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Transferring Your Restaurant Skills Outside of the Industry

Restaurant365
Restaurant365
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Restaurant people are a special breed.  They are cut from a different cloth.  Serving others is in their blood.  However, there may come a time that their circumstances change, and they’re  forced to make a move in their careers to something outside of the restaurant industry.  Perhaps you have a new family, are returning to school, need more stable hours or just feel burned out. There might come a time when you need to find a new path.

The good news is that working in a restaurant provides a wealth of transferable skills.  When looking for a new career path, focus on the transferable skills that you have learned.  A restaurant veteran typically has these highly sought-after skills:

  • Works well under pressure
  • Conflict resolution
  • Team player
  • Able to multitask
  • Strong customer service
  • Ability to communicate with others
  • Handling money and finances

When searching for new opportunities, look for jobs in which you can use these skills to your advantage.  Below are a few opportunities where your restaurant experience will be valued.

Distributor.  Think about all of the distributors you deal with on a daily basis.  Food, beer, wine, paper and sanitation, linens, etc.  Many distributors prefer employees with restaurant experience because you understand the industry and speak the language.  So, whether you prefer to be a sales representative, coordinator, warehouse help, driver, etc., check with your distributor contacts about the companies they represent to see if distribution may be right for you.

Event planner.  Many restaurants and corporations employ event planners to coordinate conferences, weddings, charity events, trade shows, business meetings, sales events, and more.  If you have experience coordinating large events within a fixed budget in your restaurant, then it might be wise to search for job listings that are in need of these services.

Sales representative.  The most successful sales reps are those who have great communication skills.  They are good listeners who can understand the customers’ issues even when those customers have a hard time articulating their needs.  Focus on playing up your listening and communicating skills, whether or not you have knowledge of the product the company sells.  The latter can be taught, but a consultative style is a much-desired trait for sales positions.

Inbound call centers.  Whether it be for internet, phone, appliances, etc., call centers can be an ideal fit with your experience in problem solving and conflict resolution.  Often when customers call into a call center they are already upset due to an issue or frustrated by being placed on hold for long periods of time.  Your experience defusing difficult situations in restaurants while quickly and calmly solving the customers’ issues will make you an ideal candidate for a call center position.

Flight attendant.  This one may be out of the question if you are looking for fewer hours or a more stable schedule.  However, if you don’t mind the hours, you can get a job that enables you to travel and see the world.  A flight attendant’s duties involve more than serving customers. They must keep passengers safe and ensure they are following security regulations, especially during an emergency, so your people skills and ability to thrive under pressure are assets for this role.

Facilities management.  Depending on your position at the restaurant, you might have gained some facilities management experience.  It is common for managers and supervisors to clean, maintain and coordinate services for the building and major appliances.  Proper care of these high dollar items requires careful planning and coordination; don’t underestimate this skill set on your resume.

Bookkeeper.  Restaurant managers and supervisors are also often called upon to conduct basic bookkeeping tasks.  These responsibilities can include accounts payable, accounts receivable, filing invoices, petty cash, payroll, developing budgets, forecasting, financial planning, and more.  If the bookkeeping functions are something that you enjoy, look into jobs that focus on those tasks.

Software and technology companies.  Don’t overlook software and technologies that you have learned over your years in the restaurant industry.  Many of these companies will value your “real life” knowledge of their products.  Understanding the end user needs, expectations, and frustrations put you in the best position to help them.  At Restaurant365, hiring industry veterans is an integral part of the strategy for helping restaurants thrive. Check out R365 employment opportunities.

Are you currently on the other end of the spectrum and hiring for your restaurant group? If you are looking for a restaurant hiring solution that can help support your long-term staffing goals, consider R365 HIRE, an applicant tracking system that makes it easy to attract, hire, and onboard the best employees for your restaurant group.

Request a free demo of R365 HIRE today