The first step to achieving this is constructing the most impressive resume you can muster, showcasing all your experiences and attributes at their strongest and how they pertain to the strengthening of the prospective employer. Now, I don’t profess to be the foremost authority on resume building, nor do you have to be, but what you must be is confident, self-assured, and prepared. Having been put in a position where it was either feast or famine, I learned a few tricks and tips that kept me afloat like the many oil rigs that I’ve worked on instead of sinking into the economic depths as many did due to the recession in the oil production industry.
Researching the prospective company so as to be able to converse in some form or fashion when the opportunity arises is and should be a top priority. One should slip a tidbit or two of this knowledge into the resume’s cover page in order to let the prospective employer know it was personalized just for them.
The food service industry is a diverse one; it deals with many styles and types of cooking, so the more you can show that you can cover more than your own region, the more valuable you are — especially in the offshore hospitality industry, where the only available jobs sometimes may be in overseas waters or in foreign countries. If you can cook both food from your region and food from a region you may be asked to visit, that’s one less extra person they may have to hire, which could become a deciding factor during a recession.
Also, be sure to state any managerial experience you may possess. This, too, could be a deciding factor. A double or triple threat in any field is going to have a leg up on the competition.
Now, once a company had folded for whatever reason, I would find myself back at ground zero, seeking employment. Knowing that this was a recessive period, I would therefore concentrate my efforts towards catering the offerings of my services with that in mind. I had to research, research, research. I had to conduct preparation, more preparation, and more preparation still.
I knew during a period of recession not only were companies concerned about making money (which they always are), but they were also really concerned about losing money and trying to cut expenses. So with that in mind, on the part of the resume where I was afforded the opportunity to list or explain what I could bring to the company, I would show my record of consistently meeting all stated deadlines, consistently staying under budget, and that I understood the importance of the company’s bottom line.
I would then go on to show my unblemished work-history records for safety (as lost-time accidents cost companies billions of dollars each and every year) and attendance (because during the stress-filled time of a recessive period, the last thing an employer wants to be concerned with is whether their star player is going to show up or not).
Listen, I could go on about the neatness and the structure of the resume, which, don’t get me wrong, are important aspects of a strong resume. They show your ability to be just that: structured and organized. But let’s keep it honest here: that’s only the bread, and during a time of economic recession, you want to serve up the beef, the prime rib, that proves you will be an asset to their team.
Of course, I would then proceed to give personal and second-party testimonials demonstrating my satisfactory work performance from former satisfied employers. I would also humbly submit some written recommendations and awards I received along the way. I would then briefly state in closing in the cover letter or in the body (or both) my willingness to elaborate in detail on these points or any other questions they felt the need to pose in a face-to-face meeting.
And that’s what all this is about! That’s what we want: that face-to-face time. It is in that face-to-face interview that you will go on to prove that you are the right choice for the company and why you are the perfect candidate for the job. That is your job! Closing the deal is easy; just reinforce your strengths and be twice as effective as your very impressive resume.
