Need a restaurant job?
Searching for restaurant jobs online is far more efficient than the old-fashioned method of searching through the classified sections of newspapers and other print material. Job postings in any location, field or pay range are quite simple to find, and the restaurant industry is no exception. There are, however, some special factors to take into account when job hunting in the restaurant/bar industry.
The first stop for an online job hunter should be career search websites. There are many well-established sites of this nature and they’re not hard to find. Through these sites, it is easy to look for jobs by industry, type and location. Popular sites like Craigslist and more informal job posting sites are also valuable.
One advantage of hunting for jobs on career search websites is that once you?ve found a prospective job that appeals to you, you can pretty much apply on the spot. Like so many other routine tasks in life, the Net makes the hassle of job hunting far easier and more efficient than the old-school ways.
Also, thorough job hunters will want to hunt for websites for the specific kind of job they’re looking for. Today, more restaurants and bars than ever have their own website, some better developed than others. If you search restaurant sites in your preferred area, and perhaps for your preferred style (for instance, pub) you’ll be able to get a good idea of what the establishment is like, its prices, atmosphere and so on. Such sites, if they’re for smaller independent restaurants, are less likely than the corporate-style sites to have a page for career options however; they are more often geared more toward potential customers.
Searching restaurant websites is a good guide for finding the places you are interested in applying to, but in the industry it is popular and often more effective to visit the restaurant itself and bring your resume in person.
Nothing is more effective than “face time” for your first contact with a prospective employer. The restaurant industry is an excellent one for providing such opportunities. Unlike a corporate office building, it is easily accessible to the general public–which means you! Walk in and you’re likely to find the manager or another high-ranking staff member to talk to directly.
Applying for jobs in restaurants and other small businesses can be a good deal more informal than applying for office jobs. Managers or owners in restaurants and bars often prefer to meet applicants face-to-face, rather than try to select candidates from a stack of resumes. This is especially useful for front-of-house jobs like waiters and bartenders, where the prospective employee would need to interact with customers. If you take the time and effort to come to the restaurant in person you are showing them you are outgoing, pro-active, and truly want the job.
Having said that, if you do choose to submit an application online, whether it be through a job search website posting or through the website of the business itself, make sure you take the time and effort to prepare your application carefully. The submission form for job applications will generally have a standard form for you to fill out, as well as a special box for your actual resume. You can cut and paste the resume easily, but be sure to take care to retain the proper format if you can. And be sure to provide all the information you are asked for.
And keep in mind this caution about applying for jobs online: as with every other aspect of the internet, there are frauds and scams in the field of job searching. Sensitive information, such as your e-mail address or, more importantly, your Social Insurance Number, should not be given out online unless you are confident you’re dealing with a reputable website or employer. If you are unsure that the business offering a job online is a real one, you can use the internet to further research its authenticity. I hope reading this article helped. Good luck with the job hunt!