
A Porter role typically does not require formal education credentials. However, a high school diploma or GED and mechanical courses can be an added advantage. The training for a Porter occurs on the job. Beginners typically work by reporting to a more experienced Porter to learn how to use and maintain industrial equipment. They also learn proper interactions with guests and clients specifically for their particular work environment.
Porter experience requirements
There may be minimum experience requirements to apply for a job as a Porter. Some experience as a Porter can give an applicant an advantage over others when looking for a job. As a Porter, it’s important to have a knowledge of the local area and/or ports, a hospitality certification and experience through a motel, hotel or cruise ship apprenticeship.
Job description samples for similar job titles
If you’re looking for candidates for similar roles to a Porter, see our job description templates for related positions:
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