Are you thinking of pursuing a food service role? We have devised a guide that takes you through 10 things that you might want to make a note of before diving into the food service industry!
Before we cover those 10 essential facts, now is the perfect time to update your resume, so you are ready to start applying for jobs in food service. To ensure your resume is professional and includes all the skills and relevant experience, it would be best if you took a look at a food service resume example from ResumeHelp.
1. Training Isn’t Required but Can Help
There are plenty of entry-level roles if you wish to enter food service without training or experience. However, training could be beneficial depending on which area of food service you want to occupy. For example, if you aspire to own a restaurant one day, you could pursue a business program. This will set you on the right track once you start applying for food service jobs while providing you with all the necessary knowledge.
2. You Can Work Many Roles
Food service is a vast industry, with many job offerings every day. Whether you love directly dealing with customers or like to be behind the scenes, there is something for you. Here are some of those options:
- Front of house
- Waiter/waitress
- Bartender
- Chef
- Restaurant manager
3. Physical Stamina Is a Must
Many outsiders may think that food service jobs are easy, but they are, in fact, very physically demanding and require you to be on your feet for long hours. Be prepared for this!
4. You Will Work as a Team Every Day
You’ll never be lonely when working in food service, as many members make up a successful team in an establishment. You will directly work with chefs, sommeliers, managers, wait staff, and many others, depending on where you work!
5. Progression is Always Viable
For the most part, when you enter the food service industry, you will start in an entry-level role that won’t need prior experience or training. However, this doesn’t mean your profession will stay that way. As your experience grows and you spend more time in food service, you will have chances to work your way up the ranks. This could see you enter positions as a head chef, manager, or supervisor or join a completely different side of the food service industry and become a dietitian!
6. Soft Skills Will Develop Daily
Let’s say you give food service a go and decide to change career paths after a few years. You may be worried that you don’t have enough skills to enter other industries, but you would be very wrong to think that! Gaining skills such as communication, troubleshooting, attention to detail, patience, keeping calm under pressure, and customer service can serve you well in several occupations.
7. Some Establishments Rely on Tips
Most restaurants will give you a set wage that will be paid weekly or monthly, but some places rely heavily on tips from customers to pay their workers. Pay close attention to job descriptions, and be sure to ask questions during the hiring process regarding your pay.
8. Customer Service
Unless you directly go into a position working in the kitchen, the chances are that you will have a role centered on customer service. You will quickly learn ways to handle customer complaints and achieve customer satisfaction through training and hands-on experience.
9. Memory Skills Will Come in Handy
Of course, any time you first start a job will require you to learn the ropes, and you may feel slow at the position for a while. However, over time asking for dietary requirements and knowing the specials board by heart will become second nature to you, so hang in there!
10. Money Handling
No matter which part of the restaurant you work in, you will either have to handle money directly or actively think about it. So whether you’re creating recipes and need to produce a pricing list or adding up a bill for table 5, understanding basic math skills and money-saving techniques will assist you well.
