By Marty Tarabar

Well, it’s the start of the new year, and you just found out you missed your year end bonus because

1. you had a really bad guest comment sent in to your guest service hot line
2. you missed sales by just under $2,000 which you would have hit if it wasn’t for that snow storm

OR

1. your Ecosure inspection was a high yellow because your kitchen manager forgot to do line temps that day

None of these are reasons to start looking for a new position, but, you should always keep your eyes and ears open for new opportunities. There is so much going on in the industry with companies being bought and sold by capital investment groups, corporations selling off restaurants to franchisees, and major brands shuttering restaurants around the country to try to stay afloat.

Even as some companies are closing restaurants and downsizing there are others who are taking advantage of some great real estate deals and opening new locations. Quick service restaurants are blossoming due to the weakened economy. You can look at the expansion of HuHot Mongolian Grill, Pita Pit, Panera Bread and Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill just to name a few.

On the other end of the scale, there are national companies expanding high end fine dining properties as well. Regional chains are taking advantage of their stake in their markets and are doing better than their national counterparts.

Before you decide to look for a new job, figure out why you are looking and what you are looking for. If it is growth opportunities, look for a company with slow measure expansion, who are in it for the long run. Companies with overly aggressive expansion plans tend to hire more managers than they have locations for and you could end up in a circling pattern waiting for your opportunity.

Do you want a better quality of life (don’t we all)? Make sure companies you are looking at have 3 or 4 person salaried management teams. A restaurant with two managers and 3 or 4 shift managers makes it more difficult for you to have the family time you need.

Job stability? How financially set is the company? Some companies entering into bankruptcy cut managers left and right, close restaurants and reduce corporate staff. Restaurants coming out of bankruptcy usually are much better off and can offer some great possibilities.

Better pay or bonus opportunities? Be careful of the fine print and remember the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Recruiters can tell you about the amazing bonuses you will be able to make and quote the highest possible bonus. But, there are other things to consider; how much will insurance cost and how good is the coverage, how many weeks of vacation do I get?

So what do you do? How do you find out the best opportunities and when should you start looking?

It is easier to get a new position when you are working. When I present unemployed candidates to corporate recruiters, the first thing they ask is “why aren’t they working? Or What happened at their last job? Even when managers lose their position because of  a store closing, corporate recruiters are leery about someone who has been out of work longer than a week or two. “After all, if they are so good they should have been able to find a job by now.”

The best way to find the information you are looking for is check with the people who know. The partners at Gecko Hospitality talk with corporate recruiters, district managers, directors of operations and company execs everyday.  Give us a call, we are happy to spend time with you, get to know you, and give advice on new opportunities.