Topic Reviews

Using the Web for Restaurant Job Hunting

Posted November 30th, 2008 by admin

Looking for a job in the food service industry?  Looking 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 not that hard to find, and the restaurant industry is no exception. There are, however, some unique factors to take into account when job hunting in the world of food service.

Your first step should be to search career websites, such as Workopolis There are many well-established sites of this nature and they’re not hard to find. Through these sites, it is easy to isolate jobs by industry, type and location. Well-travelled sites such as Craigslist and more informal job posting sites are also worth looking at.

One plus of looking for jobs on career search websites is that once you’ve found a job prospect that appeals to you, you can submit your application on the spot. Like so many other mundane tasks in life, the Net makes the hassle of job hunting far easier and more efficient than the old-school ways.

Also, devoted job hunters will want to search for actual sites for the specific kind of job they’re looking for. These days, 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 (such as a pub or lounge) you’ll be able to get a good idea of what the restaurant is like, its prices, atmosphere and so on. Such sites, if they’re for smaller independent restaurants, are less likely than big corporate sites to have a career options page however; they are more often geared more toward potential customers.

Searching restaurant websites is a good guide for getting a sense of the places you are interested in applying to, but in the industry it is popular and often more effective to drop by the actual restaurant and bring your resume in person.

Nothing is better than “face time” when first interacting with a possible employer. The restaurant industry is an excellent one for providing such opportunities. Unlike a corporate office building, it is readily accessible to the general public–including 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 lot 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 potential employee would need to interact with customers. If you take the time and effort to visit the restaurant in person you are showing them you are outgoing, pro-active, and truly want the job.

Having said that, if you do prefer to apply for a job online, whether it be through a job search website posting or through the restaurant’s site itself, you’d be advised to take the time and effort to prepare and submit your application with care. An online submission form for job applications will often have a basic form for you to fill out, as well as a special box for your actual resume. You can cut and paste your resume, but make sure to take care to retain the proper format if you can. And make sure you provide all the information you are asked for.

A word of caution about applying for jobs online: as with every area of the internet, there are frauds and scams in the field of job finding. 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 are dealing with an above-board website or employer. If you are uncertain that the business offering a job online is a real-life one, you can use the Web to further determine its authenticity. I hope reading this article helped. Good luck with the restaurant job hunt!