— Manish Shrestha

You know, I think, you know, in, in terms of a face-to-face job interview, it's gonna be common in any industry. Um, you know, we like to, to, to meet people that, um, that, uh, are nice people that, uh, that, uh, speak with a, a good vocabulary and that have a well developed thoughts around why they're at the interview. You know, what is it that you want to achieve, uh, in the short term, medium term, and long term in your, uh, career development? And, um, you know, also, uh, an interview, remember, is not only a time for the employer to, um, you know, question you, but it's a time for you to question the employer. So to be informed, uh, about the business, about the cuisine, to the best of your ability so that you can ask some intelligent questions that show that you're thinking right about what it is that you're getting into, and that, uh, you are a discerning potential employee, uh, I think, uh, can be interesting for an employer. Uh, you know, as, uh, as an employer, I think, uh, you know, most folks would wanna surround themselves with, uh, people that, um, are thinkers, um, yet are also willing to do whatever needs to be done right for the occasion. And when it comes to a food service job, uh, there's just a, you know, a a lot of things that the, that come up, uh, unexpectedly. You might be hired, you know, as a cook of some sort, but dish washing, uh, might be necessary from time to time just to help out. So to be open to those sorts of things, to be open to new learning and how to manage inventory, how to receive deliveries, um, you know, these sorts of things are all gonna be good for the reviewee. Um, and then, uh, many restaurant job interviews also have a practical component, uh, as well, where the restaurant manager or a chef will ask you to put in a half a shift or a shift in the kitchen to see how you communicate with others, how, uh, you know, you, um, are a team player, uh, as well as looking at your individual skills and knowledge around food handling. So, you know, it's a good idea to practice and practice some more on knife skills. I think that's number one. Uh, as well as your knowledge around cooking methods, um, and flavor development and, and balance of seasoning. So how to use salt, how to use acidic ingredients, you know, like vinegar or lime juice to balance, uh, a particular dish. You know, these sort of things, uh, are, are basic and also very important to daily cooking. And so, uh, a manager or a chef may want to see your aptitude, uh, around these sorts of, uh, basic foundational building blocks, um, as they consider you, um, as a, uh, possible member of their team. So, um, also, uh, keep in mind, um, uh, you know, soft skills, uh, you know, soft skills are those, you know, things like interpersonal communication and critical thinking. Um, the way that we speak to each other and listen to each other, um, are all examples of, um, some of, some of the soft skills. And regardless of the industry, uh, every, um, employer wants an employee that has soft skills developed, um, to, to some extent or another. And, um, whatever the industry is, soft skills are important. Even if you're in the kitchen and you're just prepping food, you still need to interact with people. And that's where soft skills come in. It's all about communication. Um, a lot of it is oral communication, but also written communication. You know, can you compose, um, an email right, that is properly punctuated and makes sense and clearly conveys the idea or the message that you intend to convey? Um, you know, many times we need to interact not just with our colleagues, but eventually with, um, our business associates, when we place an order, when we receive an order, when we need to repair equipment, uh, and then eventually with customers. And, uh, that's when soft skills become critical. Um, there's, um, nothing like, um, creating difficult relationships through, um, the inability to communicate clearly, timely and politely. And, uh, so, uh, those are a few things that come to mind, uh, when I think about, uh, the idea of, uh, job interviews and, and new job opportunities.