Being able to read and evaluate job resumes is a skill unto itself. When you’re a busy restaurant owner, it becomes that much more difficult. But when you’re hiring a new manager, you have to be ready to comb through lots and lots of restaurant manager resumes to find viable candidates.
The good news is that evaluating resumes effectively is a learnable skill. By looking at the different parts of restaurant manager resumes, you can start to build an idea of your applicants and how each of them might fit with your established staff.
Overall Work Experience
Before you even look at the restaurant manager resumes you were sent, make a list of the ideal work experience you’re looking for in your next manager. At what level would the ideal candidate be in their career? How many years of experience and at what kinds of restaurants in particular would be a good fit for the position? You might not be able to match a particular applicant’s experience exactly to your list, but it’s a good way to hone in on those with potential.
That being said, while it’s important for your restaurant manager to have solid experience in restaurant management, don’t dismiss applicants who have a combination of some background in other management and experience in the restaurant industry. It’s less about the titles of their previous positions and more the roles they played in those jobs … and the skillsets they used.
Plus, a management background in other kinds of businesses brings a very different point of view to the table, and different points of view can be a major asset when building a work culture.
Candidates with Room to Grow
Also don’t be afraid of pulling candidates with a little more “junior” work experience than you were expecting. Remember, you want to hire someone who has the solid foundations to do the job, but you also want someone who can grow into the position. It’s not always a good idea to only respond to overqualified applicants with exclusively restaurant manager resumes, who might not feel like they have room to grow. They could very well leave for another job quickly.
Projects
Keep an eye out for any information on restaurant manager resumes about projects the applicant has overseen and completed. This could be part of their work history itself or in its own “Projects” section.
Have they successfully helped open a new restaurant? Did they implement a new, more efficient POS system in their last job? Did they work with their head chef to successfully start a restaurant garden? Have they organized team building workshops for their teams? Did they implement a new catering service? These are all things that give you more insight into what kind of manager they are and how they approach initiative.
Certifications and Awards
Certification is of course a big part of the restaurant industry. You should already know which certifications your managers and general staff need to have, so keep an eye on restaurant manager resumes that specifically list them.
But you can also keep a lookout for other kinds of professional certification. You can learn a lot about the extra skills applicants can bring to your restaurant by their accreditations and certifications. And like with certifications, any awards mentioned on the resume can give you a better sense of who this applicant is as a manager.
Education
Yes, a formal education is perceived to be less crucial in the restaurant industry than in other industries. Many restaurant managers learned completely on the job, and a lack of a formal degree could easily be outweighed by their many years of experience.
That said, if the applicant does have a formal education along with on-the-job experience, that’s always a good sign. And when it comes to manager positions, a business, accounting, or communications degree can all have their skillsets applied to the work the applicant would be doing for you.
Volunteer Work
If you’re a very community and charity-focused restaurant, keep an eye out for any restaurant manager resumes with volunteer work listed, especially if it lines up with the business’ charitable focuses. It’s always good to pinpoint potential managers who will be enthusiastic about working with your community, just like you are.
Impeccable Grammar
A management position is all about detail-oriented work, and overall, restaurant manger resumes should reflect that. Is it concise and easy to read? Do they get across the important information? Is everything grammatically correct?
Among their many shift duties, restaurant managers also have to write everything from emails to vendors to presentations for marketing meetings. Seeing those strong writing skills being used on their resume is important.
Remember restaurant manager resumes are your applicants’ brand message, if an applicant will be representing your brand, it’s critical to be sure it is well done and speaks to the value they can bring to your business. But at the end of the day, you are not hiring a piece of paper; you are hiring a person.
How do you know the person you’re hiring is right for your restaurant? Download our free eTool “10 Interview Questions to Ask When Hiring Restaurant Staff” today!
