Finally, you will learn how to evaluate the job offers you are sure to receive. You will learn how to manage relationships with your superiors and your employees, as well as how to deal with the stress that often comes with working as a hotel or restaurant manager.
CAREER STARTER
Hotel and restaurant managers and everyone who works in the hospitality industry strive to make their guests happy and enjoy contact with different people. Although they have staff working for them, ultimately it is the manager who takes credit or blame for the way the hotel or restaurant is run.
CHOOSING A CAREER AS A HOTEL OR RESTAURANT MANAGER
That means they revolve around making people feel comfortable and welcome, and meeting their needs—whether for a delicious meal at a reasonable price, or for a clean, comfortable room for the night.
WHAT IS A HOTEL OR RESTAURANT MANAGER?
WHAT DO HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MANAGERS DO?
Similar to hotel managers, the restaurant manager's duties vary somewhat depending on the type of establishment he or she is employed in. At large restaurant chains, the business owners make many of the decisions regarding the operation of their facilities.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT HOTEL OR RESTAURANT MANAGER?
To remain successful, hotel managers must be prepared to stay abreast of industry and local market developments. Restaurant managers must stay on top of all aspects of their facility's operations in order to remain financially viable.
HIRING TRENDS AND SALARIES
The qualities most sought after in restaurant managers are very similar to those of hotel managers. The stress level for restaurant managers can be high, and therefore they must be able to think clearly and deal with problems quickly and successfully.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING
As much as you can juggle your schedule, get as much work experience as possible while in school. Public television series often provide study material, and you can receive educational support through telephone contact and occasional face-to-face teacher/student meetings on campus.
WHERE DO HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MANAGERS WORK?
To prepare for the GED tests, you can enroll in classes or individualized studies offered in many communities through adult schools and non-profit agencies. Ask your state's department of higher education, listed in Appendix C, for more information about getting a GED in your area.
Corporations and Large Businesses
Your job description will be very clear and there will most likely be little opportunity to deviate from it. We offer excellent salaries, great benefits and the opportunity to advance in a supportive, performance-based environment.
Independent Hotels and Restaurants
A unique restaurant open for dinner only, the Silver Kettle is an upscale yet casually elegant dining destination. As Manager you will be responsible for the daily operations of the restaurant: training staff and overseeing the kitchen, serving, hosting and bar stations.
Resort and Clubs
Contract Food Service Companies
Healthcare Facilities
Major areas of responsibility include customer, student and employee relations, financial management and menu planning and execution. This position requires a minimum of two years of supervisory experience in the healthcare or College Food Service Industry.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT
If your first position is in a smaller organization that does not have room for your advancement, and you have outgrown that position, you will need to find your next job with another employer that has a suitable position. Be proactive about your career by applying for a job with more responsibility and higher pay, a higher-level supervisor job in your organization, or a more challenging job in another company or organization.
CERTIFICATION
Education and experience should include completion of high school with either the 90-hour certificate in food service management or equivalent experience as a food service supervisor. There are also a large number of professional certifications available to those working as restaurant and food service managers.
SKILLS INVENTORY
Read on to find out how to prepare for your career as a hotel or restaurant manager. Next, find out where hotel and restaurant management jobs are and how to find and succeed in one.
GETTING THE EDUCATION YOU NEED
In 1998, nearly 200 community and junior colleges and a few universities offered associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in hotel or restaurant management. In conjunction with technical institutes, vocational and trade schools, and other academic institutions, more than 800 educational facilities have programs leading to formal accreditation in hotel or restaurant management.
WHY YOU NEED TRAINING
The Employment Office can be a good source of internships during your schooling, which provide on-the-job training and possibly job offers upon completion.
TYPES OF TRAINING PROGRAMS
High School Hospitality Programs
The American Hotel and Lodging Association's Educational Institute offers a Lodging Management Program (LMP) that provides 11th and 12th grade students with the classroom learning and real-world work experience necessary to take advantage of employment opportunities in the lodging industry. The summer program gives high school students an insight into the hotel and catering professions.
Certificate or Diploma Program
Associate of Applied Science Degree
The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree
HB 415 (3) Total Quality Management in the Hospitality Industry Continuous quality improvement based on the pioneering work of W. Management and Operations Overview of Computer Systems and Network Design, Implementation and Contingency Planning in the Hospitality Industry.
Master’s Degree Programs
HFT 5245—Administration af serviceorganisationer (3 timer) HFT 5555—Services Marketing & Research (3 timer) HFT 5697—Legal Environment of Hospitality & Tourism.
On-the-Job Training
Distance Education
Finally, check with the chamber of commerce, Better Business Bureau, or state attorney general's office in the state where the school is headquartered to see if the school has had complaints filed against it.
CHOOSING A TRAINING PROGRAM
Which Educational Setting is Right for You?
Or check the web through a search engine such as Yahoo.com for community colleges listed by state. Your high school GPA (grade point average) and standardized test scores (most commonly the Scholastic Aptitude Test [SAT]) will be considered.
Evaluating Your Needs
To select one, you need to decide where you want to be while you are pursuing your education. You'll need to find a program that offers classes when you're not working.
Evaluating the Schools
AH&MA FRONT OFFICE SIMULATION PROGRAM – provides practical exercises in all phases of the guest cycle. In addition, each accrediting agency will send you a free list of the schools it accredits.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The average ACT score is 20, and only 19% of the freshman class were in the top 25% of their high school class. Their applicants' average SAT score is 1035, and 10% of their incoming freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school class.
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM
However, to earn a degree in restaurant or hospitality management, students must take eight pre-professional core courses, achieving a minimum grade point average of 2.25. To get an idea of how competitive the schools you're interested in are, check out the online college guides listed on page 41.
Internships
There, you can learn about all phases of the internship experience, including identifying learning objectives, management. Does the internship program at your school also require you to attend classes, write a paper, or give a presentation to a faculty member in order to receive credit.
Getting the Most Out of Your Classes
By completing your assignments on schedule, you will be able to get the most out of your time spent in the classroom. You may also want to highlight material in the margins of your notes that didn't make sense to you.
Preparing for Exams
If you come to class prepared, the lecture will not only make more sense, but will build on what you learned in the lecture(s). If there was anything in the assignment that you did not understand, you will have the opportunity to ask for clarification.
Your Social Life
You cash in on the wait staff, reconcile the bills, check the dining room for the next day and leave to relax, then rest up for the next night. you live off the energy that only the restaurant can provide. However, if you're like most college students, you don't have enough to cover the cost of the training program you want to take.
FINANCIAL AID—DISCOVERING THE POSSIBILITIES
YOU HAVE DECIDED on the profession of hotel or restaurant manager and you have chosen a training program. Also take advantage of the financial aid office at the school of your choice, or your guidance counselor if you're still in high school.
SOME MYTHS ABOUT FINANCIAL AID
Myth #3: I can't understand the financial aid process because of all the unfamiliar terms and strange acronyms that are used. Myth #5: My family makes too much money (or I make too much money), so I shouldn't bother applying for financial aid.
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
Fact: The formula used to calculate your eligibility for financial aid is complicated and takes into account more than just your income or that of your family. Also, some forms of financial aid, such as a PLUS loan or an unsubsidized Stafford loan, are available regardless of the calculated financial need.
Grants
You may be eligible for a Pell Grant even if you are only enrolled part-time in a training program. If you and your parents live in the state where you go to school, you only have one place to check.
Work-Study Programs
Check with the higher education department of the appropriate state or states (listed in Appendix C) or the financial aid office of the school you will be attending. As an undergraduate student, you will be paid by the hour (a graduate student may receive a salary), and you will receive money directly from your school; you cannot be paid by commission or commission.
Student Loans
The interest rate varies, but must not exceed 9% over the term of the loan. You will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full.
APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID
Your loan may be sold by the original lender to a secondary market institution, in which case you will be informed of the contact details of your new lender. Using and maintaining a calendar will make the entire financial aid process run more smoothly and give you peace of mind that important dates won't be forgotten.
When to Apply
Remember to collect an original copy of this form as photocopies are not accepted. Financial aid counselors warn that many students do not submit the forms before the deadline and lose out on available aid.
Financial Need
Read the forms completely and do not skip any relevant sections or forget to sign the form (or forget to have your parents sign, if necessary). A financial aid administrator calculates your cost of attendance and deducts the amount you and your family are expected to contribute to that cost.
Are You Considered Dependent or Independent?
If there is anything left, you are considered to have a financial need. you are a veteran of the United States military—previously on active duty in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard or as a cadet or cadet at one of the service academies—discharged under a condition other than dishonorable. ROTC students, members of the National Guard, and most reservists are not considered veterans, nor are cadets and midshipmen still enrolled in one of the military service academies.).
Gathering Financial Records
If you live with your parents and were listed as a dependent on your last tax return, your needs will be based on your parents' income. Even if you don't file your federal income tax return until March or April, you shouldn't wait to file the FAFSA until after your tax returns are filed with the IRS.
Maximizing Your Eligibility for Loans and Scholarships
If you think your family's financial circumstances are unusual, make an appointment with the financial aid administrator at your school to review your case. If you have a second home and you need a home equity loan, take the home equity loan on the second home and pay off the mortgage on the main home.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR LOANS
Often, the more family members in school at the same time, the more help will be available to each. Trust funds are generally ineffective at protecting money from the needs analysis process and can hurt you.
Once You’re in School
After You Leave School
If you become permanently and totally disabled, you probably won't have to (provided the disability didn't exist before you received the aid) repay your loan. However, if you are simply disappointed with your program of study or do not get the job you wanted after graduation, you are not relieved of your obligation.
Loan Repayment
Similarly, you likely won't have to repay the loan if you die, if your school closes for good in the middle of the semester, or if the financial aid office mistakenly approves you for aid. For example, you don't have to start making payments on a Perkins loan until nine months after you graduate.
THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FINANCIAL AID
For many loans, you will have a maximum repayment period of ten years (excluding periods of grace and forbearance). In general, however, if you use up your grace period during your leave, you must begin repayment immediately after completing your education, unless you apply for an extension of the repayment period before it is used up.
FINANCIAL AID CHECKLIST
FINANCIAL AID ACRONYMS KEY
FINANCIAL AID TERMS—CLEARLY DEFINED
FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES
Telephone Numbers
Websites
This is the website of The Educational Resource Institute (TERI), which offers alternative loans to students and parents. This is the website for Educaid, which offers both federal and alternative loans to students and parents.
Software Programs
Books and Pamphlets
Student Advantage Guide to Paying for College 1997 Edition. (New York: Random House, The Princeton Review, 1997.). Scholarships, Grants, and Awards: Guide to College Financial Aid from Private Sources (Princeton, NJ: Peterson's, 1998).
Other Related Financial Aid Books
I saw how they were literally built from the ground up, and I knew that I wanted to be one of the "suits" involved in the strategic planning and operations. Knowing how to find the best job opportunities is the first step in the job search process.
FINDING YOUR FIRST JOB
You will learn how to conduct your job search through networking, research, using classified ads, reading industry publications, using online resources, visiting job fairs, and contacting job hotlines. You'll also learn how to find and use the best resources available to you, including the Internet, your school's career placement office, and networking contacts.
WHAT KIND OF JOB DO YOU REALLY WANT?
You will then take an organized approach to the entire procedure by setting deadlines and staying on top of the details. Once you're armed with this knowledge, you can begin the job search process with greater confidence: you know what you want and where you want to be.
TAKING A DEADLINE-ORIENTED APPROACH TO YOUR JOB SEARCH EFFORTS
Determine which tasks require immediate attention, and which items can wait until later in the job search process. Throughout your job search process, keep your planner or PDA with you at all times.
RESEARCHING THE FIELD
Of course, it is easier and more pleasant to go to work if you are excited about what the organization is doing. But jobs in large companies are often highly specialized, whereas jobs in small companies can offer more variety and responsibility, a closer working relationship with management and a chance to see your contribution to the organization's success.
Corporations and Small Businesses
A list of other associations can be found in Appendix A at the end of this book.
Colleges and Universities
There are also many contract food service companies that provide management service to healthcare facilities. When researching the business of health care facilities, a good website to check is the previously mentioned www.business.com.
The Resort Industry
If you are interested in cruise ship employment, your research should be somewhat different. Disney: www.disney.go.com/DisneyCruise Holland America: www.hollandamerica.com Princess Cruises: www.princesscruises.com Radisson Seven Seas Cruises: www.rssc.com Royal Caribbean cruise line: www.rccl.com.
FINDING THE JOBS AVAILABLE
You may want to read travel and resort publications such as Travel and Leisure magazine, which reviews cruise lines and provides detailed (and less biased) descriptions of their services and reputation.
School Career Placement Centers
You can also search the Internet for the terms "sailing and employment" to find more information. A senior director also maintains contact with the business community, making his or her office one of the first places to hear about a job opening.
Classified Ads
Job Directories
Employment or Personnel Agencies
Job Fairs
Define exactly how your qualifications and skills meet the needs of the employers you are interested in. Bring multiple copies of your resume to the job fair and start by visiting the companies you are most interested in working for.
Online Resources
Occupational Outlook Handbook—www.stats.bls.gov/oco/oco1000.htm Salary.com—www.salary.com. Federal Job Announcements—www.fedworld.gov/jobs/jobsearch.html Food Service.com—www.foodservice.com.
Government Job Searches
Federal Jobs Digest maintains a website that claims to be the nation's leading source of federal job information. There is at least one of these centers in every state, which posts federal jobs for the area in which it is located.
Industry Newsletters & Magazines
You can also find a government food service job at a number of individual agencies that employ and maintain their own job listing websites. Industry-specific newspapers, such as those listed in the next section, often list federal government job openings, as do national newspapers.
NETWORKING
Step One: Identify Small Goals
Step Two: Be Informed
The key to successful networking, no matter where you are in your career, is to break the process down into seven easy-to-follow steps. If you're in school, the person who runs the Job Placement Office should be at the top of your list.
Step Three: Make a Connection
They were new to the business themselves once, so if you're careful not to take up too much of their time, they'll probably be willing to give you some information. Begin by introducing yourself and show that you are informed (step two) and interested in what they have to say.
Step Four: Ask for What You Want
Step Five: Expand Your Network
You can also expand your circle of contacts by joining professional organizations while you're still a student (many even offer discounted student memberships). While the national organizations can provide you with valuable information, you will be able to network more effectively at the local level.
Step Six: Organize Yourself
Step Seven: Maintain Your Contacts
It's a nice break from the routines of the school year, and again, it's a great way to stretch and be a little more creative than I would otherwise be. At the end of the chapter, you'll find tips on how to take this final step on your road to employment.
JOB SEARCH SKILLS
ONCE YOU have identified the job opportunities you are interested in pursuing, contact your potential employer to express your interest. So, when you receive a job offer or offers, evaluate them and make a decision.
WRITING YOUR RESUME
Content
What are some of the qualities of your personality that you are most proud of? When you are recognized for doing a good job at work, how do you like to be rewarded.
Composition
Do not put anything personal on your CV such as your date of birth, marital status, height or hobbies. If you need to apply for jobs online or submit your resume via email, you must create an electronic resume (in addition to a traditional printed resume).
Clarity
Concentration
Finally, make sure you get your resume to the right person the right way. If you respond to an ad, make sure you do what the ad says.
WRITING COVER LETTERS
Start your cover letter with an introduction, followed by an explanation of why you are right for the position, and end with a closing paragraph. As with your CV, it is important that your cover letter is well written; but it requires a different writing style.
Content and Concentration
You can also mention some of the things you look for in a job—. You can contact me at the address or phone number above, except for the week of the 27th, when I will be out of town.
INTERVIEWING SUCCESSFULLY
I am very interested in applying for the restaurant manager position listed in the Sacramento Register on May 4, 2001. I feel that these qualities, together with my work experience, qualify me for the position described in your advertisement.
Be Prepared
As you can see from my attached resume, I worked for a large chain restaurant in Reno, Nevada for two years before moving to Sacramento.
Act Professionally
Speak Confidently
Ask Questions
Anticipate the Questions You Will Be Asked
Focus on what you learned from the experience and how it helped you grow as a person.). Talk about how you followed a career path and where you think this pre-planned career path will take you in the future.
Avoid Common Interview Mistakes
These questions could be about the company, its products/services, the way it does business, the job responsibilities of the job you are applying for, etc. Instead, focus on how you (with all your skills, experience, and education) can become a become a valuable asset to the company you are talking to.
Follow Up
Final Thoughts on Interviewing
EVALUATING A JOB OFFER
An explanation of where you fit into the organization and how you are supposed to contribute to its overall goals should give you an idea of the job's importance. NOW THAT you are employed in your chosen profession, success at work is your next goal.
SUCCEEDING ON THE JOB
There's a lot to discover about how to perform well at work beyond what you were taught in the classroom. IN THIS CHAPTER, you will learn how to succeed after finding a job as a hotel or restaurant manager.
FITTING INTO THE WORKPLACE CULTURE
Likewise, if you are hired to run the restaurant, you may have no say in how it is marketed, or even the personnel of your establishment. As with employment at a large company, you will need to pay careful attention in the first few weeks on the job.
MANAGING WORK RELATIONSHIPS
Your salary will likely be lower than that of a peer working for a corporation, and you may never see perks like a pension plan, comprehensive medical insurance, and stock options. No matter where you start working, you may find that you don't fit in with the workplace culture after your first week on the job.
Basic Rules
When changing jobs, don't take the opportunity to express negative thoughts and feelings before you leave. If you behave unprofessionally towards someone, even if you never interact with that person again, he or she will interact with many other people and may describe you as difficult to work with or rude.
Your Boss
It is not an inviolable rule to never complain about the boss to a higher authority. If your boss occasionally acts irrationally, don't take it personally, as it may have nothing to do with you.
Your Employees
If you stay focused on the needs of the team during the conference, it will likely go smoothly, and your work life will be more enjoyable and rewarding. Just as you would with your boss, ask for a one-on-one conference, and keep the good of the team at the top of your mind.
STRESS ON THE JOB
If the bookkeeper is consistently late getting invoices to you, causing you to work late, talk to him or her when you can stay calm and focused. Keep the discussion centered on how the problem affects your life and work, not on how terrible the other person is.
What You Can Expect
As a manager, you will also need to address the impact of stress on your employees. Therefore, you will be expected to run your business with one eye constantly on the bottom line.
Dealing with Stress
In addition to the stresses you will face on a daily basis, there are also the stresses placed on hotel and restaurant managers by senior management who want to maximize their profits. Many of the stresses involving employee and guest relations are directly related to how well you train and reward those who work for you.
MANAGING YOUR TIME
If they are consistently asked to work on weekends and holidays and then feel pressure from their families because of it, they will not perform well on the job and may look for work elsewhere. Even if they see their employment as "just a job", your showing of care and consideration may make them want to stick with it for much longer than they would have if they felt their work environment was cold and did not respond to their needs.
Daily Work Activities
Improving Time Management Skills
While each day can bring new challenges and unforeseen obstacles, if you've taken care of your to-do list, you'll have more time and energy to deal with the crises. At first, you may need to spend up to 30 minutes a day planning your time and creating your to-do list, but eventually you will start saving up to several hours a day.
MENTORS
Learning to manage your time better will boost your productivity, which will ultimately make you more valuable to an employer, putting you in a better position to receive a raise or promotion.
Finding a Mentor
When asked a question, he or she takes the time to help you find the solution, or he or she refers you to someone else who can help you. The one who takes the time to help you solve your question is the better choice for a mentor.
Learning From a Mentor
PROMOTING YOURSELF
Building on Your Reputation
Dealing Positively With Criticism
Getting Promoted
When senior management responds to such trends by changing operational procedures, you should be positive. Restaurant manager Darby Crum notes that to do this consistently, you need a "game face" when you're on the job.
MOVING ON
You don't want to hurt your chances in the future by engaging in unprofessional behavior, such as complaining that you didn't get the job. If there's anything you can do to improve your chances in the future, start taking steps now.
