Most Restaurant Managers graduate college and university with similar expectations. They envision a career that starts right after graduation. Their introductory job will be fulfilling, exciting, and prepare them for eventually managing their own restaurant.
Disillusion sets in shortly after submitting their 100th resume. Restaurant Recruiting Job Fairs can be discouraging as they see experienced, well educated restaurant managers hoping for the same jobs. It is a common situation that most job seekers have struggled with.
Discouragement sets in when university graduates end their job seeking days working for an energetic, experienced, restaurant manager who worked their way up through the ranks. They never seem to face the same struggles in their career development strategy. It can make a professional wonder why they wasted the time and cost of attending university. Post University professionals often wonder if those 5 years of study could have been better spent learning the practical side of restaurant management and gaining experience.
This is a common misconception. It is possible to fast track a restaurant management career without attending college or university. A long term look at a manager’s career often reveals that most professional’s careers hit a ceiling sooner or later. At this point all managers need to find the one key that will help them put their career back on track. This is when they need to ask one question, ‘How do they take their career to the next level.’
I’ve participated in several round table discussions with career coaches and they all agree that there is one key to success that outweighs all others – Passion.
Restaurant Manager’s Advice: How to Stir Your Passion
The first step to finding the job that you are passionate about is to forget everything your professor taught you. Stop worrying about the ego-boost and pay scale. Ignore the job security and potential for advancement. Clear your mind of everything that brought you to this point in your career. Now take a moment and reflect on those things that make you happy.
“There are several ways to identify your passions. Once you identify them you can match it to restaurant careers that offer the most success and satisfaction. “ www.GeckoHospitality.com
Job seekers can stall their career simply by settling for a job that doesn’t meet their basic needs and ignite their passions on a daily basis. Settling for the first job that comes along is one of the biggest career development mistakes young managers make.
“You don’t need A job. You need THE job.”
A smart career development strategy involves working with professionals who can help match managers with the right environment. Recruitment firms can help find prime placements for managers, but they are only as effective as the information they are given. Non Disclosure is only part of the issue. Another problem is caused when the Candidate attempts to change your behavior to fit your perceptions of what the Recruiter is looking for.
This is a short-sighted Job Seeker’s strategy. Instead look for ‘the’ job that you are best suited for. When Candidates change their focus from ‘begging’ to ‘pursuing’ they are more likely to help the Recruitment professional place them in the right job.
This is only part of the equation. If you are unaware of your strengths and weaknesses then you cannot offer the Recruiter an accurate depiction of your skills and abilities.
