Thinking of a career in the hospitality industry?  You’ve made an excellent choice.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hospitality industry is expected to see double-digit increases in wage and salary employment through 2014.

But where should you start?

Whether your career aspirations are to work as a sous chef, a catering event manager or a general manager for a major hotel chain, you have to start by getting that first hospitality job.  No matter what side of the hospitality industry interests you, use these tips to break into the field:

Sell yourself.  Know what sets you apart – what makes you worth bringing on board.  Before you start your hospitality job search, spend some time developing a short (20 – 30 second) personal sales pitch that summarizes your skills, experience and those unique qualities that make you ideally suited to work in hospitality.

Share your vision.  Distinguish yourself from other hospitality job seekers by sharing your vision for your hospitality career.  Don’t just think of yourself in terms of an entry-level job; visualize where you want to be in your career five years from now.  Create a long-term success plan for yourself, outlining your career goals and defining the steps for achieving them.  When you interview, share your career goals with your potential employer.

Understand the hospitality ladder.  Most people who rise through the ranks of hospitality management start out with entry-level jobs like washing dishes, cleaning rooms or answering phones.  These jobs are important because they build character and provide the opportunity to learn the industry from the ground up.  So realize that it’s okay to start small.  Set your sights on an entry-level position, knowing you can work your way up from there.

Register with Penguin Staff.  If you want to break into the hospitality industry, Penguin Staff can provide access to great on-call and temporary hospitality assignments.  Working as a Penguin employee can help you get your foot in the door with a great hospitality employer, build your resume, and provide opportunities to network and uncover additional employment leads.  Through a partnership with HTI, we also offer comprehensive hospitality training.  Take the next step in your hospitality career by contacting Penguin today.

In the fast-paced, guest-oriented hospitality industry, there is absolutely no room for employees who drag your team down.  Let’s face it.  Unhappy hospitality employees are terrible workers – treating guests poorly, missing shifts, under-performing and even stealing.

Given how critical employee morale is to the success of your hotel, industrial catering or banquet facility, what can you do to keep your hospitality workers’ spirits up?  Start by trying to understand the potential causes of poor morale.  Gather your staff and consider the following questions to get to the root of problems with esprit de corps:

Do you have “problem employees” on staff?  Often, the attitudes and performance of one or two hospitality workers can undermine the success of the entire team.  If your staff can single out problem employees, solving your morale problem could be as easy as replacing these workers.

Does each employee have a clear role and job description?  Clear performance parameters direct your service staff’s daily efforts.  If jobs aren’t clearly defined, workers may not know how they are being judged, what you really expect from them or what job skills they should be developing.  Make sure everyone on your team knows what he needs to do to succeed in his job.

Do employees feel they’ve been properly trained?  Every kitchen and catering operation works differently.  When employees don’t have the training they need to do their job well, they’re more likely to feel stressed and frustrated about their work.  Provide all of your hospitality staff – from chefs to bartenders to coat check personnel – with training manuals for their respective positions.

Do workers have the tools and resources needed to perform their jobs well?  From saute pans to serving trays, hospitality workers need the right equipment to feel good about their work.  Failing to provide your team with the equipment they need can make them feel as though you’re setting them up for failure.

Are hospitality working conditions adequate?  As their employer, it’s your job to make sure employees are safe and comfortable on the job.  Especially in summer months, excessive heat can zap employees’ productivity and lower morale.

Getting honest answers to these questions will help you pinpoint the causes of low morale in your hospitality staff – and then develop appropriate solutions.  While the reasons for morale problems may vary, Penguin Staff has the hospitality staffing solutions to keep your core workers happy, productive and engaged.  Our highly trained hospitality professionals are available at a moment’s notice to fill gaps, handle peak periods, replace problem employees and keep your operations running smoothly.

You know what they say:  “If you can’t take the heat in the kitchen…find a way to cool things off!”

Okay, that may not be exactly how that phrase goes, but you get the point.  Record-setting heat across the country is making it more critical than ever to ensure the safety and comfort of your hospitality staff.

During the summer months, hospitality workers can be exposed to uncomfortable working conditions (both indoors and out) that can affect their job performance and health.  Hard work in hot weather can raise an employee’s body temperature higher than his body can cool itself off by sweating.  So as we head into the dog days of summer, use these common sense tips to keep your hospitality staff cool, safe and productive while they’re on the job:

Watch the heat index.  The heat index (a measure of how hot it really feels as the relative humidity increases) can affect how safe it is to work outside on any given day.  As you plan employees’ activities, be sure everyone on staff knows the heat index and measures their effort accordingly.

Provide plenty of water.  Encourage employees to take frequent hydration breaks.  Decaffeinated drinks like water and sports drinks provide the most benefit; remind your staff to choose these over teas, caffeinated sodas and energy drinks during the heat of the day.

Plan breaks from the heat and sun.  If employees will be working in direct sunlight or under unusually hot conditions, plan shaded or indoor respite breaks into their work schedules.

Schedule strenuous activities for the coolest time of day.  When possible, allow employees to perform taxing jobs like set-up, re-stocking and break-down early in the morning or later in the evening.

Establish a summer dress code.  Allow employees to wear lightweight, light-colored clothing to reflect both heat and sunlight.

Make sure kitchens are well ventilated.  Ovens, grills and exhaust from refrigeration equipment greatly increase kitchen temperatures.  Add extra fans and/or air conditioners to regulate the temperature and keep air moving.

Look for the signs of heat-related illness.  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), here are some key symptoms to watch for in your employees and the appropriate first aid.  Be prepared by keeping a well-stocked first-aid kit with the items necessary to address heat-related conditions.

Take these proactive steps to keep your hospitality staff comfortable, productive and cool as a “Penguin” at the North Pole!  And as always, if you need reliable, experienced hospitality staff at a moment’s notice, give Penguin Staff a call.  Throughout Atlanta, Central Virginia and the D.C./Baltimore Metro area, Penguin has the people you need.

With each new assignment, a temporary hospitality worker faces a fresh set of challenges.

For example, a temporary banquet server has to:  find his way around a new facility; learn a new service schedule and menu; work with other staffers who may also be new to the facility; and fit into an entirely unique corporate culture.  Oh, and while he does all this, he also has to be instantly productive in his role and create a great dining experience.

If it sounds a little unnerving, that’s because it is.  Although he’s used to managing the change inherent in his role, an effective onboarding process for hospitality temporaries can help smooth his transition into your organization.

Your hospitality staffing provider should take a leading role in onboarding contingent workers.  As their employer of record, Penguin Staff makes sure that all our employees’ paperwork is in line.  We also provide them with thorough descriptions of their assignment responsibilities.  For high volume hospitality staffing users, we can even develop customized orientation materials to ensure our employees are properly introduced to your facility and their positions.

You can help ensure your contingent workers are productive, safe and efficient by helping to onboard them, too.  In her Staffing Industry Analysts blog, Subadhra Sriram recommends the following tips to help you orient and assimilate temporary workers:

• Have contingent workers complete online forms before their assignments start.  Instead of spending valuable time filling out paperwork when they arrive, our employees can immediately begin working for you.
• Provide us with clear and detailed job descriptions, as well as performance expectations.  Sharing this information before the assignment starts helps ensure all parties are on the same page – and are working toward the same goals.
• Give your on-call and event staff the support they need.  Make sure they know to whom they report and who can answer their questions.  Have all the materials they will need to perform their work available and set up.
• Establish a collegial working environment.  Before a temporary arrives, tell your direct staff about his role and how they can welcome/support him.  Once he’s there, take a few minutes to properly introduce the temporary to his co-workers, show him where the break room and restrooms are, etc.

These steps may sound small, but they will truly make a big difference to your contingent workers.  Treat temporary hospitality staff with care and they’ll return the favor.

You’ve found a hospitality job that you really want – and you’ve landed an interview.  Congratulations!

Now, what can you do to make sure you nail it?

Cover all your bases.  Before heading into any hospitality interview, review this check list to make sure you’re prepared, poised and confident:

• Revisit your résumé.  Make sure you know dates of employment, responsibilities, accomplishments, etc. for each position you’ve held.
• Prepare answers to the most common hospitality interview questions.  Make sure you’re ready to answer questions like:  “Why did you leave your last job?”  “Why do you want to work for us?”  “How do you handle difficult customers?” and “How do you handle a rush?”
• Do a practice run to make sure you know the route.  See how long it takes to drive there, factoring in rush hour traffic if applicable.
• Create a great first impression.  Right or wrong, an interviewer will size you up within the first few minutes of meeting you.  Use these tips to create the wow factor from the moment you walk through the door.
• Emphasize your reliability.  Punctuality and reliability are two of the best assets a hospitality worker can have.  If asked about your best qualities, stress your attendance record, willingness to work overtime or to cover extra shifts.
• Focus on your customer service skills.  Whether you work front desk, front-of-house or back-of-house, hospitality is all about service.  Prepare a few examples of situations where you went the extra mile to deliver a great customer experience.
• Thank the interviewer for his time.  You’d be surprised at how many hospitality candidates forget this simple but important step!

Need more interviewing help?  We at Penguin Staff want to do all we can to help you land the perfect hospitality opportunity.  If you need assistance or would like additional resources to help hone your interviewing skills, please contact us directly.

Add a little sparkle to your Independence Day menu with these delicious and fun drink recipes:

Fourth of July Cocktail

“Triple D” host Guy Fieri heats things up – literally – with this pepper-infused concoction that’s sure to grab guests’ attention:

Courtesy of Guy Fieri, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1 ounce watermelon schnapps

1 big splash cranberry juice

1 very thin slice jalapeno or serrano pepper

1 slice lemon

1 slice lime

1 1/2 ounces tequila

1/4 ounce blue curacao

1/2 ounce simple syrup

Garnish:  Watermelon wedge

Glass:  Highball

Directions

Mix the schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker; pour into an ice-filled glass.  Muddle the jalapeno pepper, lemon and lime slices, tequila, blue curacao and simple syrup (to make a batch, dissolve sugar in equal parts hot water and chill) in the shaker.  Slowly strain into the glass over the red layer.  Garnish with watermelon, if desired.

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Coconut Blue Hawaiian

A beautiful red, white and blue cocktail that will cool guests down on a hot summer day.

Courtesy of bettycrocker.com

Ingredients

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup (4 ounces) light rum, if desired

1/2 cup (4 ounces) blue curaçao

1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream of coconut (not coconut milk)

10 to 12 ice cubes

Garnish:  Fresh cherries or maraschino cherries with stems

Glass:  Martini

Directions

Chill martini glasses in freezer several hours before serving.  Place all ingredients except cherries in blender.  Cover and blend on high speed about 45 seconds or until smooth.  Pour pineapple mixture into glasses.  Garnish with cherry.

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Frosty Fireworks

A non-alcoholic drink recipe sure to please guests of all ages.

Courtesy of food.com

Ingredients

16 ounces blue Gatorade

16 ounces red Gatorade (or any red Kool-Aid or fruit punch)

12 ounces Sprite or any other clear carbonated beverage

4 -6 plain ice cubes

Glass:  Highball or tall tumbler

Directions

Fill the sections of one ice cube tray with blue Gatorade, and place in freezer for several hours or until frozen solid.  Fill the sections of the other ice cube tray with the red Gatorade (or other red color drink), and place in freezer until frozen solid.  When ready to serve, place about 4 or 5 regular (clear) ice cubes in a highball glass or tall tumbler.  Add two blue ice cubes and two red ice cubes to the glass.  Fill the glass the rest of the way with a clear carbonated soda.  Now wait to see the special effects to begin.  As the cubes melt, colored bubbles will swirl through the soda and create a sparkling “frosty fireworks” effect.

If you’re over 35, you can probably think back to a time when there were only three condiments:  ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.

Ahhh…those were simpler times…

When you open up today’s menus, however, you’re faced with a dizzying array of options.  From barbeque sauce to salsa, consumer demand has driven a proliferation in condiment variety.

According to recent data from the Foodservice Research Institute (FRI), flavor variations in “the big three” condiments started back in the ’90s and have exploded in recent years.  The mayonnaise category, in particular, has undergone a major transformation.  In fact, the FRI’s MenuMine database lists no less than 90 mayonnaise flavor variations found on today’s menus.

Some quick FRI facts about mayonnaise use in foodservice:

• 70% of mayonnaise is used on sandwiches;
• 20% winds up on burgers;
• the average menu contains 7.8 items with mayonnaise.

Cutting-edge chefs are now adding flavored versions of mayonnaise to a wider range of items.  Kicked-up versions of the American staple are to be found on everything from meats and seafood, to vegetables and salad.

The flavor of mayonnaise can be enhanced with an assortment of spices and herbs.  Peppers, fruits and vegetables also add uniqueness and a bit of texture.  If you’re looking for new ways to freshen your menu, here is a list of top mayonnaise variations you may want to consider adding:

• Spices—garlic, saffron, cumin, red pepper, sage, red curry, sesame, ginger, paprika, lemon pepper, peppercorns
• Herbs—basil/pesto, cilantro, fennel, rosemary, tarragon
• Peppers—ancho, jalapeno, sriracha,  chimichurri, red, sweet, poblano, chipotle
• Fruit—apple, avocado, lemon, mango, lime, cranberry, citrus
• Vegetables—sweet relish, watercress, scallions, capers, olives, horseradish, wasabi
• Tomatoes—sun dried, roasted, smoked
• Cheese—blue, Parmesan
• Others—dijon, sherry, honey, buffalo sauce, spicy, teriyaki sauce

Of course, the best menu flavors taste even better when they’re prepared and served by true professionals.  Trust Penguin Staff to provide the screened and trained on-call, temporary and permanent hospitality staff you need.

You know who they are:

• the superstars who are committed to doing a job properly and not just “filling time”;

• the overachievers who go above and beyond the call of duty;

• the high performers who are enthusiastic about their jobs and fulfilling your organization’s mission.

Whatever you call them – superstars, overachievers, high performers – you know your hospitality organization’s success depends on hiring and retaining them.  So how do you identify them?

Unfortunately, high performers don’t go around with signs hanging from their necks that read “I’m a top notch worker – hire me!”  But, you can use this list of attributes to help you determine which hospitality candidates are the best and brightest:

1. They are forward-thinkers – about their job environment and their hospitality careers.  To thrive, they need to know how what they’re doing now will impact the future.
   
2. They have found their focus.  High performers know their strengths and have found an appropriate expression for their talents in hospitality.
3. They self-manage.  Research has shown that high performers consciously apply a systematic approach to every task.  This disciplined approach makes them more organized, productive and fulfilled.
4. They are accurate appraisers – of peers, work environments and themselves.  They can spot talent in co-workers and chinks in their competitor’s armor.  Likewise, they recognize their own weaknesses and strive to improve them.
5. They are intrinsically motivated.  While money is undoubtedly important, high performers are fueled from within.  Their need to attain personal and organizational goals is often as great a reward as compensation.
6. They are optimistic.  High performers see the glass as half-full.  They tend to treat obstacles and setbacks on the job as temporary and therefore surmountable.
7. They respect other high performers.  Rather than focusing on hierarchy, high achievers operate within a society of mutual respect.  As a result, they will lend a hand to others with talent and help them flourish.
8. They are results-oriented.  These individuals won’t sit quietly and do a job just because they’re told to.  Top performers need to know how their efforts affect the organization’s “big picture,” and measure their efforts in terms of bottom-line results.

If you want to hire top performers, develop behavioral interview questions that will screen for attributes like the ones listed above.  Or just give Penguin Staff a call!  Our staffing professionals are experts at identifying high achievers who will perform well in your organization.  We offer a variety of hospitality recruiting and staffing services to deliver the best and brightest for you.

Looking for hospitality jobs in Atlanta, Richmond, D.C. or Baltimore?

Sure, it’s tough out there.  But fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone.  At Penguin, our staffing specialists are committed to your success and can facilitate your hospitality job search in a number of ways.  Here are just a few:

Access the “hidden job market.”  When you work with an employment agency like Penguin, you have access to great job opportunities that are not advertised anywhere else.  Many hotels, industrial caterers, CVBs and other foodservice management organizations trust our staffing specialists to quickly identify the right hospitality professionals for their staffing needs.  Often, these clients will not advertise their positions through traditional means like job boards.

Career guidance and training.  Are you re-entering the workforce?  Just out of school?  Laid off?  If you fall into one of these categories, you may be unsure of exactly how best to use your talents.  A staffing professional can help you critically examine your skills, training and experience to identify the right opportunities for you.  And if you need to update your skills or learn new ones, Penguin offers comprehensive hospitality training through HTI.

Feedback on your résumé and interview skills.  As employment experts, we can help you polish your résumé and build your interviewing confidence – so you can land the job you want.

Confidential, anonymous representation.  If you’re currently employed, you probably don’t want your boss knowing that you’re actively seeking work elsewhere.  Penguin can market and represent you anonymously, so you can continue working until a prospective employer expresses an interest in your credentials.

Keep your chin up!  Being out of work can take its toll on you, both emotionally and financially.  If you’re looking for a hospitality job, Penguin Staff can provide on-call and temporary hospitality assignments to help you:

• earn money while you search for a full-time job;
• keep your schedule flexible so you can continue your job search;
• keep your skills sharp and up-to-date;
• network with new co-workers to uncover additional employment leads;
• avoid gaps on your résumé;
• stay positive and productive.

At Penguin Staff, you’re more than just a résumé, a certification or a set of skills.  You’re a vital part of our success!  Whether you’re searching for temporary employment, a permanent position or some extra money on the weekend, Penguin has the career opportunities you need.  Take the next step in your hospitality career by contacting Penguin today.

VUCA is not:

• a new vodka-based martini;
• an exotic herb used in curry dishes;
• a brand of high-end commercial appliances.

So, what exactly is VUCA?

This term is an acronym for a business environment that is dominated by:

• Volatility – where things change rapidly but not predictably;
• Uncertainty – where the past is not an accurate predictor of the future (and therefore preparing for “what’s around the corner” is extremely difficult;
• Complexity – where countless causes and mitigating factors complicate problems;
• Ambiguity – where the causes (i.e., who, what, where, when, how and why) behind events are often unclear.

In a recent ERE.net article, Dr. John Sullivan explores the concept of V.U.C.A., as well as the effect it’s had on today’s recruiting and workforce management.

According to Sullivan, hospitality talent managers, HR and recruiting professionals must develop new ways to survive in a V.U.C.A. environment.  Traditional models of talent acquisition and management simply cannot work, because they are not versatile enough to accommodate the rapid and unpredictable changes in business.

To truly thrive under such conditions, you need to develop “agile models” that prepare your hospitality workforce for major disruptive events.  These business models must also include the processes and systems that can actually shift and handle any unpredicted upcoming event at a moment’s notice.

Hospitality staffing and recruiting services, like those offered by Penguin Staff, can help you meet the challenges of today’s unpredictable hospitality environment.  We help hotels, industrial caterers, CVBs and other hospitality employers like you successfully manage volatility with:

• Contingent labor.  By using on-call and temporary hospitality employees as a significant part of your workforce, you increase your capability to meet sudden upturns, downturns and unique skill needs.  The flexibility contingent labor provides helps you operate cost-efficiently, while still maintaining the ability to capitalize on new opportunities.
• Rapid talent acquisition.  We can work with you to develop detailed position specifications, before hiring needs arise.  When the time comes, our knowledge of your requirements and deep talent pool will provide quicker access to top hospitality candidates who are ready to perform for your organization.
• Outsourcing.  Even under the best of circumstances, workforce management is a time-consuming and stressful tasks for hospitality employers. Penguin Staff can integrate seamlessly with your organization to handle all aspects of staffing – freeing you to focus on your most important priorities.

The one constant in today’s world of hospitality?  Rapid change.  Thankfully, Penguin is prepared to help you manage the “new normal” of today’s V.U.C.A. environment.