Who is a restaurant hostess and what are his responsibilities?

Today, many students, as well as those who are looking for a part-time job, pay special attention to the profession of a hostess. In addition, this position is suitable for those who are interested in the restaurant or hotel business.

Who is a hostess and what functions does he perform? What are the requirements for an employee? What personal characteristics, as well as knowledge, should he have? You will find answers to these, as well as some other questions in our material.

A hostess is a representative of the hotel, restaurant and entertainment business. The work of this person is to meet the guests of this or that institution. The hostess working in the restaurant escorts clients to the table, and those employees who work at the hotel - to the room... In addition, they deal with the solution of various problems and questions that a client may have during his stay in the institution. The employee's workplace is located behind the reception desk.

Generally speaking, this position dates back to the 19th century. The need for her appearance was that the waiters who previously performed the duties of a hostess turned out to be overworked and could not cope with their direct tasks, which are spelled out in their job description.

The profession of a hostess is perceived by many girls as a fairly easy income, so this position is quite popular among young people. However, at the same time, when applying for a job, it should be borne in mind that such a professional activity (like any other) is characterized not only by advantages, but also by a large number of disadvantages. In this regard, before applying for a job, it is important to familiarize yourself with all the positive and negative characteristics of the profession of a hostess.

Let's start with its benefits.

• Easy job placement process... In order to get such a job, you do not need to have any special knowledge, skills, or skills. It is enough to be a disciplined and responsible person, as well as to meet all the requirements put forward by this or that institution to the appearance of such employees.
• Education is optional... Obviously, in universities, as well as in institutions of higher professional education, specialists of this profession are not trained. In addition, you do not need to take any additional courses or training. You will be taught everything you need already at your place of work or during your internship.
• Communication with a large number of people... In the course of your professional activity, you will be able to meet a large number of people (and not only with colleagues and employees of a restaurant or cafe, but also with clients).
• An opportunity to get acquainted with the business processes of the restaurant... If you are interested in the restaurant business, then working as a hostess can be the first step on your career path. Even this starting position will give you the opportunity to get acquainted with the basic processes that take place in a restaurant.
• Additional payment in the form of a tip... Quite often, customers of catering establishments (especially for premium restaurants) leave a tip to the hostesses who served them.

Despite the presence of a large number of positive characteristics of the profession, one should not forget about the possible negative.

• Strict requirements for appearance... Employment for a hostess position directly depends on your appearance. For example, employers can make demands on your overall appearance, your figure, hair color, and other details.
• Low wages... The profession of a hostess is low-skilled, and therefore low-paid. However, at the same time, it is worth remembering about possible tips, which can positively affect the overall material reward for your work. Don't rely entirely on tips, however, as they are not a permanent source of income.
• Additional responsibilities... Depending on the specific catering establishment, as well as on the policy pursued by the management, the duties of the hostess can include a variety of actions and tasks. So, the main part of the work consists in meeting visitors and accompanying them to the table, as well as seeing off guests. However, at the same time, it is common for restaurant managers to ask employees to do other work, such as helping waiters take orders or assisting with the cleaning process.
• Temporary nature of work... Few of the hostesses working in the position take their job so seriously that they build their future careers on its basis. Plus, there are no growth prospects.
• High stress levels... In the course of his professional activity, the hostess communicates with people, and this automatically indicates a high level of stress in this job.

There are certain requirements for any profession and specialty that must be fulfilled by a person holding a particular position. However, several unusual types of requirements can be put forward for the position of a hostess: for example, many employers care about how a person dresses. At the same time, in order to get the desired job, in no case should these rules be violated.

Primary requirements:

• neat and aesthetically pleasing appearance;
• sports figure;
• age from 18 to 30 years old;
• competent speech and delivered voice, good diction;
• beautiful smile and so on.

In order to successfully fulfill the duties of a hostess you should have such personal qualities and character traits as:

• resourcefulness (you should be able to solve any problem);
• stress tolerance;
• communication skills and the ability to find a common language with any person;
• friendliness;
• optimism;
• politeness;
• tact and much more.

Despite the fact that the hostess should not have the appropriate education, he should still have a certain amount of knowledge, namely:

• service and maintenance standards;
• basic knowledge of human psychology;
• the basics of business processes (depending on the specific area - hotel, restaurant or entertainment business);
• business communication rules;
• know the plan of the event if the hostess works, for example, at a conference or exhibition;
• knowledge of foreign languages, etc.

The duties of the hostess include the following tasks:

• meeting with guests;
• escort to the desired table (room);
• assistance with any questions the guests may have (for example, indicate where the restroom is).

In general, the hostess is committed to creating the perfect atmosphere for the visitors. So, he should talk with clients, find out their comments on a particular occasion, thank them for the positive feedback. Thus, the hostess is the "face" of the establishment and does a lot of the most varied work necessary to create a pleasant atmosphere for the client.

The job description of the hostess includes the following items:

• control over the work of waiters;
• control over the cleanliness of the room;
• reserving tables in a restaurant;
• solution of emerging conflict situations with guests;
• communication with guests and more.

The hostess earns quite a bit. So, depending on the region of residence, as well as on the level of the institution in which he works, a hostess can receive from 15,000 to 30,000 rubles. At the same time, the tip can double that salary.

In order to get a job for this position, you need to correctly write a resume. To do this, you can use our examples.