At Patrice & Associates, we are not only recruiters we are Career Coaches.  We help candidates be prepared for the tough questions they are likely to encounter during an interview.  Having a great background is what gets a you to the interview, answering questions and “selling” yourself is what gets you hired!

Below is a listing of frequently asked questions and suggestions on how to approach the answers. 

Many interview questions are to be expected. Study this list, plan your answers ahead of time and you’ll be ready to deliver them with confidence. 

What Are Your Weaknesses?This is the most dreaded question of all. Handle it by minimizing your weakness and emphasizing your strengths. Stay away from personal qualities and concentrate on professional traits: “I am always working on improving my communication skills to be a more effective communicator.”  

Why Should We Hire You? 

Summarize your experiences: “With five years’ experience working in the restaurant industry and my proven record of training and developing, I could make a big difference in your company. I’m confident I would be a great addition to your team.”

Why Do You Want to Work Here?  

The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you’ve given this some thought and are not sending out resumes just because there is an opening. For example, “I’ve selected a key restaurant whose mission statements and culture are in line with my values, where I know I could be excited about the product we serve and the level of guest service provided. This company is very high on my list of desirable choices.”  

What Are Your Goals?  

Sometimes it’s best to talk about short-term and intermediate goals rather than locking yourself into the distant future. For example, “My immediate goal is to get a job in a growth-oriented company. My long-term goal will depend on where the company goes. I hope to eventually grow into a position of responsibility.”  

Why Did You Leave (Are You Leaving) Your Job? 

If you’re unemployed, state your reason for leaving in a positive context: “I managed to survive two rounds of corporate downsizing, but the third round was a 20 percent reduction in the workforce, which included me.” If you are employed, focus on what you want in your next job: “After two years, I made the decision to look for a company that is team-focused, where I can add my experience.”  

When Were You Most Satisfied in Your Job?  

The interviewer wants to know what motivates you. If you can relate an example of a job or project when you were excited, the interviewer will get an idea of your preferences. “I was very satisfied in my last job, because I worked directly with the guests and that is an important part of the job for me.”  

What Can You Do for Us That Other Candidates Can’t?  

What makes you unique? This will take an assessment of your experiences, skills and traits. Summarize concisely: “I have a unique combination of strong training skills, and the ability to build strong customer relationships. This allows me to use my knowledge of guest service to build lasting relations and build teams that mirror that level of guest service.”  

What Are Three Positive Things Your Last Boss Would Say About You?  

It’s time to pull out your old performance appraisals and boss’s quotes. This is a great way to brag about yourself through someone else’s words: “My boss has told me that I am the most dependable manager he has ever had. He knows he can rely on me, and he likes my passion for great guest service.”  

What Salary Are You Seeking? 

It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the range first. Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area, and your bottom line or walk-away point. One possible answer would be: “I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. In what range do you typically pay someone with my background?”  

If You Were an Animal, Which One Would You Want to Be?  

Interviewers use this type of psychological question to see if you can think quickly. If you answer “a bunny,” you will make a soft, passive impression. If you answer “a lion,” you will be seen as aggressive. What type of personality would it take to get the job done? What impression do you want to make? 

 Baltimore restaurant chains are looking for managers, and John Hess has opened an office to help get you that job.

Hess and his partner, Michael Feinberg, help match up restaurant managers and assistant managers with job openings in the area, and also help chains find the talent to fill managerial spots. Locally, Hess says there are about 20 foodservice jobs he’s scouting for in the $30,000 to $50,000 pay range. Below, you’ll find a Q&A I recently had with Hess about the restaurant hiring trends.

 What do you find the right person for the right job?

We run ads on the internet, on our website and cold call to find great managers. The Patrice & Associates reputation of over 20 years brings a lot of people to our website.

 What do you see going on in the hiring part of the restaurant industry?

 About how many resumes and job applications do you get a day?

On an average day, it can be anywhere from 50 to 100. Somewhere in the 20 percent range are job seekers I can actually work with.

 What advice would you give for job seekers looking to get their foot in the managerial door?

I face that every day with good quality people who don’t have the experience. I think the best thing to do is start working somewhere. Get a job as a server, waiter, kitchen, and try to move up. Tell them you’re interested in doing more, by helping with marketing or promotions or ordering. Most places will let you do that. And stability. Stay somewhere for a while, learn where you are. Don’t just leave in six months. That’s the biggest thing I can offer somebody.

 Where do you focus on recruiting jobs?

 We recruit nationally. We did set up the office here in Baltimore because we live here. So we try to focus here in Maryland, but we spend as much time for Philadelphia, Florida, Virginia. Wherever the people and the jobs are taking us.

 What kinds of jobs do you recruit? 

When our Mission says “Recruiting is about helping people” we mean it.  Every week we receive testimonials where we have helped people find jobs. We were successful where other recuiting agencies failed.  We cared about the person and went the extra mile when no one else would.  This testimonial from Wayne Calloway talking about what Tim Cordrey, our Richmond franchisee, did for his life is incredible.

“First, let me just start by saying THANK YOU.

I started the new year with great expectations and enthusiasm. One day I received a phone call from my mother telling me she was diagnosed with cancer, it floored me and all I could think of is that I had to be near her and see her through this ordeal. I took a leave of absence which turned into me leaving a job that I loved permanently.

Well, 2 months later my mom is cancer free and doing great!!!! Now it’s time to look for employment, so I started posting my resume online to different job sites to no avail. I started getting emails from Insurance Companies for employment in sales, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with working for insurance companies but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

I started to receive phone calls from various recruiters, I won’t name names, but at least 3. Here it is June and my fiance and I are expecting a little one in July and she’s the only one working 50 hrs a week to pay the bills. I had become so stressed out that I started breaking out in a rash on my face and was a little down in spirit.

About 2 weeks ago I got a phone call from Tim Cordrey of Patrice and Associates inquiring if I was yet employed, to which I replied “No”, now mind you, the thought was running through my head that this guy is going to be just like the rest of the sorry recruiters who have contacted me and literally did nothing but gave lip service. He told me about a company that was looking for managers and explained a little about the company. We talked for about maybe 15 minutes and he set up an interview with me. Upon arriving I was so nervous yet anxious and after seeing Tim I thought to myself, Lord, what am I going to say to this man, it’s been years since I had to do an interview, he instantly put me at ease. He explained the company a little more in detail and we went over my resume in depth. He asked me various questions and after answering he coached me on the proper way to address the question. He was passionate about his job in helping me find employment. Never have I seen anyone so determined to help me in my quest to find a career, not just a job.

Tim Told me that the District Manager had interviewed previous applicants that worked where I use to and none of them had any luck and that the DM really didn’t want to interview because he had no luck with applicants from the company that I was previously employed. After talking to me, he told the DM that there was something different about me and that if he would only give me a chance to be interviewed he could see for himself. 2 interviews later and I am now employed as a manager for a very well known company making $11k more than I was at my last job. I am so ecstatic that I’m dancing all over my house. No longer am I stressed about finding a JOB.

To Tim and the staff at Patrice and Associates, I and my family THANK YOU, not only did Tim accomplish what he set out to do but he gained my TRUST and FRIENDSHIP and that’s hard to do. I will personally and without reservation recommend all of my friends or colleagues who are looking for employment to call Tim @ Patrice and Associates first before they look anywhere. God bless you Tim and may he continue to rain blessings on you and yours.”

Sincerely,

Wayne Calloway
Midlothian, VA

We often receive testimonials from candidates when we help them find a job.  Taylor Clark has received numerous testimonials because he truly cares about helping people. Taylor’s industry expertise and devotion to helping others in their career path truly make him an outstanding recruiter.  Below is one of the most recent testimonials. 

To Whom It May Concern:

I have had the pleasure of being able to work with Taylor Clark of Patrice and Associates for the past 2 months while seeking out new positions with new companies.  He was absolutely a phenomenal recruiter and assisted me in landing a position with a Company thru his diligent urgency and professional approach to negotiation and research.  I have never worked with someone that truly knows and cares about the individuals in which he is working for.  I felt thru the entire process that he not only educated me on the changes in a competitive workplace but gave me the guidance to accept the best possible situation for myself.  I have encountered many in his line of work but truly believe that he is the best hospitality recruiter I have seen in over 17 years.  His expertise and passion for the industry is truly evident in his quality of work and results that he delivers.  Those who work with him will be impressed and completely fulfilled with what he is able to provide on a day to day basis.  His organization and follow up are impeccable and his attention to detail is sensational as well.  He truly encompasses great leadership and the ability to do the best for his clients.  I wish him the very best in the future and look forward to having peers thru relationships I have built have the opportunity to work with him as well should the situation arise. 

Sincerely,

Trey Welch (Hired by TGI Fridays)