Getting ready for an upcoming hospitality job interview?  Here is a quick list of 10 questions you should be prepared to answer:

1. What do you consider to be good hygiene practices on the job?
2. Can you give me an example of a situation where you solved a problem for a customer who was unhappy?
3. How do you handle difficult co-workers?
4. Can you explain what the Heimlich maneuver is, when to use it and how to perform it?
5. How do you handle a rush?
6. What did you like best (or dislike most) about your last job?
7. How have you prepared yourself for this position (i.e., experience, special skills/training, etc.)?
8. How do you help your team to be more successful?
9. What can you tell me about the food/drinks we prepare/serve here?
10. How do you ensure a great customer experience, time after time?

Preparing answers to common interview questions like these will help you feel more calm and confident.  The more poised you are, the better your chances will be of landing the job!

If you’re looking for a great hospitality job in Atlanta, Central Virgina or the D.C./Baltimore Metro area, be sure to register with Penguin Staff.  As a leader in hospitality staffing, Penguin matches job seekers like you with front of house, back of house and culinary professional employment opportunities.  Contact Penguin today to learn more or apply online.

The latest jobs report revealed that 167,000 leisure and hospitality jobs were added since mid-2011.  But if you’re one of the countless unemployed Americans still trying to find a hospitality job, this encouraging statistic is of little consolation.

The simple fact is, it’s tough out there.  A large portion of the hospitality workforce is currently unemployed, and has been for quite a while.  To make things worse, unemployed hospitality workers now face yet another, seemingly unfair barrier to finding work – their employment status.

Right or wrong, some employers unfairly discriminate against candidates who have been unemployed for more than a few months.  Despite numerous EEO laws and safeguards, these employers ignore the résumés sent to them by hospitality job seekers who aren’t working.  They believe that requiring that a candidate be gainfully employed is just “smart business” – helping them control the flood of applications and filter out “damaged goods” before spending valuable time and resources on screening and interviewing.

So what’s a smart job seeker to do?  First of all, don’t admit defeat.  If you’re out of work and need a job, now is a time to stay strong.  Use these tips to overcome the stigma of unemployment – and find a great hospitality job:

• Forgive yourself – and move on.  Losing a job is nothing unusual, especially these days.  Mergers, cost-cutting measures and total shutdowns have forced countless people out of their jobs over the past few years.  Whatever your reason for being unemployed, you need a positive mindset to tackle what may be a tough job search.  The best thing you can do is forgive yourself for being out of work, and then move on.
• If you’ve only been out of work for a short time (a few weeks or months), invest a lot of time and energy into networking and informational interviews.  This will help you get past the initial human resources screening that would eliminate you from consideration.  Use networking as a tool to demonstrate your willingness to work hard, and your drive to find a job may overcome the bias against you as a person out of work.
• Ignore the verbiage in job posts that suggests an employer intends to discriminate based on recent employment status.  Just because the discriminatory language is present in a job listing doesn’t mean you have to adhere to the request!  If your job skills and experience are a good fit for the posting, by all means apply for that position – regardless of your employment situation.
• Consider adjusting your résumé.  If you’ve been out of work for awhile, you may want to switch from a chronological to functional résumé format.  This will allow you to lead with your skills and qualifications, outside the context of your employment history.  Additionally, you may want to omit dates from your employment history section.  Once your skills have an employer’s attention, he can inquire about the dates.
• Solidify references from previous employer(s).  When you’re unemployed, a strong endorsement from an employer – even one who let you go – may outweigh the length of your unemployment.

Temporary Hospitality Work – Your Best Bet for Beating Jobless Discrimination

Looking for a sure-fire way to overcome your jobless stigma?  Go to work for a hospitality staffing service like Penguin – as soon as possible!  It’s easiest to find a job while you’re working, so stack the deck in your favor.  Beyond merely changing your employment status, on-call or temporary hospitality assignments can help you:

• Earn valuable income – at a time when you really need it.
• Keep your spirits up – by being productive and engaged.
• Build your résumé and keep your skills sharp – the variety inherent in temporary assignments presents you with new challenges, allowing you to grow and gain experience.
• Find direct employment – if you prove yourself on the job, your temporary or contract position may convert to a direct opportunity.  Additionally, while you’re on assignment, Penguin Staff can actively search for direct positions that match your skills, experience and interests.

Contact your local Penguin Staffing office today to learn more about hospitality jobs in Atlanta, Washington D.C, Baltimore and Central Virginia.