There is a lot of competition
If you are looking for a job in the restaurant industry, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that there is probably a restaurant you are hiring within walking distance of your home. The bad news is that your neighbors are applying for the same job.
You have to stand out to get attention. Although there is no problem. I have three rules that, if you follow, you will do just that.
Rule one: know who you are talking to.
I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen walking down the block to a crowded city restaurant armed with a folder full of generic resumes. These people stop at every restaurant they’ve never been to and do two stupid things:
1. They ask, “Do you know if you are hiring?”
2. Give your resume to the host.
If you are submitting a resume, first know who is making the hiring decision. prior to you submit your resume. It doesn’t necessarily matter if they are hiring or not, it matters that you get the attention of hiring managers. The best way to do this is by addressing your resume to that person, by name.
Make calls to the restaurants you want to work at and ask for the name of the hiring manager at the front of the house. Is it John? Kate? Joseph? Be sure to send them your resume. That will get your resume noticed.
Rule two: Submit your resume at the right time.
Anyone with any experience or common sense knows that restaurants are busy during certain times. Those busy times are not the time to turn in your resume.
The best time to submit a resume is within the time the restaurant opens for lunch, or in the interval between the rush hours for lunch and dinner, between three and four thirty is usually perfect. They will probably be available to receive your resume, shake hands, and look you in the eye. And that’s part of getting the job: getting in front of the manager!
Rule Three: Be Prepared!
Nothing is worse than a job seeker who is unprepared. Lack of preparation manifests itself in several ways. It could be not knowing anything about the restaurant you are applying to, not knowing anything about restaurants absolutely, or worse yet, not It looks like you’re going on a date with someone you want to impress (you should always show up with your resume looking wonderful!)
When you walk into the restaurant where you want to work to deliver your resume, you need to look and feel confident about yourself and who you are there to meet.
If you follow these three basic rules, you are way above your competition.