Coromel's View

New Job search time!

It’s started!  The Hospitality Industry has some job recovery going on . Nice!  According to the People Report Workforce Index (PRWI) out of Dallas, TX, first quarter 2011 showed 49% of surveyed companies reported high restaurant management turnover.  That’s up from last year’s 1st quarter of 33%.  Their index surveyed 66 restaurant companies and included, McDonald’s Corp., Darden Restaurants Inc. and The Cheesecake Factory Inc.

(Read more: http://www.nrn.com/article/employee-turnover-restaurants#ixzz1CuWzv3Je) Take heed of this; The good companies are planing for growth now.

If you have been languishing unhappy in a company because you were concerned about leaving in an uncertain job market, now is the time to move.  First though you need to keep in mind a few things; do your homework on where you want to go.  Draw up a list of companies you wish to pursue.  Make sure they are on solid ground. Read, read, read about them in the industry trade papers.  Go to websites like http://www.marketwatch.com/.  If the company trades publicly plug in their sign and check on what the different analysts are saying.

Say you have decided on, and learned, everything about Company” A.”  What’s your next move? You need to look at YOU! Before even being considered you are going to fall into one of two categories for the company hiring manager.

1. Strong candidate
2. Not strong candidate

Answering who you are can take some hard introspective accessing. In this economic market companies do not look at unemployed managers like they look at employed ones.  Their reasoning is this.  They feel if someone is unemployed they were let go “first” because their company felt they were the weakest.  If they left their company before they found another job then that brings into question their ability to make a “good” decision.  Either way the unemployed guy is at a disadvantage in this market.  The one exception is if their company closed down a large amount of locations or went out of business itself.  For instance Charlie Brown’s Steak House and Bug a Boo Creek Steak House did this Late in 2o10. They shut down a large number of their restaurants.  Everyone knew it and recruiters could bring those candidates to their clients.  If you fall into the unemployed category your best chance is going it alone.  Clients do not pay recruiters to find them unemployed candidates.  They pay us to find top people currently working in the industry. You will need to act as your own recruiter.

Okay now we’ll take a look at your resume. First off you need to show longevity in your career. No job hopping! You can get away with a, 1 or 2 year stay but if that becomes a pattern you will lose out to some one who shows better staying power. Back in the good old days lots of managers would hop jobs to increase their base salary. Some companies would bring them on board because there was just not enough people to choose from. Those days are gone. So if you have been with a company for two years think twice and try to stick it out for a couple of more years. My clients like to see no more than three jobs in the last ten years.

Did you leave the industry? The nature of hospitality is long hours at all times of the day, night and having to work weekends. Some folks decide it’s time to try something else. They will get into real estate or retail. Companies don’t like that. They feel if the person left the industry once they will do it again when times are good. Do yourself a favor. If you don’t like managing in the Hospitality business then don’t go back. Its not worth it for the company or you.

Now if you fall into the group which has stayed and busted it out lets take on your resume.

Set your resume up with current job experience first and progress down going back to your first job. Your job description should have bullet points with what and how you achieved goals. Something like this:

General Manager (last 4 years)

Company A Cleveland, OH January 2001 to Present

• Increased guest traffic by 15% over a 2 years by becoming more active in local community by volunteering. Instituted a server pick your schedule for the month contest with proof of 30 hours of volunteer time in a 3 week period.
• Brought total alcohol cost down to 23.8 % from 26.2% by insisting bartenders do daily pour tests before each shift in front of a manager.
• Awarded  company GM of the year award for most improved store 2009.
• Restaurant volume 3.8 million dollars per year.

You can add more but don’t make it long winded. Keep it to the important stuff.

Education comes after. If you have gone to college put it down along with your major, and degree. If you did not finish put down your years completed along with your GPA. Never put down the year graduated.

Finally your personal interests. Give the hiring manager an idea of who you are.

You don’t need an objective. You can go into your goal for the future in the interview. As far as personal information put down your personal e-mail address as well as your phone. You do not need to put your personal address.

In a cover letter let them know you are interested in their company for “X” reasons. Make your letter brief. Tell them the best time you can be reached. A long drawn out cover letter is no good. If you feel like you need to get somewhat long winded use bullet points. Always follow up your resume with an email or if you can a phone call to the hiring manager.

Make sure your voice mail message is professional! When a hiring manager calls and hears it. It is an important impression. Never use your company e-mail address only a personal e-mail.

Never make your resume public on the job boards! If companies are paying members of those boards they get updates when their company names are found in a resume. Many times I have received calls from candidates who were terminated for this reason. And many times I have received phone calls from clients telling me they just saw one of their managers resumes online and are looking for a replacement. Be smart!

I hope this helps. Let me know if I can ever be of help or if you would like to talk with me just drop me an e-mail with your number I can be reached at jcoromel@alliancesearchllc.com. I would be more than happy to hear from you. Lets make 2011 a great and promising year!

Jim Coromel

Senior Recruiter

Alliance Search, LLC

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