High School

Classes that will help prepare you for this work include any that will hone your people and communication skills as well as classes that will make you physically fit. Therefore, you should take English and speech classes, any business classes that focus on customer relations, and physical education classes. You may also benefit from taking basic math classes, local history courses, and geography. Bell attendants are often asked for information about the area or directions to special attractions, so you will do well to know as much as you can about the location surrounding the hotel where you work.

Postsecondary Education

There are no educational requirements for this position, though many hotels will insist that you have a high school diploma or a GED equivalent. The most significant source of instruction for most baggage porters and bellhops is on-the-job training that may last up to one month. Bellhops are taught the correct way to handle bags and store them properly according to their weight class. They are also taught how to interact with hotel guests.

Certification or Licensing

Certification is not mandatory for this position. The most significant source of instruction for most bellhops is on-the-job training that may last up to one month. If certification does interest you, the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association offers training and certification classes for hotel industry professionals. If you aspire to manage the bellstand someday or move to other departments in the hotel industry, you might want to consider certification.

No experience is needed to work as a baggage porter, but those with prior work experience will increase their chances of landing a job, getting promoted, and possibly earning higher pay.

Successful bellhops should have good character and a friendly personality. Since bell attendants are often one of the first hotel employees with whom a guest interacts, it's important for them to make a good impression. This is a very people-oriented job. Even the most difficult guests must be served in an amiable and efficient manner. An outgoing personality and a desire to meet people from all over the country and world are good traits to have.