Operating A Restaurant

• When considering a business startup interview people in that business for information.

• An accurate Business Plan is an essential first step when considering your own business.

As is clear from this comparison, opening a restaurant will fulfill many of this person’s goals There is, however, one formidable drawback – starting salary. Most start-up businesses provide little, if any, income for the first year. Based upon their Business Plan, the capital to open a restaurant is not available at this time.

There are far more factors affecting this person’s decision than we c an present in this chapter. We can, however, develop a few possible strategies:

• He can find an equity partner to finance the restaurant’s startup. This would significantly change the evaluation.

• Because of the bank job’s significant starting salary, he could work there until he has saved enough money to support his family during the restaurant’s lean first years.

• Arrange Informational Interviews with people in the restaurant industry and attempt to combine an employment opportunity with vital restaurant experience.

The ability to make these objective comparisons is what makes Success In Action so effqqqective. Instead of making career decisions on a “first come – first served” basis, you can analyze your choices graphically and make the best possible decision.

The next Phase of Success In Action flies directly in the face of conventional wisdom. The resume is the least important element in your job search package. There are those – some charging thousands of dollars for a consultation - that will tell you to print resumes by the bulk and send them to every name in the phone book. This is the most impractical and least productive method of career development that can be used. The fact is, a recent study by the outplacement firm Drake Bean Martin, Inc. found that a mere 8% of those who land a job do so as a result of a mass mailing.

What, then, is the role of the resume? Properly constructed, the resume should be considered a tool for introducing you to prospective employers and a forum for presenting your skills and attributes during the interview. It can be used effectively in your information gathering and job interviews for bridging and briefing.

First, let’s discuss the “look” of your resume. As a result of the desktop publishing revolution, the typewritten resume is no longer considered acceptable. If you have access to a personal computer, use it. If not, most small printing companies offer typesetting services. These companies will also be a valuable source of information concerning the use of high quality paper, as well as interesting formats and print styles.

The resume should be presented in a clear, uncluttered format. The prospective employer has the tedious duty of reviewing dozens of applicants. It should, therefore, be considered a professional courtesy to submit a resume that can be read completely in a few minutes.

Long, detailed descriptions will, at best, be “skimmed” and at worst, ignored.

The resume should be presented in a clear, uncluttered format. The prospective employer has the tedious duty of reviewing dozens of applicants. It should, therefore, be considered a professional courtesy to submit a resume that can be read completely in a few minutes. Long, detailed descriptions will, at best, be “skimmed” and at worst, ignored.

The items most important to the development of the resume, in addition to your education and employment history, are your positive characteristics that you would like to discuss during the interview. Remember, the employer is hiring you largely based upon your abiity to fit into their work environment and offer a positive impact. It is, therefore, vital for you to develop a description of your personal qualities that coincide with the company’s professional needs.

Relate instances where you have demonstrated these qualities when citing education, employment, or other experiences. Be prepared, then, to elaborate on these instances during the interview. Telling a short story (2-3 minutes) is most effective.

Following are examples of positive personal qualities you may want to consider in your resume development. As you will in Phase 3, they will be used to formulate an important part of the interview itself.

• Leadership

• Perseverance

• Creativity

• Self-motivation

• Goal setting

• Teamwork

• Responsibility

• Communication Skills

Many applicants include the statement “references available upon request.” In many cases, the use of qualified references may be one of the more important features of your resume. Without their inclusion they can have no impact. Remember, however, to talk to prospective references before you include them on your resume to confirm their positive opinion. You will, most likely, have only one interview opportunity, why not pull out all the weapons in your arsenal?

Most of all, be creative! The bottom line is this: most employers in today’s overcrowded job market are flooded with resumes (remember the mass mailings?) To be noticed above the din, you need what the social scientists all “cue clarity.” There has to be something about your resume that clearly sets you apart. A selection of well-designed resumes are reproduced on the next few pages.

Now that you’ve designed a striking, succinct, and informative resume, to whom do you send it? With few exceptions, send them only to people within your networking strategy. There are, however, job advertisements that specifically request a resume only. Don’t let any opportunity pass you by.