You can probably get a job in hospitality without qualifications, but the hard fact is that you might not progress very far if you don't sign on for some formal training. The word from recruitment agents is that employers are increasingly worried about the skills shortage and tend to consider only candidates who have practical experience and qualifications.
But the good news is that a recruitment consultant can guide you, as Lynn Robey, head of HR, recruitment and training at agent Blue Arrow, explains. "The great thing about hospitality," she says, "is that there is a balance between those taking the academic route, which requires some practical skill, and those at a lower level taking more practical NVQs."
Many recruitment companies now provide a knock-on service - they tap into the local colleges and identify which job-seekers would benefit from signing up for courses. Many also offer in-house training in food hygiene, customer care and, for those who want to upskill, silver service.
"It certainly helps applicants," Robey says. "We do it in-house using accredited trainers. We also give practical tips on writing CVs and interview techniques, and give particular training to younger people, debriefing them after an interview."
The demands of the modern hospitality industry are driving consultants to expand their services. "The recruitment companies enjoying success and achieving growth in the current market are those that can demonstrate a deeper understanding of clients' needs," explains Mark Sykes, managing director at agent Lister Charles.
This means bringing on board consultants who have worked in the industry and who understand what both the employer and the job-seeker want. It also means toughening up the selection process to establish the suitability of a job-seeker to the vacancy, rather than just firing CVs at employers in the hope that some hit the target. "The increasing expectancy on recruitment companies is to provide fewer candidates who are better matched against the job profile of the vacancy," Sykes says.
John Bowman-Baker, managing director at Gladstone Park Chefs, adds that this benefits the job-seeker, too. "I try never to forget that I am dealing with a human being," he says, "and that career progression and CV management are as important as an imminent placement."
Everyone's methods are different. At the People Tree, consultants have introduced psychometric testing, personality profiling and cultural mapping sessions to ensure a good match for their candidates. They claim they have achieved a nine in 10 placement ratio in some areas of the business, as opposed to the industry standard of four in 10.
The long and the short of it is that any interview you are offered through a responsible recruitment consultant means they think you are well-suited to the job. Good hunting...
Case study: Ben Webb
Age: 25
Job? Sous chef
Where? Waldo’s, Cliveden
Did you get your job through a recruitment consultant?
No, I got it through another chef. I did sign up with a consultant, but I was difficult to place and my agent will only send me to interviews where the job is right for me.
Is that good?
Yes. It is important for a consultant to listen to you so you are sure they will find the right job for you. It’s an expensive business going to interviews, so you don’t want to waste your time. A good consultant is invaluable and will put you on the right path.
How do they do that?
Consultants know the top chefs and get feedback from the people they place with them, so they know how a kitchen is run and what it is like to work there. This industry is like a family – it’s all about getting into a group you feel comfortable with.
So are you looking for a new job?
No, not at the moment. I’ve only been here six months, running Waldo’s under Daniel Galmiche. But I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in the industry and keep abreast of vacancies. In a few years’ time, I may want to look around and I want to be ahead so I know what’s out there. In five years’ time, I would like to be head chef of a Michelin-starred restaurant.
So what’s your advice to others?
Look for a consultant who listens to you – and be honest with them.
Case study: John D’ell-Ross
Age: 34
Job? Managing director
Where? London City Taverns
What made you use a recruitment agency?
I don’t think you can look for a job while you are working. It’s best to let the agent do all that, so you can concentrate on the job you are still doing. I would feel odd making job enquiries myself, because then I would be putting myself “out there” – I always feel loyal to the company I am working for.
How did they help?
They gave me good advice. You need to be well prepared, so they make sure that candidates research the company, that you know what you are getting into, and that you are ready to make the move. It’s also important just to be yourself. If you are moving to a different area, they can help you to penetrate a new market. I moved from Manchester and they found me an excellent role in central London.
Are they all good?
Well, I found an agent who concentrated on the sort of jobs that would fit me as a person and called me when the right one came up. I wasn’t just sent off to loads of interviews for jobs I was unlikely to get. The job that came up was the right opportunity for me. Some consultants just want to make a commission, but you need one who will look after you during your career and develop a long-term relationship with you. The good ones advise their clients.
Did they help negotiate your salary, etc?
The agent knew the package that I was looking for, so only offered me something that I would be interested in. The finer details of the contract were left to me.
What advice would you give someone wanting to use a recruitment consultant?
Look for one who can approach your whole career, rather than one who is just looking to make one-off placements. Be realistic about the sort of job you want and the type of role that you could do well in. Make a list of the sort of people you like to work with, where you want to be in five years’ time, the sort of work you like – and give the list to your consultant. Take some time to prepare it and be honest with yourself.
As an employer, do you recruit through agencies?
I found myself being anti-recruitment agency for a while because, years ago, there was a trend to just send loads of people to interview who didn’t fit the bill. But that has changed, and nowadays they send much better candidates. They take time to assess and brief the candidates before they come for interview, and I feel they are well worth their agency fee. It means the job-hunters’ time isn’t wasted, either.
Top tips
You can’t rely only on a recruitment company to find you the right job. You can achieve much greater success by helping yourself.
- Your CV should be no more than two pages long, structured in its presentation, and up to date. Test it with people who will give constructive feedback.
- Always follow up your CV by contacting the recruitment company after sending it in – they tend to prefer dealing with people who show initiative.
- If you are responding to a particular job, be clear about why you think you fit the profile. If you don’t have the experience but feel you would suit the position, be honest about this.
- Before you register speculatively with a recruitment company, check that you are interested in the type of vacancies they have.
- Draw up a hit-list of companies that you would like to work for, and why.
- Get the recruitment company to work for you. Before an interview, ask for a company and role profile.
- Do some homework. When you get an interview, research the company on the Internet, make notes, and write a list of questions. Only rely on the recruitment company to qualify what you have learnt, not to teach you about the prospective company.
- Always, always, always make sure you have visited one of the potential employer’s operations before interview and do a small piece of analysis on what you liked, what you didn’t like and what you would do to improve it. Even if you end up not using this at interview, the insight will give you more confidence.
- Ask the recruitment company about the personality of the prospective employer and how to dress for the interview – the consultant will usually have met the client so they know what they are like. If you are unclear, formal dress is the safest.
- Demonstrate professional standards at all times. Always return the recruitment company’s calls when you can, and let them know when you shouldn’t be contacted. But if you need to change an interview arrangement, contact the client yourself (they like initiative).
Here’s a thought…
People don’t always think laterally. You might think you want to be a chef, but a good recruitment consultant will listen to what you have achieved in the past and will help you to explore other opportunities if they are relevant.
Who knows? You might even end up as a recruitment consultant. Over the past two years, Blue Arrow has been recruiting hospitality graduates. Lynn Robey, head of HR, recruitment and training, says: “A student might join as a consultant during their graduate placement, perhaps temp in the industry and then go back to university. Some then become consultants with us when they graduate.”
Reach for the stars
You’ll know when you hit the big time because jobs will start to find you, rather than the other way around. For instance, ISIS, which is the executive search division of Berkeley Scott, works with employers to find the right match for top positions – and we are talking about salaries of £80,000 and up.
“Our job is to source executive and board-level candidates,” explains director Simon Tucker-Brown. “There may be 20 people in the market who would suit a particular position, and we would approach them to discover if they were ready to move. Then we would complete a screening and interview process before presenting a shortlist.”
Your time will come...
Simon.tuckerbrown@searchisis.co.uk
The employer’s view
To get an offer of one of the more specialised jobs in catering, you often have to be signed to an agency, says Peter Hassan, NHS facilities and contracts hotel services manager at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. He uses an agency to employ some of the specialist catering staff he needs in the child and adolescent units.
In his view, both sides benefit. The employer is reassured by the agency’s screening process that it is getting the right personality for the job, while the employee, in turn, is more likely to do well if they have been matched with the right job.
“It’s a specialist area of feeding,” Hassan says, “and the staff we have had through the agency have learnt quickly and done the job well.”
Contacts
Thanks
This feature has been prepared with the help of information and contacts from Blue Arrow, Lister Charles and Gladstone Park Chefs.