Helene talked on the phone with her friend Roseanne bringing her up to date on a particular position she applied for in a retirement community in her nearby town.  Roseanne had alerted her to the opening.

“I went for my second interview, which was held over lunch in the restaurant in town,” Helene told her. “I’m sure the lunch wasn’t in the community dining room so that they can keep speculations down as much as possible.”

“It sounds promising if you got that far already. How did it go?” Roseanne asked.

“Well, I dressed in my best business suit and arrived early and waited in the foyer area so there would be no chance of missing him. I ordered Shrimp and Avocado Salad which was easy to eat, a medium price, and something I could talk about more and eat less. I was prepared. This second interview made me know that I really want to work in that community. I’m writing a thank you note for the luncheon interview now.”

While Helene was relating the lunch to her friend, Colin discussed what he learned over lunch with his colleague.

“We both know that sharing a meal is bonding. This interview is also more revealing about this person in the setting she will be working in. I noticed that she arrived early and dressed respectfully, which tells me that she is organized. She didn’t order the most expensive item on the menu because it is free (for her), and it didn’t take her long to decide. So she is budget mindful and can make timely decisions. Her manners were impeccable, and she was aware of our waitperson, saying thank you and please.”

Colin was so impressed. He continued.  “She spoke clearly and confidently with an instance of how she had solved a problem I mentioned we had faced in our community. Her interpersonal skills are excellent. There is no doubt this candidate is manager material. I can see her working with our foodservice and nursing teams with great success. Oh, I forgot to mention, never once did her cell phone ring or did she check it. I never saw it during our entire hour and a half. I don’t think we will need to be looking for anyone else to fill that position, now or until she retires.”

Knowing what to look for in a candidate when you are hiring for a management position is a key factor in hiring the person who will be part of your food serving team, will encourage food servers to be aware, have the desire to improve their performance, and be part of training sessions. Kind Dining♥ requests management to attend the training sessions for staff and encourages building relationships in your community. The right manager will inspire others around them, including residents and their family members.

B♥ Kind ®Tip: You and your staff have an important role to play in helping residents.