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Applying workplace skills

In this chapter you will learn how to:

1. work effectively with customers and colleagues:●● maintain a professional personal appearance●● use correct procedures and good practice●● communicate and work with others effectively to meet

targets●● identify and solve problems

2. be able to prepare for a job application:●● produce a Curriculum Vitae and covering letter●● demonstrate a variety of interview skills

3. produce a plan to develop your skills:●● produce and use a personal development plan●● set and work towards a target to develop a skill.

6

In the hospitality industry it is important to be smart and to wear the appropriate clothing for the job, whether this is chefs’ whites or a doorman’s uniform. You must present a well-groomed appearance and wear smart clean clothing that is in good repair.

Employers want people with the right attitude, who are able to show initiative, be punctual, flexible and dependable. They want people who can organise themselves, communicate and manage their time effectively.

Punctual: On time.

Reasons for presenting a professional image

Presenting a professional image is important for your own personal pride and confidence, to promote you and the job role, adding status and commanding respect. It is also necessary to be clean and tidy to comply with health and safety and food safety legislation. Image can also be

It is important to be smartly dressed in the appropriate clothing

Professional presentation

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118 PRACTICAL COOKERY FOR LEVEL 2 VRq

used to match branding (e.g. uniforms) and to meet job requirements (e.g. wearing chefs’ whites for cooking; wearing a smart suit when working front of house).

The way you carry out the job and are able to use the appropriate skills (see the next section) is also part of your personal presentation. Good presentation, both front and back of house, helps increase customer satisfaction, improves business, and improves staff morale and staff satisfaction, leading to happy customers and increased profits. These, in turn, enhance the reputation of the establishment.

Professional presentation and clothing

Being smart and wearing the correct clothing is an important part of working in the hospitality industry. All the clothing you wear must be smart, clean and in good repair. Your hair must be short or tied back neatly and you should be

Professional presentation includes:

• behaviour

• attitude

• conduct

• standards

• punctuality

• dependability.

These demonstrate your personal pride and develop your confidence.

A good attitude helps promote health and safety and food safety.

Professional presentation and attitude provide good role models.

clean shaven or have a neat beard/moustache. You should always wear the correct uniform in the kitchen. You must change your chefs’ or cooks’ uniform regularly (at least every day) and you should never wear the uniform outside the working premises as this is unhygienic. Bacteria from outside can be carried on the uniform into the kitchen and may cause harm.

A hat is essential

Long hair is tied back

A chef’s jacket, preferably with long sleeves

Chef’s trousers are baggy

An apron helps to protect you from waist to knee

Safe shoes with steel toe caps

Keep a cloth handy

Clean hands

Clean teeth

Use a blue plaster if you cut yourself

Workplace skills

Some of the most important skills required in the workplace are forecasting, planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling. We will take a brief look at each of these below.

Forecasting

Forecasting is the ability to plan ahead, in order to foresee possible and probable actions and allow for them. For example, if the chef de partie knows

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APPLYING WORKPLACE SKILLS 119

that the following day is their assistant’s day off, she or he can look ahead and plan accordingly. Forecasting requires good judgement acquired from previous knowledge and experience.

Planning

From forecasting comes planning: how many meals to prepare; how much to have in stock (in case the forecast is completely accurate); how many staff will be needed, which staff and when; are the staff capable of what is required of them?

Organising

In the hospitality industry, organisational skills are applied to food, equipment and staff. Organising in this context consists of ensuring that what is wanted is where it is wanted, when it is wanted, in the right amount and at the right time. Organisation involves the production of duty rotas and training programmes, as well as cleaning schedules.

Commanding

This means giving instructions to staff on how, what and where. This means that orders have to be given, and a certain degree of order and discipline must be maintained.

Coordinating

Coordinating is the skill that is used to get staff to cooperate and work together – to coordinate the work of each section. Different tasks also need to be coordinated to allow for smooth running of the kitchen and completion of work on time. This coordination is essential to the success of any organisation in the hospitality industry.

Controlling

This involves the skills needed to control the whole operation in order to monitor and improve performance. It would include:

●● checking that staff are on time

●● checking that standards are maintained

●● checking quality

●● checking quantity

●● ensuring that there is no unnecessary waste

●● checking equipment

●● monitoring and checking hygiene standards

●● monitoring and checking cleaning.

Having a professional attitude and developing a professional organisation promotes the organisation: as customers gain confidence in the business and the staff it employs, it develops a good reputation. If the business has a good reputation this boosts staff morale – if staff have confidence in the business, this has a positive effect on profits.

Customer care

You should always:

●● put the customer first

●● make the customer feel good

●● make the customer feel comfortable

●● make the customer feel important

●● make the customer want to return to your restaurant or establishment.

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(d) staff smile when greeting customers

(e) if possible head waiter, restaurant manager or receptionist uses customer’s name

(f) customer is escorted to the table, assisted into their seat

(g) if there is any delay, staff apologise and an explanation is given to the customer

(h) waiter introduces him/herself to the customer.

●● At the end of the meal, the head waiter or restaurant manager escorts the customer to the door, smiles and exchanges pleasantries: ‘good day’/‘good night’.

Measuring and monitoring performanceThe defined standards of performance must be set, then monitored and measured, for example: the telephone must be answered within 3 rings; the customer’s order must be taken within 5 minutes of them being seated; the pastry chef will prepare a certain number of desserts for every service. You need to measure success in terms of your promises to customers, for example: customers can park their car easily; there is sufficient choice on the menu for customers; there is always a vegetarian choice; they will be served

Good customer care is essential

It is important that you treat all customers equally, as if they were special, but you must also learn to adjust your behaviour to suit certain customers. Give them your time and full attention. Use body language to put customers at ease.

Defining standards of performanceThe starting point is to consider carefully what should happen at each of the points of contact a customer might have with the restaurant. This can become a checklist, as in the following example.

●● A customer enters the restaurant or service area:

(a) The entrance should be clean and tidy.

(b) The doors could be marked ‘Welcome’.

●● The customer is then greeted by the head waiter, restaurant manager or receptionist:

(a) reception area is clean and tidy, perhaps decorated with fresh flowers

(b) menu sample and drinks list on display

(c) all staff smartly dressed and well groomed

Name the skills your team will need when catering for an event of your own choice.

ACTIVITY

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with their choice of starter within 10 minutes of arriving. Measuring the right thing helps staff understand what is important to customers and how to act accordingly, for example: customers want staff to be able to explain the menu to them; they want to feel welcome and special; they want staff to attend to their needs and not be ignored.

When dealing with customers, behaviour should be:

●● professional

●● understanding – customers in a restaurant want a service and are paying for it; learn to understand their needs

●● patient – learn to be patient with all customers

●● enthusiastic – enthusiasm can be contagious

●● confident – confidence can increase a potential customer’s trust in you

●● welcoming – this can satisfy a customer’s basic human desire to feel liked and be approved of

●● helpful – customers warm to helpful staff

●● polite – good manners are always welcomed

●● caring – make each customer feel special.

If customers complain or they are unhappy about anything that is served to them, they should be encouraged to inform the member of staff who served them. This will give the establishment the opportunity to rectify the fault immediately. Ask them about their eating experience; this information will be vital for future planning. Treat customer complaints seriously. It may be appropriate to offer free drinks or a reduction on the bill. Show them empathy, use the appropriate body language, show concern, sympathise. Always apologise. If you handle the complaint well you will make the customer feel important. Remember that customer care = happy customers = profit = jobs.

Empathy: Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes; understanding and sharing someone else’s feelings.

Meeting targets

Many hospitality establishments set targets. These are usually sales targets and operational targets that relate to budgets, cost control, staffing, and so on.

In some companies individuals are given their own individual targets to achieve. Outside the workplace you may also set your own personal targets. These could be focused on your health, fitness or, say, reducing your consumption of

Staff who look after customers and provide the service and care they expect, deserve to be rewarded. Good positive feedback to staff is important. You may:

●● just say ‘well done’, which goes a long way

●● pay a bonus

●● give an extra increase on their annual pay rise

●● give a promotion.

Attitude and behaviourIf a customer is rude or aggressive to a member of the waiting staff (e.g. blames a waiter for the chef’s mistake), the waiter should not be rude or aggressive in return. If the waiter can use his/her skills to remain calm and patient, the customer will often apologise for their anger. Behaviour is a choice; choose behaviour that is appropriate to the customer and the situation.

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alcohol. Other targets might relate to your own personal career development: you may wish to take additional qualifications to improve your career prospects. To achieve this you may need to seek guidance and take corrective action if you find you are not meeting your targets.

Working with colleagues

It is important to develop good working relationships with your colleagues, work as a team and be supportive of each other. Seek guidance from other team members and your line manager. Identify role models.

In some cases, it may be necessary to develop a work plan for the day and for the week. Discuss the rotas and work schedule, who will cover which tasks and what needs to be done. Discuss targets and outcomes. Evaluate your performance and the team’s performance. This can be done in an informal way, or formally through a team meeting. Identify how the team and your performance are being measured.

It is important to develop good working relationships

When applying for a job you will usually be asked to supply various documents and letters and then, if the first stage of your application is successful, you will be asked to go for an interview.

Producing a CV

When you apply for a job you will probably be asked to send in a current CV (curriculum vitae).

This requires you to list all your educational qualifications and work history, your interests and other activities you participate in. Employers will generally want to know where you have demonstrated certain skills, how you have dealt with certain situations in the workplace and whether you carry out any voluntary work.

Applying for a job

What workplace skills do you need to demonstrate to an employer?

ACTIVITY

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When preparing a CV, you should also bear in mind the following points:

●● All your work experience and work placements should be included in the CV.

●● Always keep your CV up to date and keep track of all your experience, jobs, dates of employment, employers, and competitions you have entered and won (that are relevant to the employment you are seeking).

●● Always check spelling, layout and punctuation.

●● Always update your personal records.

●● As you develop your career, personal qualities and skills, write a short profile about yourself.

●● Write down what inspires you and how you use existing skills.

●● Specify what your long-term goals are, as well as your immediate goals and targets.

●● Identify ways of broadening your outlook, your range of skills, and your ability to deal with a range of different people, personalities and cultural diversity.

Producing a covering letter

A covering letter introduces you to the company; it explains why you are suitable for the job on offer, and the skills and qualities you can bring to it. In some cases, it may also give you an opportunity to say how you would be able to contribute positively to the establishment and organisation as a whole. The letter will usually accompany a copy of your CV.

Interview techniques

First impressions are important. Always prepare thoroughly for an interview. Good preparation will help to ensure that you are in control of the interview.

When preparing for an interview, you should also bear in mind the following points:

●● Prepare any questions in advance.

●● Consider how you are going to introduce yourself at the start of the interview.

●● Make sure you are well groomed, smart and look professional.

●● It is sometimes useful to practise interviews beforehand – this is known as role play.

●● Before the interview, plan the journey and work out the travelling time – allow yourself plenty of time to get there so you do not feel rushed.

At the interview, always maintain eye contact with the interviewer and smile occasionally. Be confident and polite. Think about the questions you are asked before you answer them. Be clear and concise. If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be clarified.

When the interview is over, reflect on your performance. If you are unsuccessful, ask for feedback and learn from the experience. Think about how you might improve in the future.

Present your work experience and skills in your CV and covering letter

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It is necessary to evaluate and check your progress from time to time. Feedback from your peers and managers is a useful way of evaluating your performance. Keeping records (e.g. personal development plans) as a way of checking your progress is also an important way of referring back to your targets and thinking about the final outcome.

So, the key stages of monitoring performance to see if it meets targets are:

●● work plans (e.g. personal development plans) – seeking guidance

●● targets – evaluating them, taking corrective action if necessary

●● outcome – must be measurable in order to know if it has been achieved.

Gathering information on your learning journey to improve your workplace skills is useful so that, once you have achieved a successful outcome, you can use that information to inform and help others, disseminating it as necessary.

Having a personal development plan will help you identify targets and timescales to improve your skills and advance your career for personal and professional success. The next step is to identify which skills you need to develop further, and ways you could do this.

Personal presentation for interview

Create a good first impression.

Use the correct vocabulary.

Make sure you research the job you are applying for.

Know the questions you are going to ask.

Demonstrate good communication skills.

Show that you understand the importance of time management.

Always learn from your experience:

Always ask for feedback from any interview or job application.

Assess your skills.

How could you improve?

What did you do well?

Check your progress as you improve your skills

Personal development plans

Disseminating: Spreading out or scattering; broadcasting. ‘Disseminating information’ means communicating it to other people, or letting other people know.

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Table 6.1 Skills for success: an example of a useful template for recording skills acquisition

Knowledge, skills, qualities and experience

Already experienced

Want to know more

Want to develop further

Order of importance

Craft skills

Knife skills

Culinary skills

Kitchen skills

Pastry skills

Larder skills

Restaurant skills

Managing your time

Identifying barriers to personal success

Being able to reflect positively

Knowing what kind of career you want

Preparing good job applications

Writing good covering letters

Writing a good, attractive CV

Understanding what is required to be successful

Teambuilding skills

Developing professional relationships

Being assertive

Dealing with difficult people

Developing confidence

Dealing with basic problem-solving

Being self-motivated

Evaluating personal competitiveness

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Knowing effective interview techniques

Preparing for an interview

Developing personal records

Recording evidence

Table 6.2 Personal targets

Target 1 Target 2 Target 3

What is the target?

The importance of the skill and why you need it.

How you will achieve this skill and what support and guidance you will need.

Evidence that you have achieved your aim.

Table 6.3 Action plan for personal development

Target Steps to take in milestones

What indicates successful completion

Start date Target completion date

Done

1 a

b

c

2 a

b

c

Your personal development plan will help you to evaluate your performance feedback from your mentor, manager or tutor, and will help you to

improve your own performance. The plan will help you to achieve your aims and become successful – to be where you want to be and who you want to be.

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Test yourself

1 List six rules chefs should follow in regard to smart and hygienic kitchen uniform.

2 Controlling is very much part of a head chef’s role. Suggest six areas of control a chef would need to manage.

3 With regard to customer care what are the positive points that would make a customer want to return to a restaurant?

4 Setting targets for yourself is a good way to monitor progress and achievement. When working in a kitchen or restaurant suggest three targets you may set for yourself. How would you know when they had been achieved?

5 Give some examples of positive behaviour when dealing with customers.

6 Give an example of ‘planning’ in a large kitchen area.

7 When you are part of a kitchen team why is it important to be:●● Punctual●● Flexible●● Dependable?

8 What is a CV? What is the main information that needs to go on a CV?

9 If you have a job interview it is necessary to be prepared in advance. Suggest four ways that you can prepare for an interview.

10 How could a personal development plan help you to progress in your career?

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