Despite a down economy and high fuel costs, the picture for Boston-area hotels and restaurants is fairly good, much better than in other parts of the country. Many visitors to Boston come by bus, train, or car, bypassing airline woes, and the city's luxury hotels are less susceptible to economic downturns. Still, convention bookings are down for next year, and new hotels will find a very competitive market.

The industry is filled with hundreds of jobs, from hotel managers, front desk people, chefs, wait staff, and janitorial positions to computer managers, accountants, human resources workers, engineers, and security people.

For jobs in lodging or food service, contact human resources departments, or visit www.hcareers.com or www.restaurant.org.