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10 ESSENTIAL STEPS TO LANDING AND ACING A RESTAURANT JOB INTERVIEW

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In today’s extremely competitive job market, we need all the help we can get to land a job anywhere, and that includes the restaurant industry. You can apply to hundreds of different restaurants, bars, and burger joints without so much as cursory call back for an interview. What you need is a plan of action that will separate you from the pack. The following path from pre-application to post-interview will give you a step-by-step guide on how to maximize your efforts while looking for a position in a restaurant you’d love to work in and give you a major leg up on your competition.

 

Landing the Interview

Step 1: Do some research! What kind of establishment is this restaurant? What is it they serve? What is their theme or niche? What image are they trying to present to their customers? What kind of value do they try to bring to their patrons outside of just giving them food? Do you think you could fit in with their image? These are all important questions that need to be answered in order to maximize the effects of your efforts in applying.

Step 2: Scout out the look of those who are in the position you’re applying for. What is their level of dress? What attitudes are they bringing to the table? How do the groom themselves? How do they fit with the rest of the restaurant? If you want their position, you need to know how to act the part.

Step 3: Once you have applied, follow up! Keep on Calling and dropping by to speak to the supervisor-don’t let them forget your face or how interested you are in the position. The number one mistake people make when job hunting is not following up and just expecting the managers to do all the work in hunting them down.

Keep up these efforts and landing an interview is all but inevitable!

 

The Interview

Step 4: Remember the level of dress the people in your position were wearing? Rule of thumb is to go one level of formality in dress above them. Are they wearing business casual? Dress business formal. Are they wearing khakis and polo shirts? Wear a nice dress shirt and pants. Remember, you’re presenting your best self in this interview process. Under dressing is the worst error you can make right off the bat.

Step 5: BE HONEST. Lying during an interview will ALWAYS come back to haunt you. You WILL slip up in the lie, or forget a detail, and somebody will invariably notice. Once caught in a lie, you will never regain that credibility even if you don’t lose your job.

Step 6: Be confident and proactive! No interviewer likes asking questions and getting a flat sentence or two in reply. Relay anecdotes and stories from previous job or life experiences that pain you in a positive light. Ask them questions, build rapport so it’s easier for them to remember you when sifting through applicants later on.

Step 7: If the job provided a description of the positive traits they’re looking for in a candidate, include those words verbatim as you present yourself to your prospective employer.

Step 8: Mind your body language! Present a confident, open self with your body language by uncrossing your legs or arms, laying your hands flat on a surface (if applicable) and relaxing your shoulders. Interviewers canfeel the tension you create by presenting closed off body language and it gives them a more negative impression when they’re looking back on your file.

 

After the Interview

Step 9: Last verse same as the first! Be active, don’t force them to do all the work in remembering you. Call them and drop by to speak to the person who interviewed you. Keep your face and name on their mind as they go through more applicants

Step 10: Always be cordial, even if they decide to go with another applicant. Who knows, maybe that person won’t work out or another spot will open up and your name is next on the hiring list!

Job Seeking During the Holidays

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The hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, decking the halls and job-hunting too?  It’s the busiest time of year and most job seekers are taking a backseat to submitting resumes and attending interviews until after the New Year.

It’s often believed employers are just not hiring during the holidays and of course, by now the holiday hires have been placed, but employers are planning and hiring for the new year.  With less competition in the job search, now’s not the time to count out applying for positions.  As the New Year begins, employers look forward to a fresh start- that often includes fresh hires.  

  

Finding Job Openings During the Holidays: 

Amongst the holiday season is the perfect time to re-connect with those you know who may have leads to open positions.  Maybe your former boss and co-workers? Previous roommates or your child’s previous teachers, sports coaches, etc. Networking is the best way to find open positions and get an interview.

 Work this holiday to expand your network by connecting with a top notch recruiting firm, like Pacific Coast Hospitality, and let us know you’re job seeking.  Check our latest job board and apply for any positions you may be a top candidate for!

Likewise, attach your most recent resume to an email and send us a little hello and happy holidays. We’ll be sure and get connected with you and assist in any ways we can!

Most often it is in the unlikeliest places that each of these connections lead to jobs.  A proactive job search is sure to be a successful one.

Interviewing for Open Positions During the Holidays:

The holidays are a perfect time for a job interview – from the happiness that comes with the season to the more laid back office environments that naturally creep in, a holiday interview has its perks.

One of the easiest “ice breakers” for conversation and first impressions is to discuss the cheer and chaos of the season.  Whether it be complaining about long lines or complementing the light display at your local zoo, it’s a fool proof conversation topic for an interview.

During the holiday season, as many are not applying, companies are “all hands on deck” to prepare for the new year launch.  Be part of the fresh start by applying for jobs during the holiday rush and kickstart your New Year right.

5 Ideas: Where to Find Top Employees

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You want to hire the best? So does everyone else. It’s not an easy thing to do and continually companies make hiring mistakes or struggle to find quality candidates. Hiring has its difficulties especially if your goal is to hire supreme restaurant managers and all you have is an hourly server budget to offer candidates.

So what can you do? Find the unpredictable talent.

Go against the grain and interview the candidates with resumes which are less than subpar. Find great talent not with the specific skills you need, but in character and work ethic – skills can be taught to complete task and drive your business forward.

Toss out the standard social stereotypes and find your next top hire.

 

Hire Military

You won’t regret an ex-military hire. The tried and true – trained up leaders are a hire which can adapt and will work hard. Whether you’re planning to hire a leader or were looking for a simple server, the military is one organization that places extreme emphasis on leader training and development.

An ex-military hire knows how to get it done – whatever it might be. They’ll be the ones to see the task through and make smart decisions whether involving only themselves or an entire team. Hire a veteran – you won’t regret the commitment to hard work they will bring.

 

Hire Recent Grads

You too were once the worker who didn’t have any experience and someone offered you that first job. Someone offered the chance and it was full on hard work to show that first employer you were a good gamble. New hires and recent grads are the young just entering the work force with eager hands and bright minds – you’ll gain high energy and enthusiasm by taking the risk on hiring the inexperienced.

 

Hire Post – Athletes

Similar to the recent grad, hiring a post college athlete might be your next best move. Every year approximately 400,000 student-athletes graduate from college and enter the job market. Athletes have worked within scholarship regulations and met national standards to compete in games. You’ll find these hires are self-disciplined, motivated, able to overcome defeat quickly and their heart beats to the rhythms of teamwork… who wouldn’t want to hire that type of character?

 

Hire layman Job Resume

You’ve seen the resumes and it’s fast food and warehouse job history – instantly you’re ready to put a pass on it…. But maybe not so quickly.

What are the skills you are really looking to hire? Good customer service? Attention to finite details? Teamwork savvy? The cashier at a worldwide fast food chain has been trained to display consistent customer service and the layman or warehouse worker has repeated the same processes over and over accumulating the ability to identify detail.

Don’t put a pass so quick on the unimpressive resumes from candidates.

3 Questions – Is a Hospitality Job Right for You?

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Almost 50 percent of adults say they’ve worked in a restaurant at some point in their lives. That means you aren’t alone in your job search. And really, there’s no secret to why there’s so many restaurant jobs – there’s simply a surplus of restaurants that continually need to be staffed with bartenders, managers, chefs and more. The industry is large and continues to grow no matter what city around the United States you live in. Regardless of your experience level, there are positions available all around the world in hospitality.

You might not be sure if a restaurant job is right for you – here are three questions to ask yourself to help clear your mind on whether you are a fit for the restaurant industry:

  1. Do you love people?

Bottom-line: It’s a service job – whether a restaurant manger, host, back chef or likewise, you work with people from all walks of life at all times. That comes with great perks and consequences all depending solely on who the guest are each day. A love for people is a must in the hospitality industry.

 

  1. How well can you handle change? And Constant change?

In a restaurant things change hour by hour, sometimes even minute by minute. Guest have different service needs, and some days will be crazy – how do you cope with sudden change? Does is leave your frazzled and confused, or are you easy – go with the flow?  Flexibility is a must have characteristic of anyone working in hospitality.

 

  1. How are your communication skills?

From front of house to the back with host, servers, line chefs and more all in-between, working is a restaurant is for the team player. No one person can make the hospitality industry flow without the help of others.  How’s your communication with co-workers?  Even more so, co-workers who are years apart in age from you or come from completely different backgrounds of life- the hospitality industry is a catch all style employer, no two hires are alike.  The ability to clearly and effectively communicate with those around is essential to the success of a hospitality career.

Top Ten Of the Highly Successful

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You want to hire only the best right? Exactly. That’s why we’ve outlined the top ten characteristics of the best of the best.  If you really want to bring success into your restaurant establishment or into your own life, here’s what the most successful ones around the world are believing and practicing.

 

  1. Self Will Power – Starting and doing the task on your own responsibility is hard. It’s not usually fun to get up and be the one to end the rest and get to work. Being a self-starter drives to results and success.
  2. Emotional Stability – When things go whack, how is the reaction? The best of the best are emotionally stable in all circumstances staying far away from gossip and drama.
  3. Loyalty – Honesty is the best policy, or so you may have heard.  But really, the top employees are the loyal ones to not only their company of employment, but to co-workers and customers.
  4. Optimism – Fight depression, bad attitudes and misery with optimism.  Attitudes are contagious; an attitude can either really be great and lift the mood of an evening in the BOH or tank it.
  5. Continual Communication – When communication is present, customers and co-workers alike learn to trust and respect what’s happening around them. Communicating is the key to success.
  6. Flexibility – When things don’t go as planned, the top hires do not fret but do whatever possible to change the circumstances and adapt for success regardless.
  7. Self Confidence – Not overly confident, but knowing the fine line of when self-confidence is needed, you’ll find the most successful people around the world are confident in their skills, knowledge and abilities.
  8. Well Networked – The best of the best know who to contact when help is needed.  Being well networked with those inside and out of the hospitality industry leads to greater knowledge and success.
  9. Reader – The reader is the leader. The more known, the greater the ability to lead well, try new things and respond to circumstances appropriately.
  10. Compassionate – The highly successful ones in the world have and show great compassion to others around them when facing struggles in and out of the workplace.

Who to Promote and Who to Demote:

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Summer turns the corner and the fall season will soon arrive. Changes to your staffing roster will come as severs head back to school and others take alternative jobs. You’ll have spaces for promoting and demoting to once again create the best team of hospitality individuals.

We’ve outlined a few tips for how to know what traits not to pass up, but rather to promote!

-It’s the hospitality industry, self-serving doesn’t fit. Those who are servers, not self-serving are the ones you want to promote. How do they work with a team- always putting others before themselves and willing to stay late/ come early to get the job done? They’re keepers. People rarely accomplish anything great by themselves – it’s a team of players all working together for one end goal.

Great hospitality companies serve their customers first, always. By serving the customer best, they ultimately serve their business growth.

 

-Attitude is everything, or at least 90% of things. The worst of situations can be made better with a good attitude. Optimist are the ones to promote. Optimist add energy to every situations, pessimist drain it all away.

You’ll find the optimist as the one already doing the job they would once promoted- they don’t wait to be told how to make things better or what can be done for them to succeed. They just see the needs and do them without fear of failure.

 

-Leaders think long-term, not just about today. The one you want to promote gets the big picture and sees the future as positive and with much opportunities for grown and development.

 

-Can they teach others? Then you’ll want to promote them. The best people like to share the knowledge rather than hoard it for their own good. When teaching happens a team is built. A team that is educated the same begins to formulate relationships that are far beyond the J-O-B but are built on a foundation of learning, expanding and development.

BIG PROMOTING TIP: Consistency is a trait to never pass up – when you see consistency, there is nothing like it. Consistency carries teams through good and bad seasons. Consistency is the key to sustainability. Where there is consistency – there is a leader and followers forming right behind. As humans we crave dependability and a continual strand of sameness.

 

Employees Quit – Here’s Why:

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Employee turnover sets every business back for a number of reasons – it’s expensive, but it’s also disruptive to regular operations for the business.

 

Avoid employee turnover by first discovering why employees are leaving – what’s the cause for rapid quitting and can be it changed? Act on those changes that can in the future prevent quitting.

 

On average, the reason employees quit isn’t just for a higher pay. There’s employees all over the world working for less pay because it’s a job they love. Pay rate matters, but it’s not everything.  Seek out the real reasons the employees quit.

Here’s a few reasons we see employees quit:

  1. Boss doesn’t trust his/ her employees

When hiring new employees it is essential to hire people you can trust, in and out of the office. Hiring employees that you can trust creates a value to the relationship and work that is to be completed. When employers can’t trust their employees- everyone is miserable. Employees are hired to do their job, so it’s best once trained that they do theirs, and the boss do his/ hers.

  1. No real time off

As humans we often forget or flat out avoid that reality that we need rest to survive. It’s no wonder in American culture the rate of employees quitting is high – we’d bet mostly from burnout and employees never really having time off work.  Ensure employees receive ample time off each year and reduce the risk of burnout and quitting.

  1. Poison work environment/ co-workers

Half the battle of hiring is finding not only the correct talent, but a good fit for the culture of your business. Apart from the skills needed to perform the job- what type of person would you want working on your backline or serving the front-of-house? Be sure to include those characteristics on the job description as well. Let each interviewee know the style of establishment and how the current employees act. Ensuring the work environment is a good fit for each hire reduces quick quitting.

  1. Lack of flexibility

Balance is key to success with employees – without the ability for employees to take the needed time off for family and personal events, they will quit. Plain and simple, people need to feel like their job enables flexibility.

 

PREP YOUR RESUME WITH THE HELP OF PCH

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Resumes are difficult. And each of us has felt this anxiety: “How do I create the perfect resume?” When you’re looking for a new position, the state of your resume can keep you up at night.

 

Is my resume ready for prime time? Is it good enough to get me an interview?

 

We’ll whip your resume into shape.

 

We’ve recruited for the restaurant industry for years. We’ve hired a small army of good managers for every imaginable position in every conceivable setting.

 

We speak and understand the language.  We know what words to use and what kinds of skill sets hiring managers are looking for. We know what a good hospitality industry resume looks like. Which means we know how to help you describe your education and your skills to meet expectations and get interviews.

 

 

If you hire us to help with your resume, here’s what we’ll do.

  • Prepare your resume for digital and hard copy submission.
  • Arrange your information to showcase your strengths.
  • Describe your work experience and your education for best advantage.
  • Assess your history to determine the best type of resume to submit.
  • Place your contact information where recruiters like to see it.