"The companies that are going to prevail realize it's the quality of the emotional experience that sets them apart."
Danny Meyer
In an interview with Fast Company magazine, mega-restaurateur Danny Meyer, who has 4 of the top 20 restaurants in Zagat's New York, shares how he hires people in the hospitality business.
FC: Given the reps of Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern, you must get resumes from every great chef and waiter in the city. How do you tell the fois gras from the chopped liver?
Meyer: The most important thing we do is teach our managers how to hire for a certain emotional skill set that yields what we call a hospitalitarian. We want people who have the technical skills we need -- how to clear a table beautifully, how to distinguish between wines, how to chop a perfect brunoise. That's 49% of the equation. The other 51% is emotional skills. You can't teach those skills, but you can teach how to spot them.
FC: What emotional qualities are you looking for?
Meyer: The first is a natural warmth and optimism. I either feel that from a person, or not.
The second is intelligence and curiousity, and it doesn't have to be about the restaurant business. I love when I can converse with people about theater, art, books, or sports.
The third is work ethic. You'd be surprised at how many people show up late for an interview, or don't shave.
The fourth is empathy. I like to ask how their previous employer felt when they gave notice, and gauge their response.
And the fifth is as combination of integrity and self-awareness. I want somebody who's thoughtful about who they are and where things fit into their lives. If they're not accountable to themselves, it's unlikely they'll be accountable to the people they're working with.
For his answers to a couple more questions, click to read the entire interview.
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