Becoming a server

[kimabima]

After many years as a teacher and a stay at home mum I would like to try my hand at being a server. I notice that quite a few retirement homes here in Victoria (some quite posh!) are hiring servers for their dining rooms. I have absolutley no restaurant experience and I don't have Foodsafe (I am quite willing to get it).

Should I get FS before I apply?

Any other tips on getting your first job as a server?

(do I stand a chance? )

Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[WHT]

After many years as a teacher and a stay at home mum I would like to try my hand at being a server. I notice that quite a few retirement homes here in Victoria (some quite posh!) are hiring servers for their dining rooms. I have absolutley no restaurant experience and I don't have Foodsafe (I am quite willing to get it).

Should I get FS before I apply?

Any other tips on getting your first job as a server?

(do I stand a chance?  )

Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

←

If you can stay on your feet for long periods of time, cary 20Lb. or better loads and be friendly you may have a stab at it. Bing a server in a home is a little diferent than resturants and not as high stress. it is more like doing catering.

Attitude is most of what it takes. They will teach you the rest.

[SundaySous]

You stand an excellent chance. I could see the retirement home thing if you want to get some skills but they might be the wrong ones.

From a potential employers point of view they want some one that can sell the experience. They want someone that can sell things like $4 glasses of wine to people that would of never thought about having a glass of wine or 3 different ones with their meal.

The people that sell the Appetizers and desserts get the better shifts. When you get an interview try and get a look at the menu and think about how you would sell it. They want to hear you say things like "I always try and sell an appetizer, dessert and hopefully a glass of wine."

Say they have sea bass on the menu. They want to hear you describe how it was prepared. You've never eaten there and you don't know but tell them that and just make something up they will train you later. Say something like "the fillet is lightly breaded and quickly pan seared before being baked and results in savory, light almost flake like texture. It's served with steamed asparagus that is them chilled and the more I think about it the more I hope there is still some left later when I eat."

Yeah it sounds hokey but it works. When they ask you how many shifts you want say three, your flexible but three would be good. Anybody that says as many as you have is really just saying they need the money. When you tell them three you are telling them you want to make money.

[Synergy]

If you have no experience, you may have to start as a serving assistant, otherwise known as busser. This way, you can get the lay of the land in the restaurant, learn the menu (both food and beverage) and learn the layout of the restaurant, etc.

To get promoted to server more quickly, you have to work your butt off, and show some initiative. Learn the menus on your own time, talk to experienced servers who work there, and ask the management questions about anything you need to know.

If you start off as a server, good luck!!!!

Also... just a thought, you probably won't get tips at a retirement home, so you may want to take that into consideration when you are applying at places.

[kimabima]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

A retirement home appeals because there is less pressure. The pay advertised isn't too bad-14.00 an hour. I imagine I would start as a busser even there which is fine by me.

I don't really want to make a career out of being a server-just would like to make some extra money. We have two daughter in university at the moment and though they pay their own way for the most part it is still costing mum and dad.

The retirement homes around here are very nice looking- a couple just opened and from the street anyway the dining rooms look nice.

So should I get foodsafe before I apply?

My daughter is a server and she says no one has ever asked her for it.

I guess I could just say I will get it if needed- it is a one day course and I already know most of it anyway.

[Irishgirl]

Foodsafe is usually needed for the cooks. Servers are usually required to get "Serving it Right", a program which teaches them the intricacies of not over-serving alcohol. In a retirement home it may not be required.

[kevfoodvan]

Here is the foodsafe link for you from there you can see who offers the courses and when:

http://www.foodsafe.ca/index.htm

After many years as a teacher and a stay at home mum I would like to try my hand at being a server. I notice that quite a few retirement homes here in Victoria (some quite posh!) are hiring servers for their dining rooms. I have absolutley no restaurant experience and I don't have Foodsafe (I am quite willing to get it).

Should I get FS before I apply?

Any other tips on getting your first job as a server?

(do I stand a chance?  )

Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!

←

[Daddy-A]

In a retirement home it may not be required.

←

I dunno ... you never saw my granny guzzle the grapa!

A.

[kimabima]

So on a whim I walked over to the fancy new retiremnet home five minutes from my house to see about serving opportunities .

After a tour of the lovely place I was hired on the spot and start Monday. I only want to work two days a week and that is fine with them.

I get free meals during my shift and the food looked great!

I guess in this job market if you breathing and know what a fork is you are hired!

I am looking forward to believe it or not. It really is a lovely place (at 3-6,000 a month it better be!)

[Andrew Morrison]

I guess in this job market if you breathing and know what a fork is you are hired! 

Well said. Best of luck!

Edited October 10, 2007 by Andrew Morrison (log)