7 Essential Qualities Of a Restaurant Employee

I remember when I got my first job, and at the time, I remember feeling completely terrified. I had gotten the job at a small café that boarded the small town I lived in. Employees were scarce, so my job consisted of being a waiter, busser, and dishwasher.

 My boss (Fabiola Bowles) had owned over three restaurants in the past and was by all means a damn good boss; however, I, on the other hand, was not a good employee. I made more mistakes than I cared to say, but my boss (God bless their soul) whipped me into shape.

So now I will share with you the qualities my boss shared with me that every restaurant boss looks for in an employee.

7.) Listening Skills

There's a time to talk, and then there's a time to shut up and listen, and most of the time, you’re going to be the one listening. There will be tough days as a restaurant employee, no matter if you are a busser, waiter, dishwasher, or even line cook, and when those days happen, it is going to be vital that you listen.

As an analogy, let's compare an inner working of a restaurant to that of the human body. The brain (the boss) dishes out orders to the rest of the body's organs, giving it commands on what to do.

However, if the organs do not listen to the brain, it throws off every other organ, causing the entire body to fail. Don't be the organ that doesn't listen, "When you have a conversation with somebody, you're not going to get the nuances of the conversation if you're doing too many things," said Michael Mathieu, now the C.E.O. of BeAlive Media in an interview with the with the New York Times. In other words, focus on what your boss is saying!

You must internalize what your boss is saying, not just because it saves you the trouble of being chewed out by your boss, but so you can learn. Each business is different, so be sure to listen to how your boss runs their business.

6.) Communication Skills

  Now we're on to the part where you can talk (yay)! A common misconception is that when business owners discuss communication skills, the employee will mistake their boss’s intent. Most employees believe their boss refers to how to deal with customers or clients properly.

That is only sometimes the case. Though adequately communicating with the customer is important, communicating with your colleagues and boss is even greater. You must be clear and concise if you need to change an order or ask a question. "Consistency may be needed in some cases, but be sure to use it carefully and sparingly," says Mary Emerson, a journalist at Forbes magazine.

Poor communication can lead to the downfall of workplace teamwork, which is vital to have if you want to keep your job, “For over 40% of workers, poor communication reduces trust both in leadership and in their team,” says Leeron Hoory and advisor at Forbes

More is going on for your boss or fellow employee to even take a second to decipher what you say, so be sure to make it easy for yourself and them to understand.

5.) Teamwork Skills

Teamwork makes the dream work, as the expression goes, and that is for damn sure when you're in the restaurant industry. Teamwork is a mixture of the previously discussed skills, but you, the individual, determine its effectiveness.

You don't have to like co-workers; you could hate their guts, but as long as you work with them to get your jobs done, that’s all that matters, "by fostering a culture of collaboration around common goals, our teams can synthesize all of these perspectives without letting egos interfere with the process," says Gala Grigoreva a Forbes Councils Member. Personal feelings and beliefs should be left at the door of a business. What matters now is completing your job as an individual and a group.

4.) The Ability to Work Under Pressure 

  The pressure is one the most exhausting things a person can be under, but having the ability to work under it will be vital for your success as a restaurant employee. In the fast-paced world of the restaurant industry, there will be times when you need to be fast on your feet.

Giving your best won't be enough; you must give 150% when the time comes. It will be hard, and you will be put to the test, and let me tell you will fail, and it will suck, bad. You will likely make a mistake and be chewed out by your boss. So much so that you might even want to quit. Here’s a tip, don't.

Working under pressure takes three things, effort, time, and determination. You might think it's not worth putting the effort in, but you're mistaken. The skill of working under pressure is universal and will carry over to any career you have, so start now. 

3.) Multi-Tasking Skills

As a restaurant employee, you'll be stretched thin sometimes, so it's best to learn how to multitask. Now I know that by all standards, the idea of doing two tasks at once (effectively) is a myth.

 I want to clarify: "Multitasking" (to me and most restaurant owners) means a person's ability to switch from one task to another quickly. In the restaurant world, you must take an order while making a latte. If you can control your ability to focus, you're golden. 

2.) A.I.O.

A.I.O: adapt, improvise, and overcome. On one of his shows, you may have heard this expression from survivalist Bear Grylls. However, its origin stems from the United States Army, a motto still used today.

Though it may seem extreme due to its origin, the message is still strong, when in trouble, adapt to your situation, improves if you lack a plan, and overcome any challenge you face.

Working in a restaurant can be tricky, and at times you will be faced with challenging and what may seem impossible work. But believe me. Your employer will be desperate to keep you around if you can use A.I.O. 

1.) Initiative Taker 

A boss (in any industry, really) is looking for problem solvers, not makers. And the best way to prove yourself is by utilizing the previously mentioned skills and do so by taking the initiative! 

Have your head on a constant swivel at your workplace to see what you can do before the boss asks you to. That way, your boss knows that you're serious about working at their business, “Companies and colleagues want professionals who have a natural instinct to get things done and not wait around,” says Avery Blank, a journalist at Forbes.

Be your own advocate and show your boss the type of honest and hard-working employee you can be