Hospitality Jobs: Why Managers Should Consider the Family Owned Restaurant8479434

Most restaurant managers have experienced working in a Family Owned Business. There are benefits, but it often takes a unique set of skills to be successful in this type of hospitality jobs. Not every manager can manage the entrepreneurial spirit most restaurant owner possess. Managers need the ability to handle being responsible, but not in charge. Then there is the family drama. It is not easy. Not every manager can thrive in the environment. But if you are one of the few who can take control of the environment and use the situation to advance your management career then there are some great opportunities here. Restaurant Manager Job Description

The questions ‘What does a restaurant manager do’ changes in the family owned restaurant. It is easiest answered, ‘whatever needs to be done.’ When you are considering accepting a job in a smaller restaurant it is important to ask the right questions. The second most important thing you need is a job description - in writing. Make sure that all parties understand the responsibilities and limitations of each member of the team. It can be career suicide to enter a family owned restaurant without a solid, in writing, contract outlining your job. The Job Hiring Process Might Not be Typical The typical family restaurant places a job advertisement on a hospitality jobs website, or hires a hospitality recruiter to manage their job hunting process. But the employee has nothing to research. Very few family restaurants have a web presence, or invest in employment branding. They rarely approach the hiring task in the same way franchises would tackle the task. Family restaurants often make unrealistic promises. They offer opportunity. They paint an atmosphere where everyone in their restaurant is valued. Unfortunately this is rarely the case. Families squabble, and they have their petty differences, they see employees as ‘less’ or only there to make their life easier. In any case, they rarely allow others to take control, even if their decisions are detrimental to the restaurant’s success. Possible Limited Career Advancement In a small kitchen the manager may end up doing everything from ordering to scheduling, and then closing the restaurant and taking the garbage out. This can be a great learning experience, but may not prepare you for working in a larger restaurant and may ruin your chances of working for a franchise. It is important to understand that the experience gained in a family owned restaurant will not prepare you to work in a bigger restaurant. It may backfire and stall your career. Unique Management Skill Set Career advancement isn’t a priority in smaller restaurants. There is very little coaching or mentoring. The skill set and mindset needed to run a small restaurant is different. There is no focus on improving skills or continuing education. The family restaurant is often viewed as a job which rewards the employees with nothing more than a paycheck. This can leave an ambitious restaurant manager frustrated. Red Flags in the Hiring Process in a Family restaurant 1. Watch the emotions. Meet all the key players. Be worried if they keep some people ‘out of view’ until after the hiring process is over. 2. Be careful if the promises are ‘too good to be true.’ 3. The second point also applies to the owners. Are they too friendly, too amicable, or too forward? 4. Ask why the last manager left. These are only a few of the ways to protect your career if you consider working in a family owned restaurant. They will help you pick the best one, with the best working atmosphere. Visit the in-depth tutorials on our website for more information.