Working in the Restaurant - SHOES!

The single most important part of your uniform is your footware. Safety first! Usually you have to provide your own and it is critical to have restaurant work shoes. Your shoes will protect you from slipping, spills, and standing.
Slipping: The number one cause of injury in any work place, not just restaurants, is slips and falls. The restaurant is one of the most dangerous places to have bad shoes. The floors of a restaurant although may be textured tile, once they are covered in a thin layer of oil they become incredibly slick. Similarly on a wet walk-in cooler or ice on the ground in the freezer, the surface we walk on is very slippery. If you've ever accidentally emptied a fryer onto the floor or tried to fill a fryer without closing the drain valve first you will know how slick the floors can get.
Many restaurants have mats down to prevent fatigue and makes slips much less likely, but even still it is very dangerous to not have slip resistant shoes. In a typical restaurant everything is made from hard solid stainless steel with sharp corners, if you fell from standing height on to the edge of a grill or prep table and hit your face or head it would be excruciating. Slipping is very real and very dangerous. You may think your tennis shoes are slip resistant and you'll be fine or you may want to look cool in your red Converse All Stars, but these are horrible shoes for restaurant work!
Spills: Restaurant work shoes typically need to be closed toe, it would be bad to spill hot soup or a pan of bleach on your foot! Sandals in a restaurant are just a bad idea. There is ice flying around, dishes fall, water gets sloshed, drains get clogged, toilets get clogged, you want your shoes water (and pasta sauce) resistant. You will want to be able to spray your shoes off to get the alfredo off of them too. There is nothing worse than getting to work early for a nine hour shift and dropping a pitcher of sweet tea or the raw chicken juices from a bag on your foot and totally saturating your sock to be nasty sticky, sickly, soggy, gross, horrible all day long without a change of socks.
Standing: You really need a shoe that fits and is comfortable. If your shoes are too tight you'll never make it through your first double. If they are too loose you may end up spilling something when you trip over your own feet! You will be standing for the entire day. Comfortable shoes are a must. Depending on the size and layout of the restaurant you may be climbing stairs, walking a hundred feet across the building to the kitchen or bar, or you may just be working 12 to 15 hour days without a break. Your feet will thank you. So will your ankles. And back. As well as your knees, legs, hips, etc.

There are dozens of shoe manufacturers that make shoes with slip resistant soles, each one varies slightly and some are better than others. They are also made in varying styles and designs at different price points so they are definitely worth every penny you spend to protect yourself. Most restaurants require slip resistant shoes.
Black is also an industry standard, unless you are Mario Batali, then you do whatever you want. You can get shoes anywhere these days really: WalMart, Payless, online, pretty much anywhere that sells shoes.

My choice: I've worn a form of Birkenstock work clog for the last five years. They are a little more expensive, but worth it in the long run. The clogs are one piece design to provide complete protection from anything in the restaurant, but come with a removable insole used for arch support and formed foot bed comfort. They come up about 2" so I can stand in a puddle and not really have to worry at all about getting my socks wet. No laces, no fuss. Oil resistant. Slip resistant. Chemical resistant. Lightweight. Perfect for me.
When I am going on a formal trip with upper management or working in a fine dining establishment I have a pair of slip resistant wingtip dress shoes from the Shoes For Crews brand. They are extremely slip resistant and fit the bill of a more formal look than my clogs, but they don't compare comfort-wise and I have personally seen employees burn through the SFC brand footware in six month under pretty harsh conditions with the degreaser and various chemicals used in floor cleaning.
I've heard good things about SAS Shoes, but they seem a little heavy for me to have to move around quickly in all day, every week for fifty hours or so.

Restaurant Blog Topics

I have been away for a number of years. Life got busy with an engagement, moving, new job in a run down, poorly managed restaurant, then a break up and just dealing with all that. I have been in the restaurant industry this whole time, learning, gaining experiences, growing my career, and hopefully gaining some new insight for anyone reading the blog. I am hoping I will be back to writing more and more articles, and I am interested in knowing what people are looking to know about the restaurant world. Leave me a comment about your interests and I will try to tell you about what I know.

Skilled verses Unskilled Labor

Too often do people think of working in a restaurant as unskilled labor that can be performed by anyone, which is partially true, however it is not complete truth. Most people haven't taken the time to look at it from another perspective or they haven't worked in a restaurant to really understand.
Yes, it is true that anyone can work in a restaurant (high school kids, retirees, felons, college students, single mothers, drug dealers, me, etc.) and no formal education is required for most restaurants to hire someone (unlike doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc.).
No, it is not true that anyone can work in a restaurant. Some people simply cannot hack it. Many people know they just cannot interact with customers, some people cannot deal with the nonsense that goes on in the kitchen, some people are threatened by the enviornment - a restaurant has far different work place culture than that accounting firm you interned at. There are at least two people in the world: Those who can work in restaurants and those who cannot.
Furthermore, it takes someone who can work in a restaurant to put in time to learn to actually build some real skills in the kitchen or in the front-of-house:
Cook = Unskilled labor
Chef = Skilled labor
Restaurants have such high turn-over rates for reasons more than just lacking salaries, it's a select breed of people that can manage to keep their job and sanity while working in a hectic restaurant.

Time Management

In nearly every single restaurant role, from waitress to general manager, everyone needs to be a master of time management. Being able to accurately measure how long it is going to take to do something and then executing in that time or less is cruitial. In a restaurant there is typically ten things you constantly had to have done five minutes ago. There is little time for someone to methodically complete one task at a time. You must be a fantastic multi-tasker and be able to get things done as soon as possible, in as little time as possible.
As a server you need to know when to send the order for the entrees, too soon and the guests will still be working on the salad, too late and they will be waiting on you. Cooks need to know when to start the steaks or the well done burger, time everything to come out of the kitchen at the same time. The host needs to know how long before the next table is free and an average wait time. The manager needs to know all of that and when to start the schedule so employees aren't waiting on them to know when they work.
When it's slow, you can't just sit around. You need to keep busy, manage your time, and always have the appearance of cleaning something. Anything looks better than standing around. If you can stay busy - you'll go a lot further than those that loaf.

Letter of Resignation

I would like to start off this topic by stating that I am no job expert, but I have held over fifteen jobs and interviewed for even more. I have turned offers down, I have been called by former employers and asked if I would come back, I've been rehired twice, I have been given counter offers, I have been turned down, but I have never been fired. Most of the reasons that I have had so much luck with my career has been the passion I have for the work. I love working in the hospitality industry. I am a hard worker and I am good at what I do, no amount of reading can motivate you to be a good employee or work hard, it's a personal thing each of us must find out for ourselves.
Every situation is different, some people can simply tell their boss, "Hey, I've got to give you my two weeks, my last day is going to be on the 5th." Others are not so lucky. I think that most managers will appreciate a letter of resignation, some times a letter isn't necessary, but as long as you give some notice it will help.
The length of notice varies, many of the entry level positions could probably squeak by with only a week, but some corperate run places will require two weeks or they get upset. I would avoid giving any more than two weeks notice, no matter your position, any longer and things get awkward quick.
The letter should be short, sweet, and to the point:

Date

Dear Boss,

At this time I must tender my resignation. My last day with Company XYZ will be on (two weeks). I appreciate the opportunity to work for your company. I hope my contributions have been valuable. I wish you all the best in the future.

Sincerely,

Name


You should type your letter, then sign it at the bottom. Address the letter to what ever you would typically call your boss, "Mr. White," "Mike," or "Chef Paul," are just possible examples. It would be strange to address a letter to your boss using anything but what you normally call them.
Obviously, if you don't wish them all the best in the future, maybe leave that out, but don't include too much of anything else:

• Avoid the "why"
• Avoid anything personal (leaving for medical reasons, new job, marriage, moving, baby, etc.)
• Avoid anything that made you mad (bad management, lazy coworkers, poor pay)
• Avoid anything long and drawn out, keep it short!
• Avoid handwritten letters, typed is professional - let's keep it professional, not personal.

A boss will appreciate the letter greatly. They might think you're a little strange, but professional. The letter will also help clear any confusion about when you will be done. I've seen relationships take a hard hit because one employee said he needed to work until the 28th and the manager thought he was done by the 26th.
When the time comes to try to get hired again they'll say, "Oh, that guy's solid," or "she won't walk out on me or not show up." Just give notice and write a simple letter!

Filling Out The Application

This blog has, although intended for general restaurant industry advice, taken a turn more specifically about finding a job, filling out the application, handling the interview, and general advice of that nature. I don't mind writing about either subject. In fact I pride myself on having the skills necessary to get a job - especially in this job market.

I wanted to take the time to methodically go through the process of filling out an application and giving possible (valid/good) responses to each line item as well as their importance. It is important to remember that an application is a legal document, so, I must tell you that I am not a professional career advisor nor do I claim that the information within this blog has been written by a legal authority so take it for what it is - good common sense with a bit of experience mixed in.

Date: Write the date in Month, Day, Year format. 11/7/11 being today. This is generally understood and accepted in the United States (it may vary in other countries). The date is important, because when a manager goes to file it they will slide it into a filing cabinet, and if they have less than perfect record keeping and organizational skills it may get jumbled up, then without the date on it the manager will never know if the application was filled out a day ago or six months ago. The date will also make it easier for the organized manager to find your application when you check on it's status.

Name: Obviously, you write your proper legal name. Even if everyone calls you Bill, still write William. Also, there may be a line for other names you might be known as such as Billy or a nickname like Sonny. You may be required to list your maiden name as a married woman. This information will be important if hired.

Address: This line is going to be used for your personal information. If the company needs to send you anything, a paycheck possibly, this is where they will send it. Write where ever you want your check to be sent. BE WARNED that your address may bring up red flags if your home address is in either a different state or far from the company location. If you are applying for a job in New York and you list your address as New Mexico they may be less likely to offer you a job. However, you should never lie on any portion of your application, it may haunt you later.

Telephone Number: This is the primary way your possible employer will get in contact with you. It seems like common sense to tell you to make sure the number is valid, listed with the area code, you can afford to answer the phone (have minutes on it or ensure you can accept incoming calls), it is yours or somewhere you can have a message taken (not a public/work phone), and alert anyone that may be taking messages for you to answer calls professionally.
Likewise, make sure your voice mail is also professional. Do not have a perspective employer listen to you say, "Hey! I'm probably drunk or hung over so leave a message when it beeps. Deuces." It will not look good toward your character.

SSN: Make sure it's yours and legitimate. The pattern, if you don't know is three digits, two digits, then four digits, separated by dashes, i.e. 123-45-6789. This will be used to verify your right to work.
There may be other questions about if you are a legal citizen, check the appropriate boxes.

Age: An employer cannot ask how old you are, but they can ask if you are above a certain age to determine if you are legally allowed to perform some of the functions the job entails. Usually these questions will be in the form of "Are you at least 16 years old? Are you at least 18 years old?" Check these boxes accordingly. If you check the 'Yes, I am over 18 years old box' then make sure you do NOT check the 'No, I am not 16 years old' box. I've seen it done.

Position Desired: Check any and all that apply. It would not hurt to check some jobs that you wouldn't be thrilled to have and some jobs that you may not be qualified for. I mean this, if you are applying to be a bartender, it would be wise to inform them you wouldn't mind being a dishwasher and you would also like to be a shift manager. BE WARNED! You may be offered the dish washing position and if you need the job it will get your foot in the door, but if you don't NEED the job, you can always decline the offer.

Hours Desired/Required: These questions will come in a variety of styles:

• When can you work?
• When can't you work?
• Are you available nights?
• Are you available weekends?
• Can you stay later than your scheduled shift?
• Are you seeking: Full-time, part-time, temporary, or seasonal employment?
• When can you start?

Obviously, I cannot answer these questions for you. You know what is going on in your life, and you know when you can or cannot work. Some helpful hints include to not divulge any planned appointments, trips, or possible reasons why you may have to miss a day until after you are hired. It can look poorly on you if you decide to hide information about a month you'll be needing off for a family vacation just a few weeks down the road.

Felonies:

Who do you know: These questions are along the lines of "How did you hear about the opening" or "Do you have any friends/family that work here" Before you list any one's name, make sure it is okay with them. Do not list some one's name without consulting that individual. The reasons are a few fold:

1. That person may not be willing to stick their name/reputation out for you.
2. That person may not have good report with their manager.
3. That person may not like their job.
4. You might be 'guilty-by-association' if the management team doesn't like that person.
5. Management team might assume you will be too chatty if you are believed to be best friends.

Be careful with this one, it can come back to haunt you.

Salary Desired/Required: Some employers ask how much you 'require' and salary negotiations are a topic for a whole different post. In most cases minimum wage is the expected, especially in the restaurant world, but you should write 'neogotable.'

Previous Experience: There is a couple parts on this subject the "Have you ever applied here before?" with the "Have you ever worked here before?" and the other side, "List former employers" section. Answer the first two honestly. In some cases it will help - it will show that you not only have relevant work experience, but you have relevant work experience HERE or it may be bad in a situation where a new manager/management team is brought in and they have been informed to clean house and not rehire any of the former staff (for whatever reason).

The second part of the application where you fill out the previous employer information is important, and if your manager is worth a grain of salt should check references with these employers. So, while you may be a little fuzzy on your employment dates, there is a good chance your former employer may be too.

Go back at least three employers, some may require four, others want employers based on a number of years. Just fill in the blanks they give you, and if they request more experience fill out another page of employers.

Have the phone numbers and addresses of these employers written down. If a manager goes to check your references and they cannot figure out which location you worked at they may assume you lied on your application - which is a not-so-fancy way of saying you're not getting a job.

Many of us in the restaurant world aren't given an official title - so you may be creative, but don't take too much latitude. If you were a cook and you list your title as Executive Kitchen Chef they might not find it as humorous as you do. As a cook you could write "Line Cook" or "Intermediate Line Cook" or be specific like "Grill Cook" or "Saute Cook." Remember if you are just applying to be a bus boy and you write that at a previous restaurant you were the "Sanitation Captain" they may feel you are over qualified, even if it is simply an exaggeration of your title.

List salary information as accurately as you can remember. This could be a whole post by itself.

List your supervisor's name as accurately as you can remember. Also, with this situation if you didn't/don't get along with the Restaurant General Manager, you might want to list the Assistant
Manager or if your immediate supervisor can speak towards your skills better than a company boss can then it may be better to list someone like a shift manager.
In this same category, it can be difficult for many employers to hire you if your former work is of a higher caliber than your current position seeking - try to have an explanation for this. If you were an assistant manager and now you are applying for a hostess position it may way a red flag, but if you explain that you are going back to school and as a result can only work a few hours a week they will probably understand the situation.

Many managers don't check references, so it is a good idea to always allow a perspective employer to contact your current or former employers, even if your work was less than stellar. If you did something just ridiculous like stole something or assaulted someone... Don't check 'yes'

There are a thousand different ways to say nearly everything. So, avoid damaging your reputation when filling out the section on reason for leaving. If you were laid-off, explain there was a lack of work. If you were fired for a disagreement write something like 'Tense workplace environment.' Most of these situations would need to be addressed on a case by case basis - there is no blanket statement. If you are currently employed simply write that "Currently employed."

Some applications will ask what skills you possess or your interests. The interests portion may be used as a spur during an interview, but the skills are important and should be relevant. It doesn't matter if you are a cattle rancher if you want to flip burgers. Include any certificates/licenses you possess as well as years of experience total you may have.

Education: List your high school's name and location and under course work or field of study write "General" and under degree write "High School Diploma" if you graduated. Pretty simple. List any college or vocational school course work as well - this may not have to be relevant, but it shows a certain level of responsibility and education.

References: Some applications list personal references. Just put any three people that will speak of you like you are a saint, this is what the manager should be expecting. One of the least important parts of the application in my opinion. Be sure to tell these people that someone may be calling about a job reference.

Legal Stuff: Read this, make sure the application is as accurate as you can possibly make it, don't lie, if you do lie you may have problems later. Sign and date.

Getting A Job in a Restaurant - What NOT to Do

Most of the people reading this blog are mostly interested in the actual process of getting a job and many of them have questions about getting and maintaining a job in the restaurant/hospitality industry. I have given my two cents on things you should do, but there are some things that I haven't mentioned, possibly out of my own common sense filter or out of error, that you most certainly should NOT do.

Most of these things will be based on real world scenarios:
1. Don't forget a pen. Some managers won't hire anyone that asks for a pen. Can't bring a pen = unprepared (for application, work, life, etc.)
2. Don't turn your phone on. Leave it in the car, leave it at home, don't put it on vibrate, just DON'T let it be the reason you don't get a job. Recently, I was getting ready to explain to a gentleman we were only looking to hire a single cook, when his phone rang, he told me to hang on, and then took two seconds to realize it was a wrong number. That wrong number cost him a job. Never 'shush' anyone you want something from.
3. Don't expect an interview on the spot. Be ready for one however.
4. Don't ever say, "Are you ready to give me a job yet?" Use some tact when asking about the status of your application.
5. Don't call the manager or come in more than once a week. Managers are busy, they don't really have time to deal with the same old person over and over. If you haven't been hired in a few weeks time, then you had better put your application in elsewhere.
6. Don't fill your application with grammatical errors, typos, and scribbles. It just looks like you don't know what you are doing. Avoid looking silly if at all possible.
7. Similarly, fill the application out with the same pen, don't change colors. A change in color will show an employer you had to ask your mom your social security number.
8. Similarly, don't have someone else fill your application out for you. It will look like your mom had to force you to get a job.
9. Similarly, don't have someone else bring your application in for you, pick one up for you, or check on it's status for you. If you aren't responsible enough to pick one up, drop it off, and call to check on it's status, then you probably won't go through half as much effort to work for me.
10. Don't dress like you normally would - unless you always dress prepared for an interview. Wear something nice, button down, slacks, dress shoes, maybe... maybe even a tie. Again, you probably won't get an on-the-spot interview, but if you look half way professional maybe you will.
11. Don't show up unprepared (either dropping off an application or for an interview). If I ask , "What did you like about your last job," or "What are some of your strengths in the kitchen?" Don't give me the impression you were not ready for these questions. Review sample questions and formulate possible answers.
12. Don't lie. We will know or we will find out, and either way - you're screwed.
13. Don't leave any piercings in. In most restaurants the number/style/size of piercings are both a company policy and is a matter of following health codes. Don't be offended if a manager can't hire you because you have some kind of permanent piercing or something along those lines, it's generally nothing personal - just company policy.

I'm sure the list goes on and on...