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CANDIDATE INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHT SHEET
quality of life - reture byca-refine and change culture - which
led to asking for more which change quality of life - which leads
to new steady home.
INTERVIEWING POINTS:
1. Stay positive-confident-enthusiasm
2. Posture-sit up and forward
3. Take notes during and after interview
4. Ask lots of questions
5. Sell-sell-sell mysellf
6. get a job offer
7. Professional interview but not a professional
8. Been with 3 major companies looking steady home
SELLING POINTS:
1. Ran kitchen of 6.2 million in food sales
2. Work in restaurants of sales range from 3 million up to 1- million
in sales
3. Work kitchen for 20 years and work front of the house for 5 years
for total of 25 years
4. General manager for a 3.1 million dollar in sales-2 ½ year
A. Sales building and increased the sales half million
B. Food cost of 24.5%
C. Liquor cost of 21.0% of 15% in wine sales
D. abor cost of 16.0% for foh and boh
E. Supply cost of 3.8%
F. Broke 10 record sales weeks in 2 years
G. Broke 15 record sales days in 2 years - $21,500
H. Manage staffing of 4 managers and 45 hourlys
I. Involved in the community especially schools
J. Host the biggest ghjsd for bucs inc and pilot model
K. Average profit of 19.5% - 21.5% per month
L. Traveling trainer and assessment manager
M. Hired-trained-promoted 15 employees in eight years
N. Most accurate in division for p&l within $500.00
O. Produce take out sales in excess of 20%
P. Qsc scores of average of 92%
Q. One restaurant opening
R. Current gm increase profit by 25% on a 1.2 million in sales
Why are you looking
• Type of company
• The company must be a leader in the restaurant industry with
solid growth potential, complete benefits package, and highly competitive
salary offering.
• Management style
• Good communicative skills, creative thinking, high energy,
fun but disciplined, and highly competitive.
• Hours
• I am very flexible. I have worked and can work 70 plus hours,
but I believe that a good manager can manage his quality of life.
My goal is to work between 50 to 60 hours once when staffing is stabilized
and the operation is in the right direction in sales increases and
profit margin.
• Career path
• Initially, I am looking for a GM, or Fast Track GM position
with a strong company. I am looking to re-locate to Ft. Myers/ Cape
Coral, FL area to be close to my children. I am also interested in
multi-unit managing. I am very ambitious, and would like to have a
strong impact on a company as my career develops.
• Why not your current company
• My current company isn’t located in Ft. Myers/ Cape
Coral, FL area.
• What about a counter offer
• I will not receive a counter offer since they do not do business
in Ft. Myers/ Cape Coral, FL area.
• Never ever money – it should be about opportunity /
quality of life / career path.
• True, but everyone has bills to pay, mouths to feed, and their
own expectation of quality of “home” life. My salary demands
are based on supporting my children, and affording a modest livelihood.
I am professionally driven by challenges of opportunity and career
path and being better than my competitors; but I must also make ends
meet.
Benefits you bring to the company
• Have managed four top chains in restaurant business including
8 years with industry leader Cracker Barrel. Have managed 100 plus
employees, team of trainers, training coordinator, three shift leaders,
retail manager and four associate managers as General Manager. Received
GM of year award with Cracker Barrel for performance in top line sales
and Net Operating Income achievements. Also, received Regional Turn
Around Store Award over 50 other Cracker Barrels for Net Sales increases,
reduced turn over and NOI improvements over previous year. With Sagebrush,
winner of “Best Service” Award for three county readers
voting, also member of Executive Safety Committee and Regional Manager
Candidate. Also, active member in Chamber of Commerce and have held
three after hours mixers, and have participated in numerous other
Chamber functions including Summer Concert Series, Best Fest, Beer
Fest, and Chamber Showcase.
• Net Sales increases in three consecutive years with Sagebrush.
First year was 8%, second year was 5%, and third year was 8.2%. Currently
after one quarter, our net sales increases are at 12%. Our total bar
sales has gone from 10.5% in my first year at the Sagebrush to over
12% in the last full year. Focus begins with the top line through
stabilizing staffing with not just the proper quantity but with the
proper quality, focus on incremental sales, focus on community networking,
and just taking great care of the guests each day, each minute.
• At Cracker Barrel, cost was brought in line by focusing on
training and stabilizing turnover. The longer employees were with
us, and the more knowledgeable they were, then the stronger they were
at saving costs, at caring, and at being productive. Food cost fell
to .25% below ideal and tolerance and labor consistently ran below
our “chart” (goal). At Sagebrush, we have had three consecutive
years of EBIT (bottom line) profit increases over prior year. This
past year saw us exceed prior year profit by over 2% with food cost
running 1.12% under prior year, bar cost running .77% under prior
year, and labor running 1.59% under prior year.
• At Cracker Barrel, our turnover percent dropped from 189%
from my first year as GM to below 110% by the end of my second fiscal
year. At Sagebrush, I have maintained a strong core staff, and employee
turnover is below 100%.
• Have developed trainers to shift leaders, shift leaders to
managers, and managers to GM. Trained franchise managers with new
store openings. At Sagebrush, have promoted three hourly employees
to managers who are all still with the company and contributing with
strong performances.
• Was new store opener for Olive Garden and trained new staff
at 8 new store openings. Was Kitchen Supervisor for Chili’s
in their new store opening in Ocala, FL. As part of General Manager
preparation, participated in new store opening with Cracker Barrel
at Orangeburg, SC.
• Well trained in budgeting process, highly analytical. Also,
well versed in reviewing, cross-checking and analyzing monthly P&L’s
comparing sales and cost numbers to prior year and budget numbers.
Very competent in reviewing G&L.
• The guests are the most important ingredient. Word of mouth
is a very powerful thing. If your food and service is 10% better than
your competitors, then your sales will reflect the same. It all comes
down to who you have on your team, do they have the proper guest attitude,
do they tend to the guests special needs, do they know them by name,
do they smile and have fun, are they knowledgeable and confident,
and do they care. If the answers are yes; then, the result is success!
Locals and travelers remember what kind of experience they had and
will return to the restaurant that delivers the best food and service.
It’s not rocket science.
• I studied journalism and communication in college and have
studied French and know some Spanish.
