WHY I LOVE MY JOB:

"Manager of Desires" (concierge manager)

JOB: "Manager of Desires" (concierge manager), the Glenn Hotel, Atlanta

WHAT I DO: "There's not a whole lot I don't do," said Baker, 34, the concierge manager at downtown Atlanta's newest hotel. Her day includes preparing for the arrival of guests and meeting their desires, whether it's chocolate-covered strawberries for a romantic evening or reservations and VIP treatment for celebrities.

KARL RITZLER/Special
Wendy Baker said she enjoys being a part of making occasions special for guests at the Glenn Hotel in downtown Atlanta.
It's all about connections, she said, such as knowing the best hairdressers, makeup artists, restaurants or nightclubs - and often keeping high-profile guests' identities confidential. In the three months it has been open, the hotel has hosted celebrity socialites Paris and Nikki Hilton, music mogul Jermaine Dupri, singers Usher and Britney Spears, and cast members from several WB network television shows. "Usually, we register them under aliases," to keep determined fans from finding their rooms, Baker said. Guests' wishes aren't a surprise to Baker. The hotel creates an online profile before they arrive, including their preferences for amenities in the rooms, favorite restaurants, even their choices of snacks. "I make sure all that is waiting in their room," Baker said.

WHAT GOT ME INTERESTED IN THIS: "I was originally a business major [at Georgia Southern University], and a friend told me about how excited she was about her major in hospitality. I did the research and discovered it was a perfect match for my personality. I changed my major two weeks later." After graduating, Baker worked as a concierge at a Disney World resort hotel and in the front office at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead. She was also assistant director of Fifth Avenue Club, Saks Fifth Avenue's private wardrobe service, in Atlanta.

BEST PART OF MY JOB: "I get paid to make people happy. When guests call me, they want to do something special for a loved one." Sometimes the simplest touches can work wonders, she said. "A dozen balloons and chocolate-covered strawberries can bowl them over."

MOST CHALLENGING PART: "I wish I could be here 24 hours; there's only one of me," Baker said. Caring for celebrities is different from caring for other guests, she explained. "Celebrities need a lot more. This is a foreign environment for them; they don't know the city." Still, she added, "they are the most down-to-earth, appreciative people I've met." Baker confessed to being momentarily star-struck at times, "but you have to get past that" and do the job. "I haven't been given a challenge I haven't met."

KARL RITZLER/Special

WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT MY JOB: "You have to know the city like the back of your hand," Baker said. That means keeping up with the latest trends and openings and establishing connections everywhere. "Never burn bridges," she said. "You never know who you'll need a favor from." The job is glamorous, she said, "but it definitely is hard work. You have to be on your toes the whole time."

WHAT KEEPS ME GOING: Positive feedback from guests. "I know what I'm doing is right on the mark," she said.

PREPARATION NEEDED FOR THIS JOB: People skills and personal service top Baker's list of ideal qualifications. "You have to know a lot of people" in the community, she said, and have to get to know the guests. "Guests like you to recognize them by name."

People like the personal attention, she said. "Personal service is hard to find. It's a bonus - a luxury." She also credited the entire staff at the hotel: "We do whatever it takes to keep the guests coming back."

- By Karl Ritzler, for ajcjobs. Got an interesting job that you love? E-mail your story to jobseditor@ajc.com.