Assistant Manager

In addition to the skills listed above, there are a number of qualities a strong restaurant assistant manager candidate should have. This can include the ability to work well with others, encourage teamwork from staff and motivate those you work with. This position often requires leadership and people skills, as well as excellent communication skills since you’ll be working regularly with upper management, kitchen and waitstaff, and customers. 

As a restaurant assistant manager, you should demonstrate the ability to take initiative and lead staff. You should also be able to take direction or information from management, and attention to detail can be key and organization.

Additionally, not only should you be likeable and personable, but you should also be responsible and show you can take on responsibilities and ensure operations run smoothly while representing your restaurant professionally and respectfully. Enthusiasm, resilience, positivity, interpersonal skills and stress tolerance all are additional qualities employers look for in a strong restaurant assistant manager candidate. 

• Interpersonal skills. As a restaurant assistant manager, you’ll likely be helping to oversee other staff who work for the restaurant. Strong interpersonal skills can help ensure a healthy, positive culture and work environment that allows employees to thrive and reduces employee turnover. Ensure employees can come to you with questions and concerns, and work with them to communicate that to upper management.

• Leadership skills. Helping to lead employees takes skill, and may be a skill required in a restaurant assistant manager role. Showcase empathy, the ability to inspire others, strategic thinking and problem solving skills, creativity and passion for your work.

• Positivity. Because in many cases you’ll be working directly with customers and staff on a regular basis, ensuring a positive environment with a positive attitude can be key to your restaurant’s success. Reducing employee turnover and taking care of your customers will help add to the business’s bottom line, and provide opportunity for you to prove your leadership skills.

• Customer service. Working with customers is a regular part of the job, so strong customer service, communication and conflict resolution skills will allow you to control each situation and resolve it without further incident. You should be able to support employees with conflict resolution, and also showcase industry experience to customers to help ensure a positive dining experience.

• Problem solving and conflict management. As a restaurant assistant manager, chances are you’ll run into a number of different types of issues with both customers and employees on a daily basis. You should be able to showcase the ability to quickly de-escalate situations and resolve problems effectively and efficiently.

• Time management and multitasking. Restaurant assistant managers typically have a number of responsibilities, ranging from helping kitchen staff prep or cook food or wait staff greet and seat customers, take orders and deliver food, to developing budgets for upper management, schedules or processing payroll. Balancing these responsibilities effectively with strong time management skills will be key to success.

• Energy. Your shifts may be long, and you’ll be walking or standing for most of the shift. Having energy to last through your shift, as well as a positive energy that relays to your customers and staff, can help ensure you thrive in this role. Not only does it require physical endurance and resilience, but also flexibility and motivation to perform well.

If you don’t already excel at one or more of the skills listed above, you’ll have an opportunity to learn and perfect those skills in your role. Many duties and responsibilities a restaurant assistant manager may be responsible for can help hone skills such as:

• Restaurant management. 

• Hospitality management.

• Catering. 

• Bartending. 

• Serving. 

• Cooking and culinary experience. 

• Profit and loss models.