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Pacific Coast Hospitality

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What’s the Best Gift You Can Give Yourself This Christmas?

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If you’re making a list and checkin’ it twice… don’t forget about a gift for YOU too. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice… we have multiple top-level career positions available to treat yourself with as 2017 closes out.

Often times the myth is that job searching and hiring slows down during the Holiday season. But in many ways, it really heats up as so many candidates back off their intensive search; your opportunities for gaining an interview are heightened.

What’s it take to stand out among other applicants?

Showcase your skills.
A cover letter and resume can only describe what you can do and limits showcasing your skills to potential employers. To offer an expanded view of your skillset and experience develop an online portfolio. This will give employers immediate access to see all you have done and are capable of doing.

Your portfolio then becomes a tool that helps you land the interview, instead of something you showcase at the interview.

Demonstrate your value.
In addition to an online portfolio, be sure to include supporting documentation and information about yourself and how you will solve the problems the company is facing and will bring it to the next level. What does the company need? Why are they looking to hire a candidate with your skills – consider those questions and develop supporting documentation around them.

This approach will demonstrate not only your knowledge of what the company needs but also your ability to realistically meet those needs.

Request a few LinkedIn recommendations.
Before you apply, ask a few key people to write a LinkedIn recommendation for you, and don’t be afraid to be specific: Tell the person precisely what you’d love showcased and offer specific examples. By having a few recommendations, recruiters and employers alike can gain insightful information about your performance and abilities just from a quick glance.

Losers and Winners: High Minimum Wages

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From minimum wage to salaries, compensation for employees is a never-ending topic for business owners to research, discuss and work through. With a rise in the conversation of wages in recent years, including law changes to minimum wage rates, there’s a lot of confusion left for sorting through when it comes to cutting a paycheck.

Let’s set the groundwork for why the minimum wage battle has both business owners and employees uptight.

As a whole, the goal of any minimum wage increases can be seen as both good and bad. When you stop and consider the goal, minimum wage increases are set to help reduce income inequality and to increase the earning of middle-class households.

On the flip side, if your goal for an increase in wages is to help the least experienced and most needy job seekers find their place in the workforce, then the minimum wage increase can truly hurt them and your business.

Recall the 2014 analysis of the effects of increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour from $7.25, where it has been since 2009. It was found that the boost would increase the earnings of millions of workers by a total of $31 billion. It also found that the increase would reduce employment by hundreds of thousands of jobs, and that less than one dollar in every five of that $31 billion would go to households living in poverty.

So, what is the lesser of two evils? Higher pay for employees, or less employees in the workforce?

Following the federal wage increases, individual cities and states have stepped up to raise those minimum standards even greater. Take Seattle for example, the Seattle city council voted in June 2014 to increase the city’s minimum wage to $15 per hour over a period of a few years. Seattle’s minimum wage hit $13 last year (on its way to $15), and the consequences aren’t pretty.

A team of researchers at the University of Washington found that the number of low-wage jobs in Seattle declined considerably as a consequence of the $13 per hour mandate. They also found that the number of hours worked by low-wage labor declined by 9 percent, while wages increased by only 3 percent. Since hours went down more than wages went up, the net result is that the amount of money earned by low-wage workers actually fell.

So, what’s the workforce and business owners supposed to do about the good, the bad and the honest stats from minimum wage increases?

We’d propose one thing: there may not be a perfect blanket solution for all employees in every industry and in every city across the United States. Perhaps it’s more of a city by city or industry by industry standard which should be set.

We want to hear your feedback. What ways has the change of wage requirements affected your business or career search? Are you running an establishment on less employees but paying more?

When Is It Time to Promote?

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When is it time to promote an employee? That question could cost you a lot… a lot of time, money and energy. The reality is, not every employee wants to be promoted, even if you can see their leadership skills developing. Plus, for the ones that want to move on up, there’s no sure path to working with hourly employees to develop their leadership skills and get them to the place you’d feel comfortable offering up a promotion.

Staffing is one of the biggest challenges a business owner overcomes. There’s a lot of juggling between interviewing, training and maintaining employees. The stats are in favor of promoting current employees when hiring managers with exceptional characteristics and work ethic.

The less time as a business owner you may have to spend seeking out new management, the more time you’ve got to begin hiring and training hourly employees to grow with your business.

So, what does it take for an hourly employee to look and act ready for a promotion into management?

They’re self-managed.

There’s a lot to say about an employee who arrives on time, takes care of business and is always solving problems for themselves in a professional manor. From the get go, it’s usually easy to see what standout individuals are a part of your team.

They lead in a way they’d want to be led.

Among the restaurant industry, there can be a lot of personalities which sometimes result in some unpleasant moments in the back of house. An employee ready to manage carries themselves in the way they’d want their own manager to handle conflict and works to keep themselves clear of causing personal conflict. Whether it’s getting along with every employee or you use her or him as an example of patience, performance and productivity – employees working towards promotion lead by example.

They invest their time with quality employees greater than themselves to learn.

It’s been said that you are the cumulative sum of the five people you spend the most time with. Outstanding team members tend to hang with people who they can learn from and look up to.

They set goals and achieve them.

Leaders set goals and develop a roadmap to accomplish them. And when they need help to accomplish their goals? They ask! Look at your timecards… who is putting in the hours during the busy days and during the times it is somewhat inconvenient to work, whether that be holidays or evening. The best future manager you can hire is the one who puts in the time today.

Working to identify and continue developing leaders within your staff who can grow with you and become a manager is one of the most stressful yet rewarding roles of owning a restaurant.

What’s been the top way you’ve been able to identify todays leaders that will be tomorrows managers?

Where The Local Flavor Is… That's Where The People Are!

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The rise of local establishments giving guests a farm to fork experience has been increasing in the last few years all throughout the restaurant scene. So much so, that we consistently make it a priority to work with some of the best and most unique local and independent restaurants.
What’s the hype about independent restaurants and where is it coming from?

Millennials love local flavor

The more organic, fresh and just picked from out back the menu can get, the more young people are going to like it. As a rising trend in the restaurant industry, the local sourcing and flavors is something chain restaurants just can’t offer.

Television Shows Featuring Hidden Gems

Some of the hottest television shows today are centered around trial and error at a variety of local restaurants. Take “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” on the Food Network for example, it’s become a badge of honor to be featured as the latest funky, fresh and local restaurant for all to try. There are countless other shows on the Food Network, Cooking Channel and other channels highlighting interesting local restaurants. Much like how HGTV has impacted the way we all shop and buy houses, the Food Network has impacted the way diners pick restaurants.

Do you deliver?

Consumers clearly want food to be delivered directly to them and the trend is being aided by apps which offer anything at any time to anywhere. It’s the biggest single trend in the industry, and many in the business are studying the rising trend. But when it comes to local establishments, diners have demonstrated a willingness to pay higher prices for local cuisine and fork over an extra buck or two for delivery.

Social Media

Have you left a review? Local establishments spread like wildfire by the reviews diners are leaving. Reviews on Google and Yelp remove the risk factor associated with picking an unknown local restaurant. Social media spreads the word about these restaurants more efficiently.
None of this is to say that chains can’t gain a rise in popularity. They can, but general trends show that independent establishments are the newest hotspots.
Pacific Coast Hospitality has partnered with great locally owned and operated independent restaurants and food outlets and will continue for the long haul. We pride ourselves on seeking leadership that meets the demands of the unique industry and enjoy the creative career opportunities each position offers.

Where The Local Flavor Is… That’s Where The People Are!

by

The rise of local establishments giving guests a farm to fork experience has been increasing in the last few years all throughout the restaurant scene. So much so, that we consistently make it a priority to work with some of the best and most unique local and independent restaurants.

What’s the hype about independent restaurants and where is it coming from?

Millennials love local flavor

The more organic, fresh and just picked from out back the menu can get, the more young people are going to like it. As a rising trend in the restaurant industry, the local sourcing and flavors is something chain restaurants just can’t offer.

Television Shows Featuring Hidden Gems

Some of the hottest television shows today are centered around trial and error at a variety of local restaurants. Take “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” on the Food Network for example, it’s become a badge of honor to be featured as the latest funky, fresh and local restaurant for all to try. There are countless other shows on the Food Network, Cooking Channel and other channels highlighting interesting local restaurants. Much like how HGTV has impacted the way we all shop and buy houses, the Food Network has impacted the way diners pick restaurants.

Do you deliver?

Consumers clearly want food to be delivered directly to them and the trend is being aided by apps which offer anything at any time to anywhere. It’s the biggest single trend in the industry, and many in the business are studying the rising trend. But when it comes to local establishments, diners have demonstrated a willingness to pay higher prices for local cuisine and fork over an extra buck or two for delivery.

Social Media

Have you left a review? Local establishments spread like wildfire by the reviews diners are leaving. Reviews on Google and Yelp remove the risk factor associated with picking an unknown local restaurant. Social media spreads the word about these restaurants more efficiently.

None of this is to say that chains can’t gain a rise in popularity. They can, but general trends show that independent establishments are the newest hotspots.

Pacific Coast Hospitality has partnered with great locally owned and operated independent restaurants and food outlets and will continue for the long haul. We pride ourselves on seeking leadership that meets the demands of the unique industry and enjoy the creative career opportunities each position offers.

How to Handle Negative Team Members

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The secret to limiting employee turnover? Well that’s a happy team of course! Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to keep everyone happy. A great work environment with a reasonable schedule and generous benefits are always a positive start, but what about how the other team members themselves behave? This is where keeping your staff happy & the workplace enjoyable can get tricky. As they say, one bad apple can ruin the whole bunch!

Here are a few tips for dealing with some of the most common types of negative employees.

The Gossip

This is probably the most common type of negative team member and the one that we’ve all worked with. A gossip has to spread the latest news, and usually has very little regard for facts or other people’s feelings. Maybe it’s something personal about a fellow employee that leaves the other person feeling isolated from your team. Or a business related rumor to spark fear in the rest of the time, such as hearing that layoffs are looming. This behavior does nothing but leave your staff on edge.

It’s best to handle a gossip gently & not feed into any rumors yourself, but stay above them. If a staff member comes to you concerned about layoffs or other company issues that simply aren’t true, put it to rest by answering their questions with facts. Let them know that you appreciate them making an effort to seek truth in their concerns and encourage them to help stop the spread of any unsubstantiated rumors in the future.

Your best allies in dealing with a gossip are facts and other team members committed to stopping the rumor mill.

The Victim

This negative personality is another that can cause a lot of harm within your team, and it can be hard to pick up on at first. It can start innocently. The sous chef who messes up a full night of prep, but says it’s because he wasn’t given the instructions clearly. The waiter who leaves your dining guests without food for far too long, but the hostess oversat his section.

Any of those things can easily be truth and happen in restaurants every night of the week. When it becomes an issue is when you start to see a pattern. The same person making mistakes & those mistakes always being the fault of something or someone else. This behavior can infect your team as staff who are doing their jobs properly will get tired of being falsely blamed for issues & having to pick up the slack. It can be hard to address, because no one wants to be told that they are being negative or called out directly for not taking ownership of problems. You can try empathy while also asking “What could you have done differently to make sure this doesn’t happen again in the future?”. This allows the employee to see that they can change their circumstances without creating any negative feelings.

The Negative Nancy

No matter how great things are for your business and team, the negative nancy is going to find a problem and be sure to point it out. We’ve all worked with this person before. You just passed a new income goal & are excited to share the news, but they respond by telling you how much harder it will be to reach the next one. Or you’re booked out for reservations all weekend for the first time this year, but they’re quick to let you know how long & difficult those nights will be in the kitchen. It can make you and your employees hesitant to share good news for the fear of having the wind knocked out of their sails. Over time it also creates a negative outlook for the entire team, which will obviously impact your business. This behavior is best addressed head on, as difficult as that may be. Gently explain to this person how their responses and behaviors are affecting the time.

Most of the time, negative nancys don’t realize just how gloomy they’re being. If pointed out in the right way, you can help them correct the behavior & become a more supportive part of the team.

Consumers On the Move… Quick Service Restaurants On the Rise

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Swing by the taco shop or made to order sandwich place down the street to rush in and grab a quick bite to eat… it’s the common routine for many at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it’s more than a quick place to grab some grub.
Fact is, fast casual dining establishments are currently the fastest growing foodservice segment globally. According to new research, consumer foodservice sales grew 5.7 percent globally in 2015, and within that growth, QSRs grew 10.4 percent, being the highest rising segment in the industry as a whole (Euromonitor).

PCH is working with a variety of QSR and fast casual brands which require superior candidates to rise with the demands of the industry and thrive in a unique environment. More than just a job placement, often these QSR and fast casual concept dining brands go far beyond the walls of their company are very involved in their local communities and place great emphasis on their teams social responsibility to the surrounding areas.

These openings are for the placement of candidates who don’t fit the mold of traditional or cookie-cutter idealistic and routines. We’re placing candidates who are unique in their passion for hospitality and personal development. musical Eclectic, artistic, diverse… come one, come all, if you are a breakout from the mold of standard we have a career fit for you with our latest openings.

It takes a special kind of manager to be able to keep up with the rising demands of consumers at each and every quick service restaurant. The ideal candidates for quick service restaurants must possess a track record and passion for delivering outstanding guest experiences, mentoring and developing others and thrive in an environment of rapid expansion and personal development. Our leaders which we place with pride at every restaurant position must maintain high standards of restaurant cleanliness, sanitation, food quality, and facility management.

Do you have the skills, determination and commitment it takes to take a QSR to the next level and meet consumer demands?

Some of the leading fast food brands have taken initiatives which aim at adopting the traits of some of the successful fast casual upstarts, to defend their market share. From upgrading menu items to creating on-the-go options consumers are not far from the newest and easiest places. Along with exceptional menu items, it’s all about the atmosphere of the QSR, the more trendy the space the better.

Pacific Coast Hospitality is looking for candidates who are ready to take on the QSR industry. Candidates who want to engage in initiatives to adopt the trends of fast casual upstarts and candidates who are ready to emerge in a QSR at the core.

PCH represents a unique sector of the QSR industry with job openings in privately owned and regionally operated establishments. Many are grounded and pride themselves in serving locally sourced ingredients and fresh, made from scratch menu items. Most of these QSR establishments have been recognized on industry lists like Top 100 Brands, Top Growing Brands, Hottest New Concepts, and similar. All are emerging and growing, placing their stake in the QSR industry as a whole.

Are you ready to rise with the fastest growing foodservice segment globally? The opportunities are at your fingertips.

What's On Tap?

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Craft beer continues to be one of the hottest trends of 2016 within the restaurant industry. This has restaurant owners flocking to microbreweries local and global to take advantage of what’s offered. Once thought of as a man’s drink, women have taken a stake in the beer industry ensuring their popularity and preferred beers are made available too.

Millennials are keeping the craft beer industry in the rise, with a strong demand for authenticity, taste and a good story behind the origination of what they’re drinking when dining out.  It’s no secret, millennials loyally support businesses that make a difference.  Millennials like to feel unique, and drinking locally made, regional craft beer does just that.  Once they’ve found their favorite beers, they will return time and time again to drink it. When it’s on your restaurant’s menu, that means they’re ordering your food, because beer drinkers are often hungry too… can you hear the tab adding up yet??

Studies show that craft beer drinkers spend more money than traditional beer drinkers.  GuestMetrics shows, the average guest check that includes food and a craft beer drinker’s food and beverage check rings in at $86.00.
With the loyalty and increase in sales craft beer drinkers bring, what can you do to gain the advantages too?
Step up your drink menu! Offer small-batch beers from local brewers within your community and around the world.
Match your beer selection to the season… can we say pumpkin ale?
With your seasonal selection, offer some pairing on the menu matching what drinks best with what fare.
Bottom line: craft beer drinkers spend more money and are often more loyal customers. So, what are you waiting for?
Along with the rising trend of craft beer, PCH is part of the movement offering exciting careers with some of the west coast’s hottest crafts breweries.
Inquire today about our latest opening.