How to glide into a partying career

Salary: Should start at £5 an hour. A head waiter at a London restaurant or hotel can earn £18,000-£22,000.

Qualifications: You do not need qualifications, although many organisations will look for experience.

Contacts: London-based hotel groups, such as the Savoy Group or Hilton Hotels, take on novices to train. Alternatively, try local pubs and restaurants. For careers advice on a whole range of hospitality jobs, you can check out Springboard UK's website at www.spring boarduk.org.uk

Florist

Salary: Juniors start at £12,000-£15,000. Managerial positions earn between £30,000-£50,000.

Qualifications: None needed. Most London colleges offer NVQ and City & Guilds courses in floristry, but these are not essential for junior positions. Some kind of art qualification might work in your favour.

Contacts: Jane Packer runs a floristry school (020 7486 1300, www.janepacker.com) with courses suitable for most circumstances. Or check Homes and Gardens magazine, where florists who deal predominantly with the catering industry advertise.

Party designer

Salary: Assistant party designers earn between £16,000-£22,000, rising to £40,000 in managerial positions.

Qualifications: Many universities now offer a degree in events management, but work experience is the key. Another route for graduates is finding a job in the marketing department of a large bank or TV network that regularly organises its own events.

Contacts: Harden's London Party Guide (www.hardens. com), has a comprehensive list of party companies, as do Tatler magazine and The White Book (a trade publication, so it might be harder to obtain).

Chef

Salary: Entry level is around £11,000 for a commis chef, rising to between £38,000 and £70,000 for a head chef at a London hotel.

Qualifications: If you are over 16 you can get funding for a modern apprenticeship. Alternatively, you can study full-time at a further education college or chef school. But you can cook professionally without qualifications and most kitchens will have trainee chef positions. You will need to know the basics of food preparation, and the best place to learn is at home.

Contacts: For information on qualifications and chef schools call the Craft Guild of Chefs on 020 8948 3870.