Gecko Hospitality

Ever want to know what’s it’s like to work at a particular restaurant or hotel before the interview? Gecko Hospitality interviews the hiring managers from the largest restaurant and hotel companies.

Top 10 Attitudes Needed by Job Seekers

May 24th, 2013

There is an overwhelming amount of data that outlines what employers are looking for. It doesn’t matter what HR or Recruitment Research firm collects the data, the results continually highlight the same elements that employers are looking for. This information can be used to help job seekers land their dream restaurant job. A Positive Attitude

I read 5 reports representing over 6000 employers. The Candidate’s attitude tops all the lists. Attitude is broken into 6 different skills and personality traits. These soft skills can be the difference between success and mediocrity in a restaurant manager’s career. 1. Commitment 2. Honesty 3. Trustworthiness 4. Adaptability 5. Accountability 6. Loyalty 7. Coachability 8. Emotional intelligence 9. Motivation 10. Temperament

These seven traits are key for job seekers. These echo previous research that tracks why many Candidates lose their position within the first year. Job seekers often find skills and experience easier to convey on a resume. The hospitality industry is full of professionals with the education, experience, and credentials to land a general manager or restaurant manager’s position in the top restaurants. Many of these professionals are unemployed, not because they are unable to manage successfully, but because they haven’t learned how to highlight these top 10 soft skills on their resume, or in their job interview.

One of the problems is that the ‘mindset’ of happy and positive is personal. Each Candidate has a different idea of what the employer will consider ‘positive’ based on their own perspective. This is especially true of recent graduates who haven’t yet made the transition between college life and the work force. Employers repeatedly admit that they would hire someone who has a positive attitude over someone with experience, and a complete skill set. This overwhelming consensus in employer priorities is founded in some real life realities of life on the restaurant floor.

1. A manager with a bad attitude causes discord among employees. They may have some great plans but the employees will not help them execute their plans. 2. A manager who is overbearing increases the employee turnover. 3. A manager who isn’t coachable has difficulty coaching and training their team. 4. High turnover, dishonesty, and trustworthiness can all be measured as a financial loss.

Candidates can learn how to put their mindset to work by studying how to analyse and improve their attitude. Coaching, self motivation seminars, and career development books can all help Candidates understand and develop a positive attitude.

 

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How to Identify a Real Job Ad, Hiring Manager or Recruiter

May 20th, 2013

The Job Seeker and hospitality forums are full of threads discussing recruiters. The complaints are similar. The Recruiter or head-hunter wasted the Candidate’s time and money, but failed to land a single job interview

The first step is to make sure that you are working with a real hiring manager. In today’s online world it is easy to build a website and post that you are a recruiter or hiring manager. There is more to being a recruiter than to put an online application online. Candidates do not have time to waste chasing job proposals, or working with recruitment firms who do not have a serious need to fill. Here are a few tips to save time and trouble.

Job Advertisement There are many sites claiming to be recruitment sites that lack the simple tools. There are some that even lack an application form. Other sites do not email the Candidate if a suitable job comes available. Many of these jobs are generic, cookie cutter. If you go through the job bank long enough you’ll notice a ‘template’. The jobs may be real, but no one is putting any effort into finding the right candidates.

The Website The Recruitment and Job Seeker industry is not the place for flash/movie websites with animated images dancing across the screen. Some websites have so many tools and buttons that it is impossible to navigate the website effectively. It should be easy for applicants to apply. Better yet, there should be a member’s section with the promise of a real Recruiter at the end who can help the Candidate find the right job. These websites also try to keep the Candidate stuffing forms. Some sites have more forms than the average dating site. Many of these forms are meaningless and the information collected has little to do with landing a job in the restaurant or hospitality industry.

The Website’s focus The website is full of meaningless ad copy promising everything from wealth to a job in a restaurant where everyone is always happy and dressed in designer clothing. This type of website takes Candidates from web page to web page, but after reading 10 pages the Candidate still has no idea what the website offers.

These website will also try to appear cutting-edge, and hip, full of folksy ad copy and cute graphics. A website is not a standalone piece of art. It is a vital part of a marketing campaign. The website reflects the company. If a Candidate cannot take the website seriously then they shouldn’t waste time with the recruitment firm.

Candidates are Not a Number There are a few vital questions t ask before wasting time on a job seeker board, or with a recruitment agency. 1. Can I talk to a recruiter with experience in the restaurant industry, now? 2. Is the Recruiting process interested in preparing me for an interview, or just collecting marketing information? 3. Am I a person or a number? 4. Is there anyone available to answer my questions? 5. Are there pictures of real Recruiters on the website? 6. Do they do more than run a website? A real recruitment firm will host trade fairs, help with resume writing, and help prepare Candidates to their first restaurant management job.

The truth is, a restaurant management recruitment firm’s reputation stands on their ability to put a manager in a restaurant for a minimum of one year. The Candidate isn’t someone begging for a job. They are the product being presented to a client. A good Recruitment firm invests in their Candidates, preparing them to succeed. They focus on career development, not just hoping to place a Candidate and fill a job posting.

 

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Promotion Killers For Restaurant Managers

May 15th, 2013

Successful people share specific traits – so do people who are overlooked for promotions.

There are several reasons why aspiring and talented managers fail to land prime management positions. The good news is that most of the behaviors that hold professionals back are learned. Any behavior that is learned can be unlearned. Coaches and Career Counselors help professionals sharpen their skills and develop the behaviors that make them more desirable hiring prospects.

Organization

Many professionals are highly capable of running a tight ship without being OCD. Unfortunately, organization is a tangible skill that is easily measured. It is possible to have your ‘own organizational system’ that works perfectly, but appear unorganized.

I’ve seen many incidences where disorganization ebbs away confidence in a manager’s problem solving skills. It is easy to learn to keep a neat desk and organizer. Time management requires more focus and determination. Success is not just in the results. Success is in the execution. Successful managers sweat the small stuff before it becomes a major problem.

Time Management

One of the first mistakes made by managers is to obsess on organizational tools. The first step to learning the ‘Art of Time Management’ is to realize that the tools do not matter. In fact, the tools often become excuses to avoiding the real issues.

It is easy in the restaurant environment to lose the forest in the trees. It is easy to become caught up in answering emails, keeping the charts up to date, and creating organizational charts that the day-to-day tasks are left undone.

Attitude

Attitude can be the hardest obstacle to overcome. Attitude can swamp a promising management career faster than any other barrier. It can be tempting to take the lead, steal a little of the lime light, or suppress suggestions and input from the staff. It takes hard work and both personal and career development to reach the peak of any career. Add that to the flair, excitement, and energy of the restaurant industry and a manager can lose track of the key ingredient to a successful restaurant – a highly motivated staff.

These three behaviors are the key obstacles to success. They are also the easiest to parts of our career and personal development to work on. Spend 10 minutes a day looking for ways to improve your skills and shape your behaviors. The first step is to learn how a successful restaurant manager behaves. The second step is to implement the strategies that produce results. The next step is to hold yourself accountable, continually learning, implementing, and analysing until success becomes a habit.

 

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How Much Are You Worth To Employers?

May 10th, 2013

One common question a Recruiter asks at a job interview is for the Candidates expected pay. One of the major challenges each Candidate faces is to determine how much they are worth. It can be difficult to assess your net worth when making a career change. There are several things you must take into consideration before you can negotiate a competitive salary.

Salary Expectations

The first step is to forget what the college/university professor told you. No one makes the top paying salary upon graduation. A simple equation is this.

Profit – Salary – Training – Conflict Resolution – Problems = Your Net Worth to the Restaurant.

A restaurant manager who can solve their own conflicts, is experienced enough to resolve the day to day problems on the floor, and whose attitude and personality do not conflict with the team is worth more to a restaurant than a recent grade with top grades but who has never turned theory into practice.

Location

It is common to see a $20k difference between management positions simply by being employed by restaurants in different neighborhoods in the same city. Location can also make the difference between securing a job versus negotiating a competitive pay. But do not sell yourself short. You may be more valuable to a small restaurant who needs an infusion of new ideas than you are to a mega chain who has 3000 resumes on the HR manager’s desk.

Contacts

HR managers and Recruiters have learned that the best Candidates have a network of contacts within their particular field of practice. These contacts can be used to secure a position, they can also be used to help determine how much you are worth.

Belonging to the Industry’s Professional Organization is also beneficial. They will help break down the jobs, pay scales, and trends within a certain field.

Research

The internet is full of websites that post jobs. Most of these sites list jobs and nothing more. There is no networking or association value to them. There is a colloquialism that states ‘you can’t play with the big boys if you are on the wrong field.’ If you want a job in the hospitality industry then you need to cultivate contacts and learn the trends within the restaurant industry.

S W O T Analysis

Strengths – What do you have that other restaurant managers do not have? Weaknesses – What parts of your education, attitude, and personality need work? Opportunities – What can you exploit to your advantage that others have overlooked? Threats – What parts of your education, experience, attitude, and personality can stall your career?

Use a S W O T analysis to identify yourself – not as a person – but as a marketable commodity. What can you do to improve your value? What can you eliminate that might lower your value, and how can you sell your strengths to a Recruiter.

Networking

Networking is more an art than a science. The old pattern of pushing a business card into people’s hand and expounding your career highs will not work in today’s competitive work place. Today’s networking increasingly involves volunteering, community service, internships, and attending conferences and seminars.

Today’s Networking is more focused on ‘show me.’ Short cuts, including working with a Recruitment firm can put you in front of an HR manager. But the interviewee who talks about associates, places they worked, and successfully executed projects they took part in, will stand out over their peers who

 

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Restaurant Management: Managing Motivation In Employees

May 6th, 2013

Career coaching at the management level can be enlightening for both the coach and the manger. I recommend that everyone pursuing a restaurant management position take a few courses in life coaching and career coaching. The basic fundamentals of coaching provide the tools needed to understand yourself, your motives, and your strengths. It also provides the structure needed to manage a team successfully.

One core element teaches managers to understand the difference between a ‘want’ and a ‘need.’ This can help them fast track their career, by knowing when they are ready to move forward, and which career path is the shortest distance between their current job and their dream position. Candidates are Motivated by Wants and Needs

In today’s society where ‘me’ has replaced ‘we’ it is more important than ever for managers to learn how to get into their team’s head and learn what will motivate that person. Twenty years ago we could hype the ‘there is no i in team’ slogans and use a team mentality to motivate the restaurant staff. This works less and less in today’s ‘me’ driven society. Employees are more concerned with their current wants than they are about the restaurant’s ability to remain in business. When I’m coaching for corporations I often meet Candidates who are frustrated and causing dissention in the workplace. One of the first questions I ask them is ‘how do you make the company money.’ Inevitably, I receive a blank stare. Most of today’s employees never realize that employment is not about them. Many of them don’t associate their attitude with a long resume full of short-term employment. In the ‘me’ driven work environment the employee is only concerned with what they want. This may include unlimited sick days, long weekends, perks, no stress, given the freedom to let their feelings dictate their work ethic, etc. These employees are often identified by their attitude of entitlement. In the ‘we’ driven work environment the employee is taught to be concerned with the needs of fellow employees and the business’s success. They are taught to think long term – keeping their employment. These employees are easy to identify by their willingness to work outside of their job description to ‘get the job done.’

Career Development

Professionals who want to climb the corporate ladder need to develop a ‘we’ or need driven mentality. They may have a glowing resume, excellent education, and stellar work experience, but if they feel that the restaurant is in business to serve them then they will find it difficult to reach their career goals.

When managing your career, or a team of employees, take a minute to identify what you are using to motivate. If you are catering to ‘wants’ then these can change daily, so you will constantly be struggling to maintain a high level of motivation. When the team is motivated by their needs, then a certain level of synergy is maintained, and the team will learn to motivate and manage themselves.

 

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Passion Drives A Successful Career

April 29th, 2013

Most Restaurant Managers graduate college and university with similar expectations. They envision a career that starts right after graduation. Their introductory job will be fulfilling, exciting, and prepare them for eventually managing their own restaurant.

Disillusion sets in shortly after submitting their 100th resume. Restaurant Recruiting Job Fairs can be discouraging as they see experienced, well educated restaurant managers hoping for the same jobs. It is a common situation that most job seekers have struggled with.

Discouragement sets in when university graduates end their job seeking days working for an energetic, experienced, restaurant manager who worked their way up through the ranks. They never seem to face the same struggles in their career development strategy. It can make a professional wonder why they wasted the time and cost of attending university. Post University professionals often wonder if those 5 years of study could have been better spent learning the practical side of restaurant management and gaining experience.

This is a common misconception. It is possible to fast track a restaurant management career without attending college or university. A long term look at a manager’s career often reveals that most professional’s careers hit a ceiling sooner or later. At this point all managers need to find the one key that will help them put their career back on track. This is when they need to ask one question, ‘How do they take their career to the next level.’

I’ve participated in several round table discussions with career coaches and they all agree that there is one key to success that outweighs all others – Passion.

Restaurant Manager’s Advice: How to Stir Your Passion

The first step to finding the job that you are passionate about is to forget everything your professor taught you. Stop worrying about the ego-boost and pay scale. Ignore the job security and potential for advancement. Clear your mind of everything that brought you to this point in your career. Now take a moment and reflect on those things that make you happy.

“There are several ways to identify your passions. Once you identify them you can match it to restaurant careers that offer the most success and satisfaction. “ www.GeckoHospitality.com

Job seekers can stall their career simply by settling for a job that doesn’t meet their basic needs and ignite their passions on a daily basis. Settling for the first job that comes along is one of the biggest career development mistakes young managers make.

“You don’t need A job. You need THE job.”

A smart career development strategy involves working with professionals who can help match managers with the right environment. Recruitment firms can help find prime placements for managers, but they are only as effective as the information they are given. Non Disclosure is only part of the issue. Another problem is caused when the Candidate attempts to change your behavior to fit your perceptions of what the Recruiter is looking for.

This is a short-sighted Job Seeker’s strategy. Instead look for ‘the’ job that you are best suited for. When Candidates change their focus from ‘begging’ to ‘pursuing’ they are more likely to help the Recruitment professional place them in the right job.

This is only part of the equation. If you are unaware of your strengths and weaknesses then you cannot offer the Recruiter an accurate depiction of your skills and abilities.

 

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What Jobs Intice Your Passions?

April 24th, 2013

Do you know how to identify the difference between things you dream about, and things you are passionate about? The truly successful, happy person is someone who has found a job that is in line with their passions. These people love going to work because their job feeds their ‘emotional quotient’, their ‘love language’, and their self-worth.

When you have a job you can be passionate about you are actually energized by your job. You are rejuvenated when you overcome another problem. The daily stress energizes you instead of pulling you down. At the end of the day you smile in satisfaction, instead of checking the internet for another means of escape.

There are several ways to identify the things in your life that you are passionate about. Once you do this you can match a career path to your passions. 1. What have you been involved with for a long time? 2. What type of people are your best friends? 3. What are your best friends involved in? 4. How much energy to you invest into your daily life? 5. What things have you become involved in? 6. How do you spend your spare time? 7. Which are the talents that you hone, work on, practice on a regular basis? 8. What talents do other people praise, but you may not see as a job skill? 9. Who makes you jealous or annoyed? Sometimes these can help you identify jobs you really want but feel you don’t have the freedom, or permission to move in that direction. 10. Did you accept your current job because you must be responsible, and take a serious or ‘real’ job? If you quit your job and pursued something you love, would people think you were being crazy and even become angry with you? 11. Are you afraid that people will judge you if you pursue your passion. Are your dreams choked by other people’s beliefs, like ‘life isn’t suppose to be fun.’ ‘When are you going to grow up?’ 12. When you talk about something you want to do, or did as a child, do you fear people telling you that you are wasting your time? 13. What activities cause you to lose track of time, or that you can do for hours without becoming bored or stressed? 14. Are you truly happy at this moment?

These questions will awaken a certain level of clarity. They will challenge you to take a good hard look at who you are. You may like what you see – or not. On this journey it isn’t necessary to like where you are, or who you are, because you are ready to change, you just need direction and focus before making the next move.

 

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Has Your Restaurant Management Career Stalled?

April 19th, 2013

No transition is ever easy. This is especially true in the workplace. You are prepared and experienced enough to perform your current job. The stresses and problems are familiar. You’ve worked out strategies for dealing with the day-to-day struggle. You know what is expected, and you understand what you can expect from others. Seniority, stability, and expertise all go out the door when you make a career change.

This is especially true when you move from a staff position to a management position. Many new restaurant managers are shocked when they learn that their performance and job stability is only as secure as their last quarterly profit/loss report. This may not be the case for all restaurant management positions, but it is a harsh reality for some.

This is a major change from the staff position where your job security depends on your attitude, personal performance, and customer service. Making the jump from a restaurant staff to a management position can be rewarding, and many dream of making the transition. And it is possible as long as you learn to think like a manager.

Before making the career change, here are a few questions that must be answered.

1. What about my career isn’t working? Am I running too something, or from something? 2. Am I making a career change because I do not want to deal with the pressures of my current job? 3. Why do I want a restaurant manager’s job? 4. Do I know any restaurant managers? Are these professionals a part of my circle of friends and associates? 5. Am I a risk taker, or do I prefer to play it safe? 6. What am I doing, currently, to prepare myself for the transition?

A Candidates answers to these questions will either be pro-active, or passive. A stalled career may have less to do with your experience and education and more to do with your mindset and attitude. Behaviors and attitudes can be shaped and reshaped. A Behavior is only the outward manifestation of your internal beliefs. The first step to awakening a stalled career is to talk to someone who understands the industry and can coach you. The second step is to awaken the passion that first made you want to pursue this career path. The third step is to stop talking and planning, and to start taking action.

 

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Career Development: Are You Motivated By Your Dreams Or Your Passions

April 15th, 2013

Restaurant Managers rarely want to remain in their current position for the rest of their career. There is always another horizon to venture, a new challenge to accept, and a new mountain to conquer. The smart manager may not move from one company to another, but they will have developed a strong career path that will move their career in the direction they want to go.

The question that most career coaches ask is ‘why?’ What motivates you? Most people understand what they want. They don’t understand why they want it. Even when a Candidate realizes why they want to advance their career, they often cannot articulate this to a Recruiter. The reason is because they haven’t explored whether they are driven by a dream, or a passion. We all Dream of a Perfect Job

Every one of us has created a fantasy of our perfect job. This may, and may not, be based on realistic expectations. At this moment our insight into the job is not important. What is important is whether you are motivated by a dream, or a passion. What is a Dream Job?

The dream job is one that we may expend a lot of energy pursuing. We daydream every afternoon about finding it. We may write resumes and send them out, and spend countless hours going through the job boards. We may take a few courses, upgrade our skill set, and attend a seminar or two. We may even volunteer and intern to develop the skills we need.

Then the time comes for this Candidate to sit before a Recruitment Firm’s Representative, maybe at a job fair, or maybe you received a response to a resume submission. The Candidate enters the interview and this is where everything falls apart. The Candidate puts ‘their’ best foot forward, and answers all the questions to the best of ‘their’ ability. Then, once again, they are overlooked for the job. What is a Passion for a Job?

Candidate B is passionate about the job. Instead of dreaming their time away, they take action. In the coaching world we identify a passion as something you ‘do’. We all have a cause which stirs strong emotional feelings in us. We can argue for hours, and take part in long forums, but that is as far as it goes. Some people become active participants in the fight to incite changes. It is this group of people who have the passion needed to get the job done. They have the spark the Recruiter is looking for. Pick a Job You Are Passionate About

It is hard when a Candidate realizes that they have no passion for their dream job. They may have been lured by the money, sense of power, or the self esteem boost that came with the position. But they really didn’t want the job, or the responsibilities and daily problems associated with the job.

 

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Turning The Dream Job Into Your Day Job

April 10th, 2013

Success is a habit – so is failure Successful people share the same habits – so do dreamers Behavior is fluid, we can shape and mold it. Many people have evolved from behaviors that limited their future Many people have developed the behaviors needed to help them succeed.

Complete the following exercise one step at a time. Do not read ahead.

#1 On a piece of blank paper brainstorm what you want out of life. When you run out of ideas then go back and start reading your responses.

#2 Put a red line through everything that will be the ‘result’ of success. For example, if you put down something you purchased, then this is a ‘result’ of having a good job.

#3 Put a green circle around everything that is personal. You want to be happy? You want to be a better parent? Do you want to have more friends? Would you like to have a better education?

#4 Now, take a black pen and make things bold that pertain to yourself as a person. These may include things like, losing weight, lying less, learning more, losing your temper less, exercising more, taking a class, reading more.

This sheet will reveal how much of your focus is on self development and developing the professional within you, and how much is focused on ‘things’ you want. Many Candidates start seeing the reason they are overlooked for promotions, or job advancements, after doing this exercise.

Now, take a second look at this paper. Does it represent what you really feel will make you happy? The first time this exercise is completed most people focus on things the media equates with success. It may take a few tries and some self exploration to discover who you are when no one is dictating who you should be.

Most people are surprised to find that this one, simple, exercise is the first step to reaching their goals and turning their dream into a reality.

 

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Career Development: Don’t Let Others Limit Your Future

April 5th, 2013

Many Career professionals can work their whole careers without ever realizing that they are living someone else’s dream. Many professionals reach middle age before realizing that their personality and their current job represent a square peg forced into a round hole.

The hospitality industry offers a satisfying career for everyone, you just need to learn where you fit. The first thing you need to identify is whether you belong behind a restaurant manager’s desk, or the kitchen manager’s table.

Candace was a writer. She worked from home and managed a team of 5 other writers who were also house wives. She did this job for 10 years but no matter how hard she worked never secured the type of clients who paid on time, paid above the bare minimum, and offered her the types of assignments that inspired and motivated her. After six months of coaching she finally realized that she was living by her parent’s beliefs that a) a woman’s place is in the home, b) that women should take care of their families and not pursue careers, and c) that she was a ‘good’ home grown girl and should accept her reality.

Candace was limited by her parent’s beliefs without ever questioning whether they were right for her. After a few false starts and some self exploration Candace became a successful, energetic, and happy kitchen manager at a local restaurant.

Jim took accounting subjects in School. Every aspect of his university education furthered his pursuit of a job in the accounting field. Very little of his world existed beyond financial and business entertainment, friends, and associates. This was his life and as far as anyone could see, Jim was satisfied. The only one who knew he wasn’t happy was the life coach he visited for 45 minutes every Tuesday.

Jim made slow progress, because even this amount of self-evaluation was deemed as a waste of time and risky. Accounting was a safe, recession proof profession. He could work for the most stable businesses, and if needed, live anywhere in the world. There is no downsizing or layoffs in the accounting department.

It took Jim a long time to learn that his father was living vicariously through Jim’s life. His father had given up everything to give Jim the life he wanted. Jim never questioned his father’s motives, just accepted his father’s view of the world as gospel truth.

It took a long time for Jim to overcome the innate guilt forced on him, but Jim did overcome this and eventually became one of the most flamboyant, and much loved, managers at a Greek Restaurant.

These stories only echo the many that limit people’s opportunities. Many of us dream of a job that will make us happy, but we will never reach for our goals until we first shed the ‘core beliefs’ that others have forced on us.

This information can help prepare you to move your manager’s career forward, but it needs to serious reflection and honest interpretation. A good Candidate is a restaurant manager who avoids laying blame, ignores what they have no control over, and empowers themselves to overcome. Making excuses and blaming others is not the goal of this exercise. It is meant to provide freedom from the voices from our past that ensnare us and limit our potential.

 

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Are You Ready For A Career Change?

April 1st, 2013

Many people struggle with the uncertainty and purpose of changing their career path. It is important to know the right time to make the next move. For example, changing careers from restaurant manager to general manager requires more than having taken all the necessary courses. When career coaching I stress to professionals that their motivations, mind set, and confidence level is as important as their education and experience. Long term goals are also important factors when determining if this is the right time to make a career change.

These questions are more important depending on the nature of the career change. A manager moving from one area of a restaurant to another will have less emotional and psychological impact on a professional than someone moving from the floor to an office. The most important question to ask is, ‘How well do you manage stress?’ Some people thrive on stress, others can become physically ill, depressed, or have their creativity and motivation stunted when under stress.

Organizational skills play a factor when determining if you are ready to seek a career change. If you thrive on stress and a looming deadline motivates you then you are more suited to the fast pace of kitchen management than the mental gymnastics and daily structure of the board room. One of the hardest aspects of career coaching is to separate people’s dreams from their reality. We can all dream, but that doesn’t mean we dream for the right reason. One of the first questions I ask Candidates is ‘why they dream of a particular job.’

Many of us dream based on an illusion. Others dream because they are passionate. I discuss this in another article (Career Development: Are you Motivated by your Dream or Your Passion?). We all have the tendency to see other people’s jobs as better than our own. In many cases we only see half the job, so our perception is skewed. We want the good we see, but unrealistic expectations of what the job really entails.

People who dream, based on their passions, are the ones who become most successful. They are the ones who are motivated by their job because their job feeds their inner person. If you take a look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs you’ll see that there are basic needs every person must fulfill to be emotionally healthy. Each of us defines these needs based on our personality and temperament.

If you understand what you ‘need’ to be happy, and can separate them from what you ‘want’, then you are ready to pursue the career choice that will fill those needs. Desires and wants change as we mature and grow. Needs never change, they are the motivation that will motivate us when the job becomes difficult. They are the core essential that provides the key to a successful career.

 

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What Is Your Dream Job?

March 26th, 2013

Is the job you dream of your real dream job? Many people are surprised to learn that these are two different things.

Dream Job

Your dream job is often created around a fantasy that will give you the ‘emotional’ satisfaction, and ‘fun’ that you ‘feel’ that you want out of life.

Unfortunately, this fantasy is often created around other people’s beliefs and ideals. As a coach I have spent months helping people separate what they want out of life from the voices in their heads. We all have voices from our past. These voices may echo parents, peers, enemies, the media, books, bad experiences, and teachers. Each one tries to limit your opportunities, and control your beliefs based on what is best for them.

How many of us see a picture of a sexy person in a sports car and just know that they will get the best job, have the most fun, meet the finest people? We believe this is true because the media told us to believe this

We might have gone to university, put off traveling to Europe for a year, bought an inexpensive car, and didn’t date the star of the high school musical because our parents told us that these were not good choices.

What many of us never take into consideration, until we are sitting across from a life coach, is what is best for us. What do you believe and what were you told to believe? Only when you can separate the two and start focusing on your core beliefs can you determine what your real dream job is.

What is a Dream Job

A dream job should meet the following criteria.

- It is something that you pursue with enthusiasm long before the job becomes a reality. - It is a job that employees your strengths, talents, and passions. - This job will not conflict with your integrity and help you become the person you want to be. - You can do this job for the rest of your life without regret. Take a little time and read some more posts on this blog. Answer the questions and spend some time reflecting. You may be surprised to learn that your dream job, and the job you dreamed of doing, goes in two different directions.

 

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Avoid The Worst Resume Mistakes

March 22nd, 2013

Job hunters are obsessed with their resumes. They often spend hours working on their resume only to become frustrated as they submit dozens of resumes without a single job interview.

Read the Job Description Read, and then reread the job description. Study it. What are the key words and phrases used to describe the position? What does the employer want? Compare these with your work accomplishments, education and experience. Which of your credentials fit the job description? Which are unrelated?

Shorten Your Resume Remove experience and qualifications that have nothing to do with the job. Make it easy for employers to find the credentials and talents they need. It is difficult finding the skills the employer needs the most. Use the job description as a guide and list the most valuable skills first.

Cut the Unrelated Job History If a past job is unrelated then keep that short. Don’t go into detail explaining a set of skills that your prospective employer doesn’t care about.

Avoid a Cookie Cutter Resume Show your potential and talents, even if it means that your resume is doesn’t fit the restaurant industry resume templates. There are several ways to do this. Example, typically a Candidate would explain their strong people skills, and 10 years of management experience. Take a short workshop or course on positive people management and list i as part of a career development strategy to strengthen your current skills.

Tell a Great Story When writing your resume don’t write a technical document, write a story. A resume shouldn’t be a list of facts and skills relevant to a job. Let your resume tell the employer about those intangibles that can’t be listed on a resume. Let your words reveal your behaviors, priorities, and passions. Let them see who you are as a person. Don’t be afraid to tell the employer what you learned from your failures, especially if they are relevant to the story behind the job description. Read your resume out loud. Practice presenting your skills and talents. Learn to articulate and market yourself. The more you practice, the better you’ll present yourself in the job interview.

Focus on the Employer Why is the employer looking for a new manager? What happened that made them word the job description the way they did? What do they need? What do they fear? The potential employer is your audience. If you tell a good story they will want an interview to continue hearing your story.

The job market is full of people with similar skills to yours. No Candidate is unique. It is hard to stand out from a pack when dozens of people graduate from the same business courses each year, and apply for the same jobs. It is difficult to stand out from the crowd when most managers complete the same tasks, and handle the same problems, every day.

Avoiding these common mistakes will help make you a talented professional who can market yourself

 

Posted in Uncategorized, interviewing, Interviewing Tips, Career Advancement, Your Resume | Comments |

What Hospitality Recruiters Can and Cannot Do For You?

March 20th, 2013

The forums are full of complaints about recruiters. Job seekers continually approach recruiters hoping for a solution to their job search problems. There are several dozen ‘unrealistic expectations’ and beliefs shared by hopeful Candidates. Before enlisting a Recruiter, and signing up with a Recruitment firm, take a good look at their role in your job hunting strategy. This will help avoid job-search frustration and disappointment. Recruiters Do Not Work For You – They Work With You

Recruiters are paid when they place a qualified Candidate into a suitable position. But They are only compensated if the Candidate stays at their position for one year. This means that it is vitally important that they focus on the clients who are most motivated and seriously want a long term job. Candidates who are just thinking about trying out a new job, or who are not qualified, or not motivated, will usually move to the bottom of the list. It isn’t that the recruiter has no desire to work with that client. The recruiter can only work with what they are given. The Recruiter has no time to chat with you about your weekend, give advice on courses you should take, or spend hours helping you polish your resume. They cannot spend all day searching the job bank for a job that you ‘might be interested in.’

Career Transition Candidates If you are in a career transition then maybe you need to employee a coach instead of a recruiter. Corporations expect recruiters to find experienced talent. They cannot spend time trying to convince employers to give you a chance. Recruiters are not Career Consultants. Your recruiter will not write your resume, or provide career coaching. They don’t ‘put in a good word’ for you when having lunch with a potential employer. They may offer tips and advice to help you polish your resume, but they can only work with what you provide them.

Be Honest. You may need to use the recruiter in the future. Don’t lie to them. Nobody wins when a manager is a bad match. Share information. Honesty and information are your most valuable assets.

Be Patient Do not haunt your recruiter. They are not sitting at a desk waiting for something to fill their day. Do your own homework and become a strong Candidate. The more you market yourself, the more motivated your Recruiter will be.

 

Posted in Uncategorized, interviewing, Hospitality, Interviewing Tips | Comments |

Risk Management: Talent Acquisition

March 15th, 2013

Recruiters are continually pressured to deliver high caliber talent to organizations. The Restaurant Industry demands the best talent to meet the demands of high competition. The problem with talent is that it often comes with ‘high risk’. This makes it difficult for older, and highly educated managers land a manager’s position. HR managers screen candidates based on their work experience and job knowledge, but the resume cannot highlight their job related attitudes, people skills, communication styles, or integrity and reliability.

The Recruiters job becomes difficult when many corporations rely on metrics related to increase speed to hire, reduce cost of new hires, and reducing the total number of positions. The corporation is only concerned with streamlining the hiring process and cost. The HR managers and Recruiters are then blamed if the manager has poor people skills, or leaves their position within a year. The High Cost of a Bad Hire can haunt a Recruiter and Restaurant for years. These costs are not limited to the cost of training, and hiring disgruntled employees. It can include damage, theft, time off, retraining, unsuccessfully executed projects, and ultimately unsatisfied customers. Presenting Yourself as a Talented but Low-Risk Employee

Recruiters are looking beyond the resume to separate the low risk talent from the problem managers. One way to do this is to search their social networking outlets. Adding these to a resume can help the Recruiter. Take a good look at your social networking profiles. Have you created a strong Linkedin page? Does your pinterest or facebook page portray an honest, respected, and talented professional whose friends show the same honesty and integrity?

Hiring leaders will also use personality assessment tools. These tools tell a lot about you. It is easy to go online and complete a few personality and job assessment tools. Take some time and learn something about yourself. Screening out the high risk candidates is not as difficult as it seems. Applicants made nearly 65, 000 job-related admissions of counter productive work behaviors in Phase 2 of a risk management assessment. In Phase 1 many were flagged because their attitudes and admissions surrounding job related integrity, theft, anti-social behavior, and unreliable work background were obvious to the HR manager. (References: Workers Compensation Research Institute, Society of Human Resources Management)

As a coach I’ve seen this when working with job seekers. They approach a job interview from an egocentric point of view. They answer questions offering the answer that sounds good to ‘their personality’. Unfortunately, another personality type, or communication style may see their claims as anti-social and a display of disruptive behavior.

When a Candidate understands the basic personality types, and the strengths and weaknesses of their own personality type, they have the power to control the interview and present themselves as highly talented, low risk, restaurant mangers.

 

Posted in Uncategorized, interviewing, Hospitality, Interviewing Tips, Career Advancement | Comments |

The High Risk of Hiring Professional Talent

March 11th, 2013

Leaders spend a lot of time talking about talent. This is one asset that drives any business. Ask any CEO, if they don’t have a process for retaining and developing talent they will quickly start to panic and complain about how difficult it is to keep talent. Or, they will launch into a series of sound bites highlighting their talent initiatives.

Despite the fact that there is too much available talent on the market today, when employees are interviewed they admit the following:

30% believe they will be working someplace else within 12 months. 40% don’t respect their boss 50% have different values than their employer 60^ don’t feel their career goals match the plans their employers have for them 70% feel unappreciated by their manager

There is a saying ‘Employees don’t quit working for a company. They quit working for a boss.” Employees who are challenged and engaged both emotionally and intellectually rarely quit. They also perform at higher levels. Everyone wants to be heard and valued. They want to feel that their employer cared.

If you understand the reasons why talent leaves then you can use this information to assure CEOs that you will be a ‘low risk’ hire. First, you can write the resume to make it sound like you will not be high maintenance. Second, you can highlight that you are able to retain employees, instead of being one of those restaurant managers who generates a high level of turnover. One of the biggest ‘high risk’ employees is the over passionate professional who puts 110% into their career. This person is high risk because they tend to hit a ceiling and then go start their own business. The company invests money into training them, only to watch them become the competition. Every Hr Leader faces the difficult challenge of trying to save high-risk, key employees who have difficulty working in teams, or with subordinates. Key employees typically have a loyal following of other employees and customers, or they can result in high turnover rates.

Mangers need to present themselves as talent. They also need to focus on the employer’s needs. There are specific things that you need to highlight to lower your ‘risk factor’ in the HR manager’s mind. Credibility – Are you perceived as credible Trust – have you been trusted in the past Competent – have you successfully started and implemented programs Experience – can you avoid and solve problems Implications - will you cost the company money, or save money Cost – What Return On Investment (ROI) can you offer the company

 

Posted in Uncategorized, interviewing | Comments |

What Do Hospitality Employer’s Want?

March 6th, 2013

Many job seekers act like there is a magic formula to the perfect resume. If they can only fix the one secret, the one tweak, or the one mistake, then they will have their pick of high paying jobs. Candidates become obsessed with their resumes. They agonize over minute details. They read all the tips and advice until they are hopelessly frustrated.

Then, with trepidation, they press a button and send off their resume. If there is a secret it is that you need to write a resume from the employer’s perspective if you want to land a job. The truth is, it is very rare that a person is hired by submitting a resume. The only purpose of a resume is to land an interview. According to statistics, 40% of hiring decisions are based on personality. Everyone has an excuse why they are not being hired. People over 50 blame their age. People who are not good looking try to improve their looks.

The only thing that a Recruiter looks at when reading a resume is ‘Is this person a risk?’ The less risk, the easier it will be to land a job.

Employee Loyalty Employers fear hiring someone who will leave in six months. For this reason many hiring professionals will look for someone where the job is a step up, not someone who has surpassed the position. They want someone who can see some growth.

Hiring Roadblock Many times the people reading the resumes don’t have any hiring power. It may be a recruiter or someone in the Human Resources department. They have no idea what skills and tasks are needed to complete the job – but most resumes only focus on these aspects.

Don’t Be Timid Today’s Candidates need to take risk. They need to pick up the phone and risk hearing someone say no. You may have the best resume, but it is useless if it doesn’t help you land a face-to-face interview with the person with the power to hire. No one likes to be rejected but the sooner you overcome the fear, the sooner you’ll find a job.

 

Posted in Uncategorized, interviewing, Interviewing Tips, Career Advancement, Your Resume | Comments |

Write a Resume From the Employer’s Point of View

March 1st, 2013

Take a good long look at your resume. You’ve followed all the latest rules for resume construction. You’ve polished your communication skills. The latest styles hang in your closet. You have updated your skills instead of sitting at home hoping the phone will ring. Unfortunately, you may have made one of the biggest mistakes – your whole campaign is self focused.

Put the Employer or Recruiter First

When writing a resume the average Candidate writes something that sounds professional. Unfortunately, what we learned in college or while reading the internet, is often out of date. The average business owner is not interested in a dry list of skills. They are accustomed to networking and marketing. Their success depends on sales and advertising. Their success was built on marketing. So they are looking for a Candidate who can market themselves. When marketing yourself presentation matters. From the Resume to the way you walk through the front door of the restaurant, every second the employer focuses their attention on you is part of the interview.

Old Resume Focus: professional, efficient, loyal, dedicated. New Resume Focus: Entice, Enthrall, Compel, Aggressive. The difference in a verb or modifier can make the difference between landing a job.

Sample: Old Description Restaurant Manager, Company Name, Dates Responsible for managing all aspects of restaurant operations and customer relations. Provided training, solved employee problems, improved revenue 10% in 9 months.

Sample: New Description Restaurant Manager – Company Name, Dates Uncovered several problems between restaurant floor and kitchen, created a user-friendly system that satisfied the needs of both areas. Uncovered two opportunities, and then implemented projects that improved marketing. Tested, promoted and launched two projects to better target the local market. Both samples say the same thing, but the second tells a story. This Candidate spoke a language that solved a problem the employer was probably facing. They used words that the employer could respond to ‘growth’ and ‘opportunities.’ More important they successfully executed two projects. Employers know that the best plans often fail in the execution stage because no one knows how to make the ‘staff’ come onboard with management’s programs.

Presentation Employers are use to visuals. Your Recruiter may not suggest adding a graph to your resume. But arriving at the interview with a portfolio, or having a website with supporting reports, graphs, and visuals can make the difference between landing a job interview, and losing your resume at the bottom of the pile.

 

Posted in Uncategorized, Career Advancement, Your Resume | Comments |

5 Things Hospitality Recruiters Won’t Tell You

February 25th, 2013

Restaurant Recruiters want to match the right job with the right job seeker. Their performance and career depends on how effectively they match the top talent to the right job. What most job seekers don’t understand is that in today’s environment their job is more difficult than ever. There is just too much talent, and that talent is learning how to market themselves better. This is making the ‘intangibles’ more important. People’s ability to make a good impression, the value and cut of their suit, communication skills, and your confidence can all ruin your chances of landing your dream job.

5 Things a Recruiter Looks For

1. Lack of confidence and preparation. Is it necessary to practice your presentation? Is it necessary to record yourself answering questions and describing your experience? Is it necessary to bring a portfolio ‘just in-case?’ The answer depends on how determined you are to win the job.

2. Physical Appearance. Do you look like a professional? Did you dress to suit your own fashion sense, or to land a job. Does your clothing, hair, make-up, and scent portray a self assured, confident, professional? Is your clothing outdated, ill fitted, or revealing? Everything you wear tells a story about who you are, your priorities, and how meticulously you’ll pay attention to the details of your job.

3. Communication Do you talk too much, use poor grammar, giggle, or use slang? Do you try to act like the Recruiter’s friend, or try to overwhelm or smooth-talk the Recruiter? Your communication can undermine your clarity, conviction, and misrepresent your personality. One important aspect of communication is listening. Take time to hear what the recruiter wants, and if necessary repeat back their key points.

4. Performance Your posture, how you enter the room, shake hands, eye contact, and even the way you walk all reveal your personality to the recruiter. Take time to relax and prepare before the interview. 93% of communication is non-verbal. If you are angry, fearful, nervous, or confused you’re body language will communicate this to the recruiter.

5. Recruiters are Overwhelmed Many job seekers are upset when working with Recruiters. They expect to have a list of high profile jobs within a week. When this doesn’t happen they blame the recruiter. The plain fact is that recruiters have dozens of resumes for every job. Their reputation relies on their performance. Recruiters become numb after dealing with dozens of people who refuse to help themselves. If you want a recruiter to give you 100%, then give the recruiter 100%. You may need to chase the recruiter a bit to show them that you are determined. Once they know you are not wasting their time, they will be more dedicated to marketing you.

A recruiter will not tell you the above 5 intangibles that will prevent you from landing a job. Candidates need to start working on these elements and create a package the Recruiter can market before they approach the Recruiter.

 

Posted in Uncategorized, interviewing, Interviewing Tips | Comments |

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