Who is this waiter: description, where to study, required qualities

Features of the profession

Today, one of the most popular professions is a waiter. Open vacancies show that specialists are needed not only in restaurants, but also in bars and cafes.

Specialists differ by income level. For example, there are just beginners who receive small amounts when they start working in cafes and eateries. However, by improving their level and qualifications, they can eventually try to get a job in a fashionable restaurant, where the income reaches $1400-1500 per month. However, between a novice waiter and an elite professional lies a long path of continuous improvement.

Skills and abilities of a professional waiter

The waiter must have a good memory. He will have to remember in detail the client’s order, often more than one - with different sauces, degree of steak frying and other personal wishes. He will have to accurately convey the order to the kitchen, ensure that everything is done as the customer requested, and served at the right time and in the right sequence. At the same time, the waiter “keeps” the nuances of more than one table in his head! The profession of a waiter is not suitable for loners and individualists. Service and visitor care implies team spirit and joint efforts for a common cause. If someone starts pulling the blanket over themselves and refuses to lend a shoulder to a teammate, then the team will fall apart. This is unacceptable in the work of a waiter, full of unforeseen situations, when the support of colleagues is extremely important.

22 Dec 2021 marketur 543

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What are the responsibilities of a waiter?

First of all, the specialist must know:

basic rules of etiquette;
be able to competently serve an adult and a child, a man and a woman so that they get pleasure from it;
competently organize the table setting, arranging all the cutlery in the right sequence and, most importantly, quickly;
must be able to take an order and bring exactly what was ordered;
must be friendly and contribute to creating a cozy atmosphere in the establishment;
menu and be able to offer the right dishes and drinks in the right sequence;
must understand and know all the features of serving signature or national dishes;
the wine list used in this restaurant;
figure out what wine to offer with different types of products;
the waiter must be neatly dressed;
to be efficient;
treat your client with respect.

Only a highly qualified waiter will not only serve visitors correctly, but also help create a favorable atmosphere and be the face of the restaurant. Often it depends on the person in this specialty whether a visitor will come to this restaurant again or not.

It often happens that in the restaurant business there is a high staff turnover. It is for this reason that many consider working as a waiter as a good part-time job, but nothing more.

The thing is that on average a restaurant employee must walk at least 10-25 km a day, while delivering about 10 kg of food at a time, then physical fitness and excellent health are not in last place.

The most hardworking and ambitious strive to become administrators, since here you can make a career by becoming a restaurant manager.

Characteristics from the place of work (samples and examples of preparation)

Despite the fact that many consider job descriptions to be a relic of the past, this document is still in demand. A job description is an employer’s assessment of the professional and personal qualities of a current or retired employee. The ambiguous attitude towards this document is explained by the fact that most employers approach its contents rather formally and such characteristics, as a rule, do not have any real individual affiliation. Accordingly, the content of such a characteristic may be questionable. Full name has established himself as a responsible employee, focused on excellent results, always ready to quickly make innovative decisions and bear responsibility for their adoption and for the actions of subordinates. Ready to work in any conditions, including outside working hours.

Please note => On what day after changing the schedule plan can you conclude an agreement under clause 45 44 of the Federal Law

Basic characteristics of the profession

Speaking about the characteristics of the waiter profession, it is tedious to consider the main pros and cons.
So the advantages include:

you have to work in comfortable conditions;
you can receive tips, the size of which depends entirely on the cost of the order, the level of service, as well as the status of the establishment itself;
a large number of available vacancies, which allows you to choose the most preferable conditions;
There may be a convenient work schedule.

Among the disadvantages it is worth highlighting:

waiters very often face stressful situations;
must withstand high physical and emotional stress;
very often it is the waiter who takes the hit for the cook's mistake.

Now you know what profession a waiter is, who he is, what duties he should perform, what he should be able to do.

You might be interested in the article: Who is the bartender?

Waiter's resume: features of self-presentation in the catering industry

table setting in accordance with established standards;
monitoring and maintaining the cleanliness of tablecloths, sets of dishes, napkins, etc., replacing them if necessary;
maintaining cleanliness in the reception hall;
the ability to navigate the menu, quickly remember the composition of dishes, their optimal combinations;
ability to communicate with clients, advise them on food selection and service;
the ability to serve food and drinks in accordance with established service rules;
provision of invoices to guests, control and organization of payments;
skills in preparing daily reports, daily registers;
ability to decorate a hall and set tables for banquets;
knowledge of the basics of re-registration of dishes;
knowledge of foreign languages, communication skills with foreigners.

Experience as a waiter, bartender or administrator is an absolute advantage over candidates who do not have such experience. However, not every catering establishment sets requirements for length of service as a waiter - it all depends on the level of the establishment.

Education

The professional standard of this profession, approved by Order of the Ministry of Labor of Russia dated December 1, 2015 No. 910n, requires a minimum secondary specialized education. If you want to make a career in this field, then, depending on the position you occupy, you will need to obtain special education or advanced training courses. Also, a special condition for admission to work is the presence of a valid medical record and passing the necessary medical examinations, as well as the age of 18 years when working with alcohol and alcohol-containing dishes and drinks.

In this block, indicate the years of study, the name of the educational institution and the qualification awarded. Also list courses, trainings and seminars that are directly or indirectly related to the position you are applying for.

Waiter skills and personal qualities

First of all, the catering staff must have excellent memory. After all, the waiter has to keep a lot of information in his head. Basic rules of etiquette and table setting, principles of serving guests, the range of dishes and drinks offered - and this is not a complete list of information that an employee must master. In addition, a good waiter must be an intelligent, polite and sociable person. Not superfluous qualities are the ability to understand people and the ability to quickly navigate difficult situations. Also in the restaurant business, employees who are able to create a free, relaxed atmosphere for the visitor, in which the client will feel welcome, are especially valued.

Knowledge of foreign languages is an additional advantage for a waiter, especially when it comes to regions with developed tourism infrastructure. The staff of a prestigious restaurant must have a high level of culture and competent speech. The ability to answer questions briefly and succinctly is also a plus. It is worth noting that the work of a waiter does not tolerate delay. If an employee busy with work thinks that time flies very quickly, then the client has his own opinion on this matter. Even five minutes of barking at a waiter can throw a person off balance. Among other qualities of a good employee, it is worth highlighting politeness and a sense of tact.

Requirements for a waiter's job

The waiter must know the rules of table setting, the purpose of dishes and cutlery, as well as the name of each item. The specialist must know in what order food and drinks are served, what requirements are imposed on the appearance and serving temperature. Also, the waiter must be able to select alcoholic drinks for certain dishes.

An employee who is well aware of the menu composition will be able to quickly and correctly answer questions that arise from visitors. He will not be at a loss if a guest asks about the composition of the side dish and recommends which drinks and main courses are best to choose. If the dish the customer desires is not available, the waiter must select a replacement.

Work experience, key skills and abilities of a waiter

In the “Work Experience” section of your resume, you should describe as specifically as possible the responsibilities you performed at your previous jobs. In this case, it is recommended to use verb forms such as “met and seated guests...”, “cleaned the tables in her area...”, etc.

In the “Skills and Abilities” section, you should indicate those that reflect your professionalism and are key. For example:

knowledge of different types of products;
experience working with different types of menus (for example, medicinal or dietary);
understanding the time frame for preparing dishes;
Experience working with bar equipment;
experience in serving VIP guests;
ability to work with R-keeper;
ability to work if the hall is heavily loaded, etc.

Knowledge of foreign languages will be an advantage in large cities with developed tourism. If you are looking for a job as a waiter in a rural cafe, this skill may simply be unnecessary.

For the profession of a waiter, not only work experience, key skills and abilities, but also a pleasant, neat appearance are important.

Is it necessary to mention achievements that are not directly related to the vacancy?

In additional information, you can point out any advantages that can tip the scales in your favor. This is exactly what the “Achievements” section is intended for. For example: received a restaurant certificate as employee of the year; managed to speed up table setting by 20 minutes (15%) due to the process I developed for quickly setting tables for banquets.

A little about personal qualities

Sometimes it's hard to remember what character traits you possess and which of them might appeal to an employer looking for waiters. We hope you will find useful examples of personal qualities that would be nice to have for workers in this profile. Naturally, in order not to overload your resume, you should not indicate all of them, no matter how good a person and employee you are. It is enough to indicate the 5–7 most basic ones.

To make your resume readable, it is enough to indicate 5-7 main personal qualities

More examples of personal qualities to include in a waiter’s resume:

pleasant, neat appearance;
absence of bad habits;
non-conflict;
professional literacy;
activity;
easy learning ability;
decency;
honesty;
attentive attitude towards guests;
the ability to create an atmosphere of hospitality in the establishment;
goodwill;
knowledge of the basics of speech culture;
skill to work in team;
love for your profession;
great desire to work.

Behavior and appearance

The waiter must be tactful and not start conversations on extraneous topics. In case of conflict, you need to behave with dignity, without stooping to rudeness. You can't be too close to guests. The waiter keeps his hands in sight; frivolous poses are not allowed. Also, while in the hall, waiters do not cough, do not touch their faces or hair, or itch. They do not sit at tables, do not have loud conversations among themselves, and do not stand demonstratively. The waiter's uniform and hairstyle are neat, his shoes are polished. He should give the impression of a neat person.

When going to work, the waiter must temporarily forget about his personal problems. They should not affect the professionalism of the service. The face should always remain friendly and the gait should be confident. This is one of the most difficult moments in the work of a waiter - the need to “keep up the brand” all the time. In any physical and mental state, the waiter needs to play the role of a caring and conscientious person.