Hiring for your office? Want a hard worker with a roll up their sleeves attitude? Then look no further than a recent graduate that put themselves through school by working in a restaurant, especially those that have been working at the same place or return every summer.
What you get:
- A problem-solver. Working in a customer service based fast-paced environment teaches employees how to think on their feet and not only problem solve but problem solve quickly under high pressure. Tight timelines and last minute changes/demands are part of a typical work day in the hospitality industry, this teaches employees how to multi-task, prioritize and effectively roll with the punches.
- Someone who completes tasks. A candidate with hospitality experience not only knows how to take on what is thrown at them and run with it but also how to ask for help. A server who has just been sat four tables at once instead of trying to please everyone on their own (effectively pleasing no one) simply turns to a team member for momentary assistance. Asking for help is a large part of being successful in any job however, can be necessary to successfully complete a task.
- Who never says “that's not my job”. Good work ethic means not only adhering to your job duties but also means taking initiative. Taking on tasks that help the entire team be more efficient is a large part of working in a restaurant. The person who stayed late rolling-up silverware even though they could have gone home is the reason that guests have cutlery during an unexpected Tuesday night rush. Going above and beyond is the norm in the hospitality industry, you do whatever it takes to see that the guests are happy.
- Someone who puts the customer/client first. One major thing that you learn in the restaurant and hospitality industry is unbeatable interpersonal skills. Patience and understanding become second nature, employees quickly learn not only how to solve problems but how to foresee them and stop them before they occur. In the hospitality industry it is all about the guest’s experience, and employees learn what it takes to ensure that it is a positive one.
- A team player who understands that everyone who works there is important. Usually in the hospitality industry it is very common for an employee to work various different positions throughout one shift. On a busy night a dining room server can be a host, a bartender and a table-busser. If the kitchen “is in the weeds” as they say, then the dining room suffers and vice-versa, every aspect of a restaurant depends on each other to all run smoothly as a whole. Understanding this cyclical dependence is why more often than not employees who work in the hospitality industry will go above and beyond their specific job description to help out in every function of the company. They understand that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Many skills can be taught however, work ethic is earned through experience. Candidates that have put in their time in the service industry understand how to work hard and what it takes to be a reliable team member.
As an employer, take a second look at resumes with hospitality experience. You surely won't regret it.
We hope you found this resourceful.
