How to Get a Job As a Waiter
Restaurant servers work hard for their money. It takes patience, skill and a whole lot of energy to be a successful server. Working as a waiter or waitress is a very popular way to pay for people to earn money. Some people become professional servers, turning a traditional side job into a full-time career. Others work the restaurant scene to put themselves through school or to make extra money while working a day job. Whatever your reason, there are ways to increase your chances of landing a job as a waiter in a restaurant.
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Instructions
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Make sure you have the right personality to be a successful waiter. Waiters need to have lots of energy. You should be outgoing, talkative and patient. You should generally enjoy being around people. You also need to be able to pay close attention to detail, have a good memory and be able to be friendly and professional at the same time. These aren't things you can write into a resume, so they're going to need to come out during your interview.
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Gain experience in the restaurant industry. Many restaurants, particularly more expensive places in bigger cities, won't consider applicants that don't have experience. You can gain experience by working in a different position, such as a cashier, greeter or dining room attendant, or you can find a server job in a smaller, local venue, such as a café, coffee shop or diner. Any position where you're dealing with customers is good experience.
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Search for job openings for waiters in your area by visiting job search boards, such as FoodService.com or RestaurantJobBoard.com. You can also search more general sites, such as Craigslist.com. Visiting restaurants in your area and asking managers if they're hiring is really only effective in smaller cities.
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Be prepared for the interview. Once you apply, you can't get the job unless you perform well during the interview. Be outgoing and friendly. Show the manager that you like being around people. Also, make sure you wear professional clothes. For men, this means a dress shirt, dress pants and a tie. For women, this means dress pants or a tailored skirt and a nice blouse.
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Know things about the restaurant. For example, if the place is known for its wine, then make sure you know some wine basics before your interview. You don't have to know everything, just enough to show that you're genuinely interested and ready to learn. The manager may ask you food and wine-related questions that you're not expected to know. This is less to test your knowledge and more to test how you react under pressure.
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Be sure to be honest about your availability. To succeed as a waiter, you need to have lots of available time throughout your week, but be careful not to agree to 10-hour shifts or working seven days a week during the interview.
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References
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- Photo Credit job series - waiter/waitress image by helenos from Fotolia.com
