By David Leonhardt
Level: Basic PLUS David Leonhardt is a website marketing specialist and an SEO consultant. He also publishes A Daily Dose of Happiness and is author of Climb ...and Corey Rozon
When you first enter your corner restaurant , it appears to be run by a few servers and a bartender or two... oh, yes, and a cook, of course (Can't forget the food!). The truth is that a restaurant is a beehive of activity, with so many people who make it possible for you to dine out. Here is a behind the scenes look at typical restaurant jobs.
Back of the House Restaurant Jobs
The kitchen area and the staff that support it are typically considered the Back of the House. Below is a list of common Back of the House jobs positions in a restaurant.
KITCHEN MANAGER / ASSISTANT MANAGER JOBS
Depending on the size of the restaurant, a Kitchen Manager / Assistant Manager would take on all the administrative and managerial duties of the kitchen. However they may also have a dual role as a Chef or Cook.
CHEF JOBS
Not unlike a Cook, a Chef is one of the most important aspects of your dining experience since the Chef is responsible for planning the menu and the day-to-day operations of the kitchen. One of the main differences between a Chef and a Cook is certification.
PASTRY CHEF JOBS
For all you dessert lovers out there, you will want to send your accolades to the resident pastry chef of the restaurant you're attending. A pastry cook's responsibilities encompass similarities of both a chef and a cook.
COOK JOBS
Cooks are one of the most integral parts of a restaurant dining experience, because no matter how well the service is, your experience will be judged by the taste of your meal. A cook's responsibility may encompass more than just cooking, they may also be responsible for supervising and training kitchen staff.
DISHWASHER JOBS
A dishwasher can have numerous responsibilities; they may be expected to perform duties of a bus person, cook, and perhaps even waiter or waitress. A dishwasher position in a restaurant is generally an entry-level job for those who are interested in cooking.
Front of the House Restaurant Jobs
The dining area, which may encompass the bar area and all supporting staff is considered the Front of the House. Below is a list of common Front of the House positions in a restaurant.
WAITER / WAITRESS JOBS
Waiters and Waitresses will be your attendants from the time of your first drink order until the time you are puzzling how much of a tip you should leave. They take your meal orders, recommended wine, and always seem to have a habit of asking you how everything is once your mouth is full of food. Much like bartenders they must also enforce liquor legislation and regulations and be certified to serve alcohol. Servers may also be required to perform duties of a bartender, bus person and host or hostess.
GENERAL MANAGER / ASSISTANT MANAGER JOBS
The restaurant's General Manager and Assistant Manager run the show. It is ultimately their responsibility for all the functions of a restaurant from opening to closing and they may be required to act as a regular employee to fill in for last minute absences.
HOST / HOSTESS JOBS
The Host or Hostess is the person who greets and seats you when you enter a restaurant. A host or Hostess job is usually an entry-level position for those looking to become a waiter, waitress or bartender; they may also be expected to perform the duties of a waiter or waitress, bartender and bus person...and occasionally even as a bouncer.
BARTENDER JOBS
The bartender is located behind a bar serving up the beer, wine and cocktails that you have ordered. Depending on the type of restaurant, the bar area may be one with a social functionality in mind, or purely utilitarian. Regardless of the function of the bar, bartenders are required to enforce liquor legislation and regulations, and may be required to have some sort of certification.
BUS PERSON JOBS
A bus person's main responsibility is to clear tables of used glassware and dishes; they may be expected to take on the responsibilities of a host or hostess, waiter or waitress, bartender, dishwasher, or cook. Generally a Bus Person position is an entry-level job for those looking to become a waiter, waitress or bartender.
So the next time you ask for a slice a bumbleberry pie and an iced tea, think about how many people helped make your small treat a reality. In a restaurant, it is a much bigger job than sitting down for a midnight snack at the kitchen table.
David Leonhardt and Corey Rozon are freelance writers from Canada. Learn more about restaurant jobs in Canada and especially about restaurant jobs in Toronto. For a worldwide list of recruiters, you can recruiters and executive search firms directory.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Leonhardt
3/06/2008
Preparing for the Interview - Questions
By Dean Johnson
You've sent your resume everywhere, you've tweaked it so that it fits each position you've applied for and finally someone thinks you're a fit, at least enough to call you in for an interview. The people doing the interview however are not going to be professional interviewers but people working for the company that want to get as much information about you as possible. It will be your job to make that information positive and in your favor.
Typically your interviewers will share a list of interview questions that has been put together by students and faculty at business schools and universities. The good thing is that there are many of these lists that are all just about the same, and you can find them on the Internet.
I have taken some of those lists I have found on the Internet and have condensed them down to an essential 54 questions. Go through my list at your leisure and prepare an answer in your mind to each of them. Consider what your answer will mean to the employer. Will it be in your favor or not. They are not obliged to like you.
If you are ambitious and of course you should be in this job climate, seek out interview question lists on the internet and formally prepare answers to as many of these questions that you can find. Practice your answers just like a politician practices his presentations. Be more honest and truthful though, of course.
Beware of trap questions. One typical trap question is asked of candidates of permanent positions. It goes something like, "would you consider a contract position with us?" If you are in this situation the wrong answer is "yes". The trick is that the company is looking for permanent candidates, those who will stay on no matter the pressure and stress of the job for years and years. It doesn't matter that you're willing to take anything to get into the company.
The Condensed List
Describe yourself.
- Why did you decide to seek a position in this company?
- What motivated you to leave your last job?
- What are your short-range goals and objectives?
- What are your long range goals and objectives?
- What do you see yourself doing five years from now? Ten years from now?
- What do you really want to do in life?
- How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
- What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
- What do you expect to be earning in five years?
- Why did you choose this career?
- Can you explain this gap in your employment history?
- How well do you work with people? Do you prefer working alone or in teams?
- How well do you deal with conflict?
- How do you handle difficulty with a supervisor? How was the conflict resolved?
- What do you consider your greatest strengths to be?
- What do you consider your greatest weaknesses to be?
- What was best job you've ever had?
Describe the best supervisor you've ever had.
- How would you last boss describe your work performance?
- What motivates you to go the extra mile on a project or job?
- Why should I hire you?
- How are you qualified for this position?
- What does success mean to you?
- What would success be with a company like ours?
- How do you think you can contribute to our company?
- What are your hobbies?
- How do you spend your spare time?
- Have you ever been forced to resign or fired?
Describe a successful manager.
- Can you see yourself in a leadership role?
Describe a good leader.
- How great was the workload in your current (or most recent) job?
- Compare creativity and efficiency. Which is more important? Why?
- What books have you've read? What is the most recent book you've read?
W- hat is the relationship between the supervisor and those reporting to him or her?
Describe the two or three accomplishments that have given you the most satisfaction.
- What was the most rewarding experience of your career thus far?
- What qualities would you look for in a job seeker for this position?
- Are you continuing your studies? Are you considering an advanced degree?
- In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
- Can you delegate tasks? Can you give some examples?
Describe one of the hardest decisions you've ever had to make.
- What do you know about our company?
- What are our products? What interests do you have in them?
- What competitors do we have? What do you know about them?
- What are the things that are most important to you in your job?
- What promotions or salary increases do you expect?
- How do you judge the company for whom you hope to work?
- What are your geographic preferences?
- Would you relocate?
- Can you relocate yourself?
- Would you travel for the job?
- What about the community where we are located attracts you?
- What have you learned from your mistakes?
- What in your past shows initiative and willingness to work?
Arrive at the interview 15 minutes early in order to fill out any paper work they may require. Be appropriately dressed. The first five minutes is crucial and your last chance to make a good first impression.
At the end of the interview, be sure to close the interview. It will be up to you to ask for the position. That may be the hardest part, but it is the most important part.
Some Useful Links
There are several links below of guides and resources you might also go over. http://www.job-interview.net/
For technical jobs try:http://www.techinterview.org/
and always:
http://www.google.com/search?q=interview+questions
The person doing the interview will do their research, so do yours too. That extra edge could put you over the top.
Dean W. Johnson is a technical recruiter and website developer. He has over 30 years experience in the computer industry and has worked through many paradigm shifts, from Mainframes through Minicomputers through PCs and on to networked and internet worked computer systems. He has worked in both software and hardware. He has lived in a paperless world for more than 12 years. He now recruits for the IT industry and webmasters several websites.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Johnson
You've sent your resume everywhere, you've tweaked it so that it fits each position you've applied for and finally someone thinks you're a fit, at least enough to call you in for an interview. The people doing the interview however are not going to be professional interviewers but people working for the company that want to get as much information about you as possible. It will be your job to make that information positive and in your favor.
Typically your interviewers will share a list of interview questions that has been put together by students and faculty at business schools and universities. The good thing is that there are many of these lists that are all just about the same, and you can find them on the Internet.
I have taken some of those lists I have found on the Internet and have condensed them down to an essential 54 questions. Go through my list at your leisure and prepare an answer in your mind to each of them. Consider what your answer will mean to the employer. Will it be in your favor or not. They are not obliged to like you.
If you are ambitious and of course you should be in this job climate, seek out interview question lists on the internet and formally prepare answers to as many of these questions that you can find. Practice your answers just like a politician practices his presentations. Be more honest and truthful though, of course.
Beware of trap questions. One typical trap question is asked of candidates of permanent positions. It goes something like, "would you consider a contract position with us?" If you are in this situation the wrong answer is "yes". The trick is that the company is looking for permanent candidates, those who will stay on no matter the pressure and stress of the job for years and years. It doesn't matter that you're willing to take anything to get into the company.
The Condensed List
Describe yourself.
- Why did you decide to seek a position in this company?
- What motivated you to leave your last job?
- What are your short-range goals and objectives?
- What are your long range goals and objectives?
- What do you see yourself doing five years from now? Ten years from now?
- What do you really want to do in life?
- How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
- What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
- What do you expect to be earning in five years?
- Why did you choose this career?
- Can you explain this gap in your employment history?
- How well do you work with people? Do you prefer working alone or in teams?
- How well do you deal with conflict?
- How do you handle difficulty with a supervisor? How was the conflict resolved?
- What do you consider your greatest strengths to be?
- What do you consider your greatest weaknesses to be?
- What was best job you've ever had?
Describe the best supervisor you've ever had.
- How would you last boss describe your work performance?
- What motivates you to go the extra mile on a project or job?
- Why should I hire you?
- How are you qualified for this position?
- What does success mean to you?
- What would success be with a company like ours?
- How do you think you can contribute to our company?
- What are your hobbies?
- How do you spend your spare time?
- Have you ever been forced to resign or fired?
Describe a successful manager.
- Can you see yourself in a leadership role?
Describe a good leader.
- How great was the workload in your current (or most recent) job?
- Compare creativity and efficiency. Which is more important? Why?
- What books have you've read? What is the most recent book you've read?
W- hat is the relationship between the supervisor and those reporting to him or her?
Describe the two or three accomplishments that have given you the most satisfaction.
- What was the most rewarding experience of your career thus far?
- What qualities would you look for in a job seeker for this position?
- Are you continuing your studies? Are you considering an advanced degree?
- In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
- Can you delegate tasks? Can you give some examples?
Describe one of the hardest decisions you've ever had to make.
- What do you know about our company?
- What are our products? What interests do you have in them?
- What competitors do we have? What do you know about them?
- What are the things that are most important to you in your job?
- What promotions or salary increases do you expect?
- How do you judge the company for whom you hope to work?
- What are your geographic preferences?
- Would you relocate?
- Can you relocate yourself?
- Would you travel for the job?
- What about the community where we are located attracts you?
- What have you learned from your mistakes?
- What in your past shows initiative and willingness to work?
Arrive at the interview 15 minutes early in order to fill out any paper work they may require. Be appropriately dressed. The first five minutes is crucial and your last chance to make a good first impression.
At the end of the interview, be sure to close the interview. It will be up to you to ask for the position. That may be the hardest part, but it is the most important part.
Some Useful Links
There are several links below of guides and resources you might also go over. http://www.job-interview.net/
For technical jobs try:http://www.techinterview.org/
and always:
http://www.google.com/search?q=interview+questions
The person doing the interview will do their research, so do yours too. That extra edge could put you over the top.
Dean W. Johnson is a technical recruiter and website developer. He has over 30 years experience in the computer industry and has worked through many paradigm shifts, from Mainframes through Minicomputers through PCs and on to networked and internet worked computer systems. He has worked in both software and hardware. He has lived in a paperless world for more than 12 years. He now recruits for the IT industry and webmasters several websites.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Johnson
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