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| Waiter Training Newsletter |
How to be a Waiter
This newsletter is for the folks who want to be waiters; it’s also for current waiters who would like to make the move to a more up-scale restaurant because they think there’s more money to be made there. We’ll cover both issues. I get a lot of requests from both kinds of people.
Many of us, and I’m one of them, admire and respect a good waiter. We appreciate the ease with which a good server asks the right questions, listens to us and responds accordingly. Good servers seem to have an intuitive element. The first thing I tell anyone wanting to be a waiter is they have to have a service-oriented personality. That’s the intuitive element. If you don’t have that quality, you don’t belong in this business.
Ask any successful server why she does what she does. She’ll tell you it’s because she likes people, she likes making people happy and she likes the freedom her job offers. She’ll also tell you she likes the money she makes.
Next, ask an unsuccessful server why she does what she does. How do you spot a bad waiter? She’s the one who is always complaining about how little money she makes. She’s always saying she needs to get a real job – and she’s right! She needs to get an office job where she knows exactly how much her paycheck is going to be every two weeks and she can squeak by with a bad attitude.
It’s not your job that makes you happy; it’s what you bring to your job that makes you happy and appreciate your work environment.
The successful server understands that she is in control of her income. She understands that she is selling her personality as much as she’s selling food and beverage. She considers herself lucky to have a job that offers her the freedom to make as much money as she wants and that she can have a day off in the middle of the week if she needs it. She’s reliable and usually gets the days off she asks for because when she is scheduled to work, she is punctual, positive and productive! She makes great money and so does the restaurant.
The other thing I tell a prospective server is that he must be an organized thinker and worker. He must be the kind of person who thinks ahead and pro-actively works his station. That’s the intuitive, service-oriented quality we all admire.
Lastly, I tell people they have to have thick skin. You absolutely cannot take anything personally, neither from your co-workers nor your customers. That may be the hardest thing to achieve in any business. If we care at all about our work and reputation, we tend to take things personally. It can be a tightrope walking act; successful servers have mastered it.
The other request I get is for information on how to get into a “fancier” restaurant atmosphere. Usually people think they can make more money in that kind of establishment. I could argue that point; I believe you can make great money in almost any kind of restaurant if you’re the right kind of person. To be successful in the up-scale environment, you have to like the “frills” of fine dining service, as well as all the other fine qualities we’ve just talked about.
Last and certainly not least, there is one important factor about the job hunt. It’s how you present yourself when you apply for a hospitality job. If you are going to apply for a job at IBM, what do you wear? Chances are you would find a suit or something in the business category to wear. Now what do you wear to a restaurant application and/or interview? It’s a real job just like the IBM job; think of it that way and give it the respect any prospective employer deserves. Showing up in your jeans, sandals and very chic shirt isn’t the most professional image you can put forth. Don’t be surprised if the manager/owner sends you away and tells you she’ll interview you when you’re appropriately dressed and ready for a job interview. I wish more owners/managers would do that!
Dress for success! Put some nice clothes on! Show that you put some thought into your quest for a job. If you can’t do that, don’t bother looking for a job. We live in a casual society, yes; we still have some standards about cleanliness and appearances, especially in the food industry. You’ll be handling people’s food and drinks. People like to know the people handling their food are clean and well-groomed, which means clean nails and hands, clean, combed hair and clean, pressed clothing.
Like it or not, we all judge each other based on appearances first. Put your best face forward and live up to it! Have a resume to give to your prospective employer. Treat the restaurant business like a professional and you’ll be treated like a professional. You only get back what you give forth.
Questions, comments or concerns about any of this? Email or call me! I’ll be happy to address your individual queries or at least ponder your thoughts. In the meantime, be punctual, positive and productive!
Training and information is the key! Contact me, Susie, at Waiter Training, either by phone or email. My business number is (720) 203-4615, and web address is http://www.waiter-training.com.
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