Here is the scenario; you are the restaurant manager on duty and in walks your District Manager and a guy from HR. They have a little small talk with some of the hourly staff and then ask to speak with you in the office.
They ask if you know the company policy about (sexual harassment, inventory control, cash handling) and then describe to you an incident where you are alleged to have violated company policy. There is a short discussion about the incident and then you are told you are being terminated for violation of company policy.
So you get your resume, contact the Gecko Hospitality recruiter and start your interviewing.
The toughest question is: Why are you no longer with your last company?
How you answer that question will determine how successful you will continue in the interview process.
What I usually hear is, there were differences between the District Manager and me, there was no room for upward growth, the company has gone through cultural changes that I wasn’t comfortable with and a bunch of other stories.
I usually listen to those and then ask, what really happened? This is the time when it is important to tell the truth.
I recently placed a manager who had been terminated for violation of company policy regarding fraternization. Of course, that wasn’t what the manager told me, he said “I just wasn’t happy there any more and it was time to move on”.
I got a list of references, and after the first call found out about his termination was for fraternization. I had already sent his resume to a recruiter for a national company, who I have a great working relationship with.
I called the recruiter and let him know what I found out. The recruiter really liked my candidate and decided to continue him in the process. He was then interviewed by a District Manager and was offered the new position.
The District Manager understood that sometimes mistakes happen and he saw a candidate with great potential who made a mistake.
The truth will set you free, be honest with your recruiter and explain your circumstances. We might be able to help you talk about your separation from your last job that still puts your skills in a positive light.
Marty Tarabar

