How to prepare for a job interview in the tourism and restaurant sector
Are you looking for work in the tourism and restaurant sector? This sector offers one of the most job opportunities in Spain. Although this sector is highly seasonal, with autumn being a period of moderation, at the end of last August, food and beverage services showed year-over-year growth of 2.7% and accommodation services, 4.3%, according to Social Security data collected in this InfoJobs report. So, whether you’re looking to start working or change jobs, we’ll explain how to prepare for a job interview in the tourism and restaurant sector. Waiters and waitresses, receptionists, tourism management staff, reservation agents… whatever position you’re applying for, following our advice will give you a better chance of hearing a “yes” at the end of the selection process.
The first thing you need to know before the interview is that no matter how much you prepare, it’s not all down to you, as recruiters have their criteria and requirements. Even so, take note of the steps you should take to demonstrate your skills and experience and differentiate yourself from other candidates. Prepare to exceed your expectations and give your best every time!
Study the job and the company
You’ve already sent your CV and secured a date and time for the interview. Now’s the time to thoroughly study the job opening requirements, see what the position is like, and what they’re asking for. You’ll likely meet most of them, but carefully analyze what they expect from the employee to prove you’re the right fit. It’s also very important to research the company: look on its website and social media and find out if it’s part of a chain, what its values are, what type of customers it targets, how it communicates, etc.
For example, even though the requirements are the same, you won’t prepare the same way for a job interview as a receptionist for a 5-star hotel as you would for a youth hostel or rural house. Finally, try to find out who will be interviewing you so you know what they expect from you and can better adapt to their expectations.
Highlight your work experience
Once you get to the job interview, previous experience is very important in the tourism and restaurant sector, and you’ll likely be asked about it. Prepare some specific examples of previous jobs that relate to the position you’re applying for in advance. Explain in detail the duties you performed and what skills, abilities, or knowledge you brought to bear.
For example, if you’ve been a chef de partie in a restaurant, a hotel manager, or a department manager explain how you managed the team, how you performed your job, the challenges and difficulties you faced, and how you successfully resolved them. If you don’t have experience, you can talk about your training or previous internships.
Highlight your skills in the tourism and catering sector
In each job posting, depending on the position and responsibility, you’ll be asked for certain skills. Focus on highlighting the skills most relevant to the vacancy, but also emphasize other complementary skills that you think add value. We’ll give you some ideas about the most in-demand skills in tourism, catering, and hospitality.
Languages
You’ll almost certainly be asked to be fluent in some of the most widely spoken languages. Generally, to work as a waiter/waitress in tourist areas, a hotel receptionist, or a tour guide, you’ll need an intermediate (or advanced, in some cases) level of English. In areas near the Pyrenees, basic French is also often required. This requirement is essential for many positions, and you should prepare some phrases and expressions in case the interviewer wants to conduct part of the interview in that language.
Training
Education, like experience, is one of the main screening elements, so when preparing for the job interview, consider what qualifications you have related to the position, not only official qualifications but also internships, courses, and certifications that you haven’t included on your CV. Thinking that training isn’t necessary to work in the hospitality industry is a mistake, as many places require everything from intermediate degrees in cooking or baking to advanced degrees in hospitality or tourism, as well as various certifications, the most common being food safety and food handling. If you’re thinking about expanding your training, the interview is the best time to say so. This way, you’ll demonstrate your desire to learn and improve in your profession.
Technical skills
Even if they’ve already read it on your resume, in a hospitality and tourism interview, they’ll likely ask you to elaborate on your technical skills, should they require them. Therefore, even if you haven’t used them much, it’s a good idea to find out which systems, software, and regulations are most common in your industry. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t lie, but rather that if they ask you about something specific, you should know how to answer.
If your job interview is for a hotel or restaurant, you should be familiar with some of the most common reservation management systems, such as Opera, Ulyses, ResDiary, or Amadeus, but also with other software programs most commonly used in the restaurant industry, such as FrontRest, The Fork Manager, or Simplygest Hospitality. It’s impossible to be familiar with them all, but the good news is that they’re all very similar.
On the other hand, if your job interview is for, for example, a waiter/waitress, a cook, a housekeeper, etc., you’ll also need to be familiar with health and hygiene regulations and protocols, as well as tourism regulations if you’ll be directly involved in this field.
Customer orientation
In most positions in the tourism and restaurant industry, you’ll work directly with customers and represent the company. Therefore, you should highlight this as one of your most outstanding skills in the interview. Highlight your ability to anticipate their needs and provide personalized service. Kindness, patience, and empathy are essential.
Flexibility and stress management
If you work in this sector, you already know that situations change quickly, so in the job interview, it’s important to demonstrate that you’re able to adapt to new tasks or shift changes with ease and flexibility. Furthermore, speed and efficiency are required, so you’ll need to make it clear to the interviewers that you handle stressful situations well and that you can remain calm when resolving conflicts.
Teamwork
In a restaurant, hotel, or cafeteria, teamwork is extremely important, whether you have a manager or are a permanent employee During the workday, various people will have to coordinate their efforts efficiently: from the kitchen staff to the bartenders, to the cleaners, receptionists, and maintenance workers, they will all have to collaborate and work toward a common goal. Recruiters will ask you about this, about how you function in large and small teams, especially when there are conflicts. Prepare a good answer that demonstrates your collaborative spirit and emotional intelligence for teamwork.
Prepare the basic questions
During the job interview, you’ll likely be asked some basic questions: “Why should we hire you? What are your salary expectations? Why do you want to work here?” Think about your answers at home so you don’t get caught off guard and can answer clearly. Afterward, at the end of the interview, you’ll likely be invited to ask any questions you have to answer any questions you may have, so don’t waste this opportunity. Prepare some questions about the company or the position and the selection process to demonstrate your interest in being selected.
First of all, be honest
Finally, we give you the most valuable piece of advice. To prepare for a job interview in tourism or catering, you must be clear and honest about your experience, skills, and abilities. Acknowledging that you lack experience in a specific field or that you don’t know how to do something demonstrates transparency and establishes a relationship of trust with the person interviewing you. It’s advisable to always appear self-confident and willing to learn.
