Management Position offered...

Headless Chicken · #1 08-12-2008, 03:25 PM

I've been working for Compass Group/Chartwells for 3 years now doing nearly everything back of the house. Now come September when school starts back up, our new facility just across the street from where I'm located at, should reopen as it has moved due to renovations and expansions to George Brown college Hospitality building. The manager there got moved to here at St. James building last year and she has offered me a manager's position over at Hospitality. Its a very small facility originally and the our new kitchen should be about the same size just more updated. I haven't been given the full details yet but I know I'll be doing the baking (morning items like muffins and pastries but this will constitute just about all the food prep I'll be doing), all the administration work (weekly cost and sales reports, cash deposits and flow, inventory which I'm doing now here anywho but I'll need training with everything else), some ordering, and managing the 3-4 employees under me there (2 full time and at least 1 part time).

Right now, I don't know how much it'll pay but more then likely I'll be turned over to salary, I'm hourly right now. I don't know the official hours but I'm thinking around 7am start to be opened around 8-8:30am.

My main beef though is that there will be little to no actual food prep. Most of what we'll be serving will be prep'd at the main kitchen in the St. James building for the exception of our baked goods (that I now of). This'll take me away from what I really love doing but it should (once I find out) pay more with less actual labor though more responsibilities.

Even without the full details, I'm really trying to think this over. I'll be giving up my whisk and pot for a pen, paper, and phone. I've never really had people to lead and I've never worked with the cash machine though I've been promised training. I will however (since its a new kitchen) be able to organize things how I see fit and hopefully train the people under me in procedures and knowledge in areas I've found lacking. This would be a big step for me but I'm trying to figure if its in a direction thats good or in a direction I want. Again, I don't have all the details yet and I do have time before saying yay or nay.

ED BUCHANAN · #2 08-12-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Headless Chicken

I've been working for Compass Group/Chartwells for 3 years now doing nearly everything back of the house. Now come September when school starts back up, our new facility just across the street from where I'm located at, should reopen as it has moved due to renovations and expansions to George Brown college Hospitality building. The manager there got moved to here at St. James building last year and she has offered me a manager's position over at Hospitality. Its a very small facility originally and the our new kitchen should be about the same size just more updated. I haven't been given the full details yet but I know I'll be doing the baking (morning items like muffins and pastries but this will constitute just about all the food prep I'll be doing), all the administration work (weekly cost and sales reports, cash deposits and flow, inventory which I'm doing now here anywho but I'll need training with everything else), some ordering, and managing the 3-4 employees under me there (2 full time and at least 1 part time).

Right now, I don't know how much it'll pay but more then likely I'll be turned over to salary, I'm hourly right now. I don't know the official hours but I'm thinking around 7am start to be opened around 8-8:30am.

My main beef though is that there will be little to no actual food prep. Most of what we'll be serving will be prep'd at the main kitchen in the St. James building for the exception of our baked goods (that I now of). This'll take me away from what I really love doing but it should (once I find out) pay more with less actual labor though more responsibilities.

Even without the full details, I'm really trying to think this over. I'll be giving up my whisk and pot for a pen, paper, and phone. I've never really had people to lead and I've never worked with the cash machine though I've been promised training. I will however (since its a new kitchen) be able to organize things how I see fit and hopefully train the people under me in procedures and knowledge in areas I've found lacking. This would be a big step for me but I'm trying to figure if its in a direction thats good or in a direction I want. Again, I don't have all the details yet and I do have time before saying yay or nay.

Take the shot, unless you want to work line forever. If it doesnt work out you can always go back behind the stove. Be slightly careful re salary vs. hourly> You could very well wind up making more gross money but less per hour. Salary wise you might get more benefits etc. But take the shot while your young and "Dont ever say I cant" go for it.

Headless Chicken · #3 08-12-2008, 08:45 PM

Well I'm thinking that this could be a good move for me to gain management experience should I open my own place in the future.

jbd · #4 08-13-2008, 08:15 AM

I agree with Ed. Go for it. This will give you an opprotunity to develop your overall skill set. One thing I would recommend while you have some time before the position starts is to read/study what you can about leadership. The is a difference between leadership and management. Management will be important to the company you work for. Leadership will be important to the people who work for you in this operation.

bundens · #5 08-13-2008, 08:54 AM

sounds like a pretty easy management gig.
but...I managed a pizza franchise once and it taught me a couple of things about management. The 2 main things I didn't like were...managing the people. I'm a schoomzer so to speak and I don't prefer being assertive with ppl..while this would work to my benefit selling something, it doesn't always work well with managing people..nevertheless, I found that if the crew isn't diligent, hard working or just showing up for a paycheck it can be annoying. The worst thing ever is to have crappy people working for you and in an industry with high turnover being the manager in the food and hospitality industry means taking on their work and yours or coming in if they call out sick. Either way it means much more work for you. The second thing I don't like about it is the salary rate it pays. They tell you that they're paying you for a 40 hour work week when all managers almost always put in at least 50. What happens is, you're expected to cover the difference in work...by that I mean if the higher ups know you should hire 2 more people, they won't let you and you'll be forced to cover up the work. There were MANY, MANY weeks I worked 70 hours ...sometimes I've worked a month straight without a day off, and no lunch breaks...no exaggeration. This was because our franchiser was too cheap to give me the go to hire somebody...anybody to make up the difference in work...I was expected to cover for it because I was paid for 40 hours..so he could get anymore than that free from me.

I'm glad I took the position because of experience, and I think you should take it for that reason too. If I were you, knowing what I know about management and this was me...I would take the position for the experience and expect to possibly need to find a new job if you didn't like it...after all the same place probably won't demote you and hold you in much regard. Management is such a tricky thing because every time it's been offered it seems like such a good deal and then I get into it and realize "UGH, WHAT WAS I THINKING??"....
even now I've been pondering getting a business degree thinking I may want it if I ever want to manage a big establishment or something...and then i realize shortly thereafter...uhh probably not..
there's a reason management jobs are everywhere...because for the most part people either don't fit the bill or the job sucks.

but
if you're the responsible type, who doesn't mind being away from home a lot and maybe someday wants to manage on a larger scale or franchise or own something then definitely go for it.

best of luck to you!

cinnamon · #6 08-14-2008, 03:42 PM

hi
i am in similar situation, I am 24 and working as a head chef at a summercamp.took the job after a week cos the chef left, and made things my way and improved a lot in a short period of time. now they want me to stick for longer, and organise different camps and the whole catering concept of the company plus set up a brand new kitchen opening in 2 years, all brand new to be able to cook for 300 3 times a day.

money conditions are not bad, and 6 months i work at camps, the other 6 from my home, when i want. but i used to work in fine dining and that was my way, i just took this job to save money and think where to go next. hate the quality of ingredients i have to use cos i cant go over the bloody budget. it sucks, plus is not challenging at all.

now i dont know what to do

Headless Chicken · #7 08-14-2008, 05:21 PM

I gave her a tentative yes today because I still don't know what the pay and hours are yet but she gave me a possible ballpark $13/hour based on what I'm currently earning. But I may still change my answer.

She said that I won't be left there totally alone, both her and the director are will provide support, they both know this is my first gig as head.