Interview Questions for Hospitality: A Comprehensive Guide

Of course, when you’re considering changing careers and a new work environment, getting your house in order is key. It all starts with a new resume, a cover letter, or spending some time considering your top skills and past experience. Quite quickly, you’re going find yourself sitting down in a room in your preparing to answer some interview questions that you very well could have prepared for previously. This blog is about thinking strategically and reverse engineering the process to give yourself the best edge.

Forethought and the Why ?

Think about the questions you’ll likely be answering and what will make you a clear 1st option for the employer as a great candidate for the role. Easy to say not so easy to do within the unpredictable and potentially stressful situation of a job interview. Hopefully, this expert advice will provide you with some sound advice to help you get into the work environment and make the salary expectations that you have above all the other job applicants.

The basics from professional resumes to resume summary and your dream job interview.

There are a lot of basics that we’ve spoken about in the previous blog, Hospitality Interview Questions, as well as having a great resume summary cover letter, whether it’s that you’ve used a resume builder or resume template. All these are important to build the foundations to get your dream job. You don’t want to rely on the hiring manager or the hiring process to ask the right questions and bring out your technical skills or even relevant skills.

Foundational takeaways.

• • If you are preparing for a job interview in the hospitality industry, you must be ready for common job interview questions. The hiring manager is going to have a job description, and some core elements that they’re going to want to cover that may not bring out your relevant technical skills or relevant skills.
  • The hospitality industry job interview questions often revolve around customer service, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
  • When answering hospitality job interview questions, highlight your relevant experience and skills.

• Here are some frequently asked hospitality industry job interview questions and tips on responding effectively.

Some interview questions :

How do you manage pressure effectively?

• 1. a. Points to Consider: i. Consider specific strategies like prioritization, time management, and maintaining a calm demeanour.
     1. ii. Highlight the areas you feel important
  2. b. Points to Consider: When addressing this question, consider discussing strategies for managing pressure effectively, emphasizing the significance of open communication and the value of seeking assistance when required.

In your opinion, what presents the greatest challenge in a managerial role?

• 1. a. Points to Consider: Your previous challenges, such as balancing leadership and teamwork, decision-making, and conflict resolution.
  2. Highlight your experience in overcoming these challenges.

1. Points to Consider: When addressing this question, contemplate discussing the challenges associated with a managerial role, including those related to leadership, teamwork, decision-making, and conflict resolution. Also, emphasize your proficiency in addressing these challenges.

What motivated you to apply for this specific position within our company?

1. a. Points to Consider:Highlight your research on the company and its values.
2. Speak on how you see you skills and goals align with the position, keep it punchy
3. Please don’t provide generic or vague reasons for applying. Be specific about what attracted you to this particular position and company.

How do you stay current with developments in management practices?

1. a. Points to Consider: Discuss your commitment to professional development and staying informed about industry trends.
2. Mention specific resources or methods you use to stay updated.
3. Please don’t overlook the importance of continuous learning in management practices. If you do, show that you actively engage in staying informed. If not own it.

Have you had experience with budget management in the past?

1. a. Points to Consider: Highlight any experience with budget planning, monitoring, or cost control.
2. Mention specific achievements related to budget management.
3. Please don’t underestimate the importance of showcasing your achievements in budget management. Provide tangible examples of how you’ve effectively managed budgets in the past.

Can you pinpoint the least satisfying aspect of your previous job?

Points to Consider: Focus on challenges rather than negative aspects.

In answering these interview questions, discuss how you used these challenges as opportunities for growth.

Please don’t dwell on negative aspects or complain about your previous job. Emphasize your ability to learn and grow from challenges.

What would you consider your most prominent strength as a manager?

Identify your strongest managerial attribute, such as leadership, decision-making, or conflict resolution.

Provide an example illustrating how this strength benefits your team.

Please don’t offer a general list of strengths. Focus on one prominent strength and provide a concrete example of how it positively impacted your team.

When faced with delivering unwelcome news or an unpopular decision, how do you handle it?

Discuss your approach to delivering complex messages with empathy and transparency.

Mention your commitment to open communication and addressing concerns.

Please don’t avoid discussing your approach to difficult situations. Show how you prioritize effective communication and empathy.

How do you establish a positive rapport with new team members?

Mention your onboarding process and efforts to make newcomers feel welcome.

Highlight your commitment to building strong relationships from the beginning.

Please don’t overlook the importance of onboarding and building relationships. Showcase your proactive approach to integrating new team members.

What is your method for effectively communicating expectations to team members?

Discuss your approach to setting clear expectations, goals, and performance standards.

Mention your communication style, whether it’s through regular meetings, written guidelines, or other methods.

Please don’t provide vague answers about communication. Explain your specific methods for ensuring clarity and alignment within your team.

How do you approach coaching an underperforming employee?

Discuss your approach to identifying the root causes of underperformance and providing constructive feedback.

Mention your commitment to helping the employee improve.

Please don’t shy away from discussing how you handle underperforming employees. Highlight your supportive and constructive approach to coaching.

Describe your approach to ongoing performance management.

Explain how you monitor and evaluate team performance on an ongoing basis.

Mention your methods for recognizing and addressing performance issues promptly.

Please don’t underestimate the importance of continuous performance management. Highlight your proactive approach to ensuring team success.Of course, here is the guidance for the next set of questions without specific example answers:

How would you address a previously high-performing employee who is now underperforming?

Discuss your approach to understanding the reasons behind the decline in performance.

Mention your commitment to providing guidance and resources to help the employee improve.

Please don’t avoid discussing the situation or solely focus on the employee’s past performance. Emphasize your willingness to help them regain their previous level of performance.

What steps would you take to build relationships with new colleagues in a fresh work environment?

Discuss your approach to networking, active listening, and being open to collaboration.

Mention your willingness to learn from colleagues and contribute positively to the work environment.

Please don’t underestimate the importance of building relationships in a new work environment. Show your proactive approach to connecting with colleagues.

How do you resolve conflicts between two team members?

Explain your conflict resolution approach, which may involve mediation, clear communication, and finding common ground.

Highlight your commitment to maintaining a harmonious team atmosphere.

Please don’t avoid discussing how you handle conflicts. Emphasize your ability to foster resolution and maintain a positive team dynamic.

What is your approach to handling failures and learning from them?

Discuss your attitude towards failures as opportunities for growth.

Mention specific instances where you learned from setbacks and applied those lessons.

Please don’t shy away from discussing your experiences with failure. Showcase your ability to learn and adapt.

More Interview Questions:

Explain your problem-solving process.

Outline your problem-solving steps, which may include defining the problem, gathering data, brainstorming solutions, and evaluating outcomes.

Provide an example of a complex problem you successfully solved.

Please don’t provide a vague overview of your problem-solving process. Offer a detailed explanation and a real-world example to illustrate your approach.

Can you outline your typical workweek management strategy?

Describe how you plan and structure your workweek to manage tasks efficiently.

Mention your prioritization methods and time management techniques.

Please don’t underestimate the importance of efficient workweek management. Explain your specific strategies for maximizing productivity and achieving goals.

How would you characterize your management style?

Describe your management style, whether it’s collaborative, directive, or transformational.

Highlight how your style aligns with achieving team and organizational goals.

Please don’t provide a vague characterization of your management style. Show how it aligns with specific goals and objectives.

How do you handle underperforming employees when coaching doesn’t yield results?

Explain your approach to addressing underperformance, which may involve performance improvement plans or further training.

Highlight your commitment to fairness and providing opportunities for improvement.

Please don’t avoid discussing the challenging aspect of handling underperforming employees. Emphasize your fairness and willingness to help them improve.

How do you adapt your approach to manage employees with different personalities?

Discuss your ability to recognize and appreciate diverse personalities and working styles.

Mention your flexibility in adapting your communication and management techniques.

Please don’t provide a one-size-fits-all approach to managing employees. Emphasize your adaptability to each individual’s unique needs.

How do you respond to organizational changes?

Discuss your adaptability and willingness to embrace change.

Highlight your ability to lead and support your team through transitions.

Please don’t express resistance to change or a lack of adaptability. Show how you positively respond to change and help your team navigate it.

What was the most rewarding aspect of your previous role?

Identify the aspects of your previous role that brought you the most satisfaction.

Share how those rewarding experiences contributed to your personal and professional growth.

Please don’t simply mention the rewarding aspect; elaborate on how it impacted you and your growth.

Have you ever challenged established procedures or practices?

Discuss your willingness to challenge the status quo when necessary.

Share an example of a time when challenging established procedures led to positive outcomes.

Please don’t avoid discussing your ability to challenge established practices. Highlight the positive impact of your actions.

How do you address decisions that didn’t yield the expected results?

Explain your approach to evaluating and learning from unsuccessful decisions.

Highlight your commitment to adapting and making informed decisions in the future.

Please don’t avoid discussing decisions that didn’t go as planned. Emphasize your ability to learn and improve from such situations.

How do you define success in your current role?

Define your metrics of success in the context of your current role.

Discuss how your definition aligns with the organization’s goals and objectives.

Please don’t provide a generic definition of success. Show how your definition is specific to your current role and the organization’s mission.

Resumes and the set up for the job interview

Indeed, there are many critical factors to consider when applying for a job. Previously, we discussed the importance of a professional resume, understanding job descriptions, and transparency about your skills and salary expectations in your current job. Additionally, a functional resume format can be a powerful tool for highlighting your competencies and experiences I’m setting you up for that all important job interview.

Understanding the Big Picture Beyond the Recruitment Process

Furthermore, it’s vital to recognize what potential employers seek beyond your resume summary and responses to interview questions about your current job. Similarly, identifying patterns and subtexts in interview questions can be incredibly insightful, enabling you to formulate more strategic answers.

Deciphering Employer Expectations Beyond Interview Questions & Job Description

Moreover, understanding what a potential employer values is crucial before submitting job applications. Notably, there’s much more to you than your job titles. Many employers emphasize job titles, but demonstrating your fit for the role during an interview, beyond just ticking boxes in a job description, is empowering.

Investing Time in Preparation

Preparation is key, from maintaining eye contact to answering interview questions effectively. Therefore, dedicating time to presenting a polished resume that encapsulates your key experiences is a worthwhile investment.

Tailoring Your Application to the Hiring Manager’s Perspective

It’s advisable not to focus excessively on your first job in your resume, as this consumes valuable space. Instead, devote that space to discussing your recent job and most notable accomplishments. This approach ensures you showcase your required skills, including soft skills and hard skills, and how you fit into the company culture of your potential new job. Think about the information that the hiring manager wants to see. It’s likely going to be a match to the key skills and experience that he’s looking for in his role. Make sure that you’re dedicating the relevant real estate on your resume to speak into this.

Conveying Your Message Regardless of the Interview Questions

Additionally, taking the time to highlight your transferable skills is crucial, ensuring that you don’t miss out on your desired job. This guide should help you think about presenting these skills effectively to potential employers.

Being Authentic and Speaking in Your Own Words in response to interview questions

Furthermore, being genuine and speaking from your own experiences is essential. Basic interview techniques like maintaining eye contact and providing direct, concise answers can significantly impact. All this preparation will position you strongly to secure that new job you can proudly discuss with friends and family.

The Roundup

In conclusion, the essence of a successful job application lies in thorough preparation and honesty. Understanding who you are, your strengths, and what you want (or don’t want) is crucial in determining if a role is right for you. Being authentic in your approach, both in expressing yourself and in listening to the employer, can transform the interview process.

Ultimately, securing a job by being your authentic self is rewarding and ensures that the role is genuinely suitable for you. Conversely, if the outcome is not favourable, you can be reassured that the position probably wasn’t the right fit. Authenticity brings clarity, confirming a good match or saving you from an unsuitable one.

What does it take to become an experienced head chef, and why is this role crucial within a restaurant?

Directing kitchen staff, managing stock, and shaping a profitable menu, the head chef’s job is the backbone of a thriving culinary establishment. This guide provides an insight into the qualifications, skills, and daily duties of a head chef to help you understand the path towards leading a kitchen.

Key Takeaways

• A head chef’s role is multifaceted, encompassing a range of duties from culinary expertise and menu planning, coaching, HR, Mr Fix it, kitchen management and team leadership. All these attributes are essential for the smooth operation and success of the venue, be it Hotel, Club, Resort or Restaurant.
• Creating a detailed and precise job description for a sous chef or head chef is crucial, including necessary skills, qualifications, and specific responsibilities. It serves as a foundational tool for recruitment and ongoing performance evaluations so everyone knows where they stand.
• Career advancement for experienced sous chef or head chefs involves gaining diverse culinary experiences, professional education, and networking within the industry.

The Essence of a Head Chef Role

Chefs form a subsection of the classifications that exist within head chef jobs. It is often up to an experienced sous chef or head chef, skilled in leadership & kitchen operations management, to create kitchens that run successfully.

Leading the Kitchen Team

As the conductor of the kitchen team, it is up to the experienced sous chef or head chef to maintain food quality and create exceptional dining experiences. This entails controlling and directing the preparation process and leading kitchen staff while managing all operations in their team. For effective leadership, they must understand everyone’s strengths, communicate expectations clearly and manage time efficiently. Good communication from them also makes sure that menus are successful and the right balance of what the customers want and what the kitchen can produce consistently and profitably.

 

 

Crafting a Job Description That Works

Crafting a Head Chef job description is key to establishing clear expectations from the outset.

Qualifications for Head Chefs vary in the industry. In larger entities like hotels and hospitals, formal qualifications are often essential. Yet, in other sectors, success can be achieved through hard work, talent, and leadership. Most top professionals engage in some further development. Essential qualities include strong cooking skills, diverse culinary techniques, understanding of people, plus leadership, creativity, and financial acumen.

Core Requirements:

Sheer passion for cooking doesn’t suffice for becoming a Head Chef. Many senior chefs, especially in big hotels, hold advanced education, from degrees to courses. Such learning can speed up career progression. Practical experience is indispensable. Kitchen management involves orchestrating various elements, a skill refined through years across different teams and menus. Usually, chefs are considered skilled post-apprenticeship, generally after 3 to 5 years. For new roles, at least five years of professional kitchen experience is expected. This background prepares them to lead teams, manage supplies, and ensure food quality and safety.

Employers seek Cert III Commercial Cookery qualification holders, with capabilities in leadership, food safety, management, and culinary expertise. Important too are effective communication, teamwork, a detail-focused mindset, and experience in upscale catering or event planning.

Specific Deliverables:

A Head Chef’s role encompasses more than standard duties. Tasks include ordering supplies, setting menu prices, conducting stocktakes, managing rosters, assigning appropriate shifts, and overseeing the P&L. Monitoring resource use, including waste and labor costs, is crucial. They lead the kitchen team to ensure efficient operations throughout the day.

Their responsibilities extend to managing the pass, ensuring dish quality, striving for premium product outcomes, setting up orders correctly, calculating costs, performing regular checklists, scheduling, and producing detailed financial reports from POS system data.

Integrating Job Descriptions into Performance Reviews:

Incorporating job descriptions into performance reviews is vital for benchmarking Head Chefs. Clear role comprehension facilitates accurate evaluations. Managers need to discuss objectives with chefs, ensuring performance feedback aligns with both personal and organizational goals. This approach highlights strengths and improvement areas, fostering career development and benefiting both the individual and the organization.

Supercharging Your Job Description

To attract the best candidates for your kitchen team, it’s crucial to craft an effective job description. Here are some essential tips to guide you:

1. Joint Effort in Development: Involve your HR team and the relevant managers to ensure the job description accurately portrays the role.
2. Clear and Precise Job Titles: Use straightforward and precise job titles. This clarity helps attract the right candidates and avoids confusion.
3. Concise and Clear Summary: Begin with a summary that is succinct and free from technical jargon, providing a straightforward understanding of the role for prospective applicants.
4. Prioritize Key Responsibilities: When outlining the job’s duties, concentrate on the primary responsibilities. A lengthy list can be daunting and may imply a tightly controlled work environment.
5. Distinguish Essential and Desirable Skills: Clearly separate the must-have skills from the nice-to-have ones. This helps candidates understand the non-negotiables and desirable attributes for the role.
6. Showcase Your Company’s Identity: Use the job description to highlight what makes your organization special. A peek into your company’s culture can significantly attract potential employees.
7. Streamline the Application Process: Make sure the application instructions are straightforward and welcoming to all candidates. An uncomplicated process invites a broader spectrum of applicants.

Adhering to these tips will assist you in creating a job description that not only precisely conveys your requirements but also appeals to high-caliber candidates.

Recent Listings and Salary Insights

The geographical location of a Head Chef position is an essential factor in determining the salary. Annual income varies between countries. In America, this type of role typically pays around $99,404 each year. Australia sees fluctuating salaries ranging from $85k to 120k with Melbourne VIC and Sydney NSW paying the highest wages on average.
For restaurants to be able to compete when trying to attract top talent, they may offer incentives such as 4-day roster, bonuses alongside paid holidays and flexible hours plus potential growth opportunities within the job itself.

Advancing Your Career as a Head Chef

Head Chef’s job is full of potential, starting with apprenticeships or kitchen hand roles and progressing into executive chef positions. To develop their professional skills. They should generally seek knowledge though many many cookbooks, follow chefs on line, eat out and work or stage in other venues.
Networking plays an important role too, when it comes to career progression – making valuable contacts within the industry may open doors elsewhere while keeping up-to-date on emerging trends allows for faster advancement towards a successful career path.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of the head chef?

A head chef manages the food preparation process, designing menus and ensuring dishes are up to standard before being served. They also manage all restaurant activities or related facilities and need strong leadership skills. All these duties must be carried out with precision so as not to compromise on quality when providing food for customers.

Is head chef the highest position?

The most prestigious role in the culinary profession is that of an experienced head chef, executive chef or culinary director who oversees all kitchen operations and holds ultimate responsibility. The highest depends on the company, generally, the progression is Head Chef, Executive Chef and Culinary Director. It requires considerable expertise to reach this point.

How much do head chefs get paid in Australia?

In Australia, an experienced head chef’s salary is approximately between $82,500 and up to $120,300 annually by 2023. Senior executive chefs have the potential to receive even higher incomes each year.

Download sample Chef Job Descriptions

At Placed Recruitment, our Monday mornings begin with a half-hour training session focusing on current, challenging topics in recruitment. These sessions are vital, whether it’s about uncovering genuine desires during screening, or extracting valuable insights from a brief conversation with a busy GM. Recently, we discussed the essence of ‘good recruitment’. It’s tempting to think that it’s about clever answers, perfect resumes, just the right amount of tenure, excellent references and a healthy dose of X factor. But to understand the complete picture, you must pay attention to the behaviours throughout the recruitment process.

We invest a good chunk of time and effort in training our team to perform each step of the recruitment process meticulously. Every interaction, from the initial screening to the final reference check, offers unique insights – if we’re attentive. One key aspect that can be easily missed is observing candidates’ behaviours and actions outside the formal interview environment. Are they reliable, amicable, and true to their word? Did they arrive on time for the interview, were they well-prepared, and did they listen attentively? These soft elements of the process may not directly pertain to specific answers or outcomes, but they reveal much more about the person’s character.

Throughout each recruitment stage — screening, interviewing, follow-ups, research, client meetings, second and third interviews, testing and reference checks — we gain insights not just through words but also through actions. It’s crucial to be perceptive and interpret these non-verbal communications.

Combining these observations with the tangible outcomes of interviews and reference checks gives us a comprehensive understanding of a candidate’s suitability for a role. It’s not about seeking perfection in questions, answers, or references but rather about finding harmony in the many details and facets of a candidate’s interactions. 

Is it a revelation? No. Is it something that should be tracked with the other metrics? Absolutely. Otherwise, how will you know if you found a unicorn?

We have provided more than 1,200 jobs to more than 450 happy employers over the last 15 years in Sydney and Queensland Hospitality Recruitment. That’s a lot of conversations with employers and candidates and insights. Here are three actionable steps you can take to enhance your team.

1. Know exactly who you are working with and flourish.

Teams encompass diverse backgrounds and stages of life, both personally and professionally. Establishing a strong foundation of understanding and support among team members is crucial to fostering a culture of respect and collaboration. Investing time in connecting with team leaders is essential, demonstrating a commitment to mutual support. This process lays the groundwork for a cohesive team dynamic where members can effectively collaborate despite their differences.

One effective method involves utilising profiling tools like DiSC or Myers-Briggs for team assessments. While these assessments might be familiar, engaging a professional facilitator such as Shelly McElroy from Dream Culture,  can provide deeper insights. This strategic approach allows team members to perceive each other more comprehensively, enhancing teamwork and boosting engagement, overall performance and productivity.

This investment in building strong team foundations is becoming more prevalent in today’s business landscape. 

Here are some results we have seen with other top-performing companies when they have implemented this strategy. 

Building Higher Performing Complementary Teams:
Understanding personality types helps assemble more well-rounded teams.

Enhanced Self-Awareness:
Team members gain a deeper understanding of their strengths, leading to better self-recognition.

Improved Communication:
Working together with more understanding of each other creates less friction more
connection & happier staff.

2. Challenge and Inspire

Here are four refined strategies to inspire and challenge your team members to exceed expectations:

1. Challenge Complacency:
   Encourage a culture of growth by nudging individuals out of their comfort zones. Push them to explore new territories, take calculated risks, and embrace change, fostering continuous improvement.
2. Embrace Failure as Growth:
   Cultivate an environment where failure is viewed as a stepping stone toward success. Encourage team members to learn from their mistakes, promoting resilience and innovation as part of their developmental journey.
3. Value Effort and Growth:
   Emphasise the importance of effort and dedication alongside innate abilities. Encourage a growth mindset where progress is celebrated and continuous learning is valued as much as inherent talent.

These strategies create an environment that not only motivates individuals to surpass their own limits but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and resilience within the team. 

3. Foster Trust

Open and honest conversations are the heart of productive team members. Address tensions, conflicts, or any issues that might be hindering trust and cohesion within the team. Encourage team members to express their concerns and opinions constructively. These conversations can pave the way for resolving conflicts and rebuilding trust, essential for effective collaboration.

External management coaches or high-performance facilitators can often provide this loop and framework while working with teams

Stop! Before you barge into your manager’s office and demand a pay rise or a promotion, let us give you some important points that could tip the balance in your favour.

7 tips to negotiating a pay rise:

1. Benchmark yourself
   Knowing where you stand in the market is vital. Before you ask for a pay rise, find out how much you, your position, qualifications and level of experience are worth in the current market. Be prepared with that information if asked: “What do you think you’re worth and why?”.Look at our jobs page to start benchmarking
2. Demonstrate your value
   Provide concrete examples of your achievements that will illustrate your professional value to the organisation. Maybe your efforts helped build revenue or improve the organisation’s image, thereby increasing patronage. Or perhaps you implemented a new system that saved a significant amount of money. Speak up, and be sure to show proof.
3. Show off external proof
   Present testimonials that refer to you and how you’ve exceeded the expectations of your role.
4. Timing is everything
   One way to increase your chances of success is to pick your moment. Ask for a pay rise on or before your employment anniversary, at the end of a financial year or calendar year, or before the next company budget sign-off.
5. Speak up about going above and beyond
   Show your employer a report outlining the amount of overtime you’ve worked. Detail the ways in which you’ve worked uncomplainingly outside your job description.
6. Always carry yourself with professionalism
   At all times, be honest, candid and professional. Never beg or plead, don’t throw colleagues under the proverbial bus and never threaten to quit or you may not have the chance to do so!
7. It’s all about smart negotiation
   Making demands will likely have the opposite effect when requesting a pay rise. Be flexible and don’t issue your employer with a non-negotiable salary demand. No one likes to be backed into a corner. If you try to do it, it could seriously backfire!

3 tips to negotiating a promotion

1. Prepare well in advance
   Before you ask for a promotion, make sure your boss knows you’re interested in advancing your career. Ask what other projects you could undertake and what sort of skills and/or training are the pre-requisites to advancing to the next level. Showing this kind of initiative will alert your employer to keep an eye on your progress.
2. Keep your résumé updated
   You never know when that invitation may come to chat about a promotion. Make sure you regularly update your résumé by keeping track of additional responsibilities you take on. Document any new projects assigned to you, including their financial worth. This information will come in very handy when it comes time to review your candidacy for promotion.
3. Choose your timing carefully
   When you have all your evidence in hand, request a meeting with your employer or manager to discuss the opportunity to be promoted. For the best chance of success, avoid times of heavy workload, organisational restructuring or when that key person seems to be out of sorts.

Read and re-read these tips; we know what we’re talking about! Follow them and you’ll increase your chances of pay rise or promotion victory.

Here are a few of my favourite hacks on everything from writing a resume that gets you calls to converting and interview in to a green light to the next steps. Getting the tips or hacks from the people that actually do the recruitment is going to mean more traction and better job offers.

I think candidates often dress and or behave differently with me as the Recruiter than with the client so here are some simple tips that I find are impressive and not so impressive when I meet someone. This should not be scary or daunting but rather an opportunity for you to showcase your skills and abilities and please believe I want you to do well otherwise I wouldn’t have invited you in to meet me in the first place. So be confident and enjoy the experience.

My Top 10 or so Interview Hacks for Candidates

Do your research and make sure that you know my name, the details of the business including the address and how to get there.

• Present yourself neatly and appropriately – be sure to check yourself before hand, I once interviewed a lady who had tucked her skirt into the back of her undies – not a good first impression.
• As a general rule, take extra care with your appearance for a job interview. Grunge look maybe ok on the weekend but for me a clean, ironed shirt is a must!
• Don’t smoke just before your interview as the smell is very strong and that will be off-putting.
• Make sure you have clean trimmed fingernails and washed and…. yes brushed hair.
• Arrive ten minutes early and if something happens and you are going to be late just call and advise and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
• Arrive at the interview with a smile, and shake hands firmly for a few seconds whilst maintaining eye contact.
• Maintain eye contact throughout the interview and ensure you are displaying positive body language by sitting up straight and actively listening. Yawning or looking at your watch is not a way to impress oh and PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR MOBILE!
• If water is offered take it as half way though you may find you nerves make you thirsty. Don’t accept a hot beverage and never a biscuit…once I had a fellow take a tea, ask for more milk and then for some reason there were biscuits as it was a panel interview (this was the old days) and he dunked his biscuit in my tea!!
• Relate your skills to the role by being to the point and do not over answer or stray from the topic.
• At the end of your interview, smile and say thank you for your time.

Hacks for preparing an effective resume

• Prepare a career summary or career objective so the Recruiter can see your goals and a quick summary of your background.
• Ensure it is divided into clear sections and the headings are in bold as follows:

Education & Qualifications – List most recent first and include the name of Institution, date of completion and name of qualification.

Employment History underneath this heading the following subheadings will be helpful for the recruiter to read.

Dates of employment – please state from and to dates and the months otherwise it may appear like you have only been there a few months i.e. if it appears as 2010 to 2011.

Name of Employer

Title

Key Responsibilities

• List your current or most recent position first, this way I don’t have to scroll all the way down your resume to find out what you are up to at the moment.
• Be sure to check your spelling, this shows your attention to detail and that you have taken care in preparing your application and most likely will when you are at work too.
• Ensure the information is relevant to the Recruiter e.g. don’t go into lengthy detail about your work history if it is not relevant i.e. when you were a Cab Driver if the role is for a Chef.
• NEVER make things up or exaggerate your skills e.g. if you are a Chef de Partie this is the role not Head Chef; if you are a Restaurant Supervisor then say so not Restaurant Manager or F&B Executive.
• Try to limit resume to 4 pages – when describing skills or duties no need to go into lots of detail about cleaning just say something like “ensuring work area clean at all times”, your skills could say Knife skills, you might state the section/s you ran and how many people you were responsible for, what level you reported to and the team size.
• If THE font is ALL different and the layout all over the place it makes it difficult to read so.. stick to the same font size and a simple, organised layout. It’s the old KISS (Keep it simple stupid that works for me).

I know you most of these things are obvious and you wouldn’t make the same blunders but thought I’d share some of my funny experiences with you.

Prepare yourself before your Chef trial. This part of the hiring process is crucial, and we’re giving you tips on how to handle it successfully.

Looking into the transport the night or days beforehand, saves unnecessary stress and if it’s really difficult to get there it might not be the right job for you. That said you don’t want to find this out on the way to the trial so do your homework. The best site for this is 131500.com. It’s a public transport website that is magic. Check the company website and be prepared for them to ask you what you know about them and why you want to work there.

Have a good night sleep. It’s very common to be placed on a trial on the restaurant’s/hotel’s busiest night to see how you can cope under pressure. So if your trial is set on a Saturday, resist going out on the Friday night get to bed early so you feel on the ball and a million dollars for your trial.

What to take with you and to wear:

• Chef whites, checked Chefs pants and safety shoes – all clean and pressed (Do not wear your uniform to the interview. Take it separately.)
• Make sure you are clean shaven and hair is neat and tidy. Have your interview clothes (smart casual) of course, and pressed and cleaned.
• Print the menu off the website. This is a really important one so you have a head start before you get there.
• Take with you pad, pen and printed copy of the menu.
• This is important when everything is new. Having some notes will take a lot of pressure off and shows the Chef you are organised and prepared.
• Bring your own knives. You will be expected to prep, cook, etc. Also make sure your knives are sharp, cleaned and ready to go.

On the Day

Leave plenty of time to get there, having plenty of time puts you in a great headspace for the trial. Being late or right on time has the opposite effect. First impressions always last and if you want to make a good one be 15 minutes early and wearing clean, crisp, presentable clothing for your meet and greet.

Once you have been partnered up, have a bit of a social chat but remember why you are there. Ask question, write down what you need to remember for the shift. Don’t expect to remember everything first time round. Show initiative and there will be a second time.

Don’t just stand there if you finish your task set, and if someone close by looks like they need help, don’t be shy to jump in  – shows team work and that you’re not lazy.

After the Trial

Ask the Chef how you went. Also if you are keen on the role, tell the Chef, and why (is it that you like the food, you think you will learn, nice people…?) If he is trialing a few people and they are all good, he is likely to lean to the Chef that he knows wants to work there and likes what they are doing.

Once the trial has finished and you have cleaned up, thank the Chef for the trial.

Good luck in your trial!

Walking in to your new job on your first day can feel nerve-wracking, like the first day of school, with all the same fears and vulnerabilities. What’s different though is that now, you’re far better equipped to deal with it. Here are some pointers on how to impress at work.

1. Show your new employers and colleagues that, in selecting you, they’ve made the right choice. This starts from the minute you walk through the door with your appearance and the way you greet others.
2. Discuss your duties and responsibilities and establish your priorities. Having a clear understanding of these things from when you start on your first day will give you the confidence to move forward.
3. Demonstrate that you’re highly motivated and eager to get started. Ask where you need to be and what you’re required to do and get straight down to it.
4. Set realistic short-term and long-term challenges and goals. Hour by hour to get through the first week or month on month to achieve recognition, having something to aim for gives you purpose and clarity and when you achieve what you set out to do, you propel yourself to greater heights. Start as you mean to go on.
5. When you are given a problem to solve, tackle it enthusiastically and systematically.
6. Learn quickly from your own mistakes and the mistakes of others. Mistakes do happen; what matters is how they teach us.
7. Set out to do more than what’s specified in your job description. By showing initiative and a willingness to go above and beyond, you immediately become more valuable and more visible. That, in itself, is gold.
8. Volunteer for projects that will help you raise your profile within the organisation. Again, greater visibility will come your way, increasing your apparent worth.
9. Complete all your work on time without cutting corners, and only make promises if you can genuinely deliver. Avoid going at it like a bull at a gate and missing the finer points of tasks assigned to you. Remember, it takes time to meet the pace required in a new job. You may have to slow down and pay closer attention or speed up and keep your wits about you. Ask for help or clarification when you need it.
10. Cultivate a reputation for honesty, loyalty and integrity from the start. These attributes are highly regarded by good employers and will lead to you being able to enjoy the trust and respect of the people who matter.
11. Review your job description regularly and make sure that you’re meeting and exceeding the outlined criteria. This will form the basis of your performance appraisal so stay on task with your core duties, even if you extend yourself in other areas as well.

A few of the above prompts are just as important as something of a ‘refresher course’ for when you’ve been in a job for a while. Revisiting your approach to your job is smart and the occasional reminder will do wonders for your success at work.