AREA CAREER FAIR
Jobseekers visit first-of-its-kind restaurant industry event
ALBANY, N.Y. >> Jobseekers aspiring to work within the Capital Region restaurant industry spent their morning visiting a firstof-its-kind Restaurant Industry Career Fair.
The new event, held at the Desmond Hotel in Albany on Monday, was a collaboration between the New York State Restaurant Association and the New York State Department of Labor, with the overarching goal of introducing the myriad of job opportunities available to those interested in the regional restaurant industry.
The event provided a chance for potential employees to network with regional restaurant leaders and introduce themselves to job opportunities available throughout the region.
The career fair featured representatives from more than 20 area employers, ranging from independent, family-owned restaurants to nationwide chain restaurants as well as caterers and large corporations.
Attendees had the opportunity to speak with these representatives and learn about current job openings, including positions as line cooks, lead cooks, servers, supervisors, dishwashers, runners, bartenders, hosts and hostesses.
“The restaurant industry in New York State, especially in our Upstate regions, is not only incredibly diverse but also one of the main economic engines of our communities, consistently offering good, flexible career opportuni
"We are thrilled to be co-hosting this job fair with the New York State Department of Labor this year to foster greater awareness about the opportunities available for aspiring restaurant workers."
— Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association
ties. We are thrilled to be co-hosting this job fair with the New York State Department of Labor this year to foster greater awareness about the opportunities available for aspiring restaurant workers,” said Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, in a press release.
Fleischut said the event comes at a time when restaurants are having difficulties staying fully staffed.
“One of the top concerns to the restaurant industry is finding good employees to work in the restaurants,” Fleischut said, calling it an ongoing problem across the state. “That’s a huge concern.”
During New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon’s appearance at the New York State Restaurant Association’s member summit last year, she spoke about workforce development. This week’s job fair was one of the ways the agencies are working together to address the issue.
Other initiatives in this regard include a possible collaboration with the Department of Labor apprenticeship program, along with the ProStart Program for high school students focused on culinary arts and restaurant management.
“It’s a challenge, with an unprecedented labor market, to find people,” said Kevin Goggins, a joint venture partner with Bloomin’ Brands, the company behind Outback Steakhouse. “So any time we can have extra people to see, to interview and add to our teams, we’re going to do that, because it’s very challenging to get people to walk into the door these days.”
With three Capital Region restaurants that require about 60 staff members each, Outback Steakhouse is always hiring, said Goggins, who also serves on the New York State Restaurant Association’s board of directors. “Anytime we get an opportunity to get in front of candidates, and getting involved with the Department of Labor and their pool of candidates, is obviously important.”
About half way through the career fair on Monday, Goggins said he met applicants to fill open positions for all three Outback Steakhouse locations, in Albany, Clifton Park and Queensbury.
Mazzone Hospitality, which has a presence through the Capital Region including locations in Saratoga Springs and Troy, was also tabling at the recent career fair. “We’re here recruiting for culinary and service staff for both our catering division and our corporate cafeteria division,” said corporate recruitment and talent acquisition coordinator Patrick Parkes, reporting that his station has a pretty good turnout, and he met a few candidates with whom he planned to scheduled second interviews.
In recruiting for Mazzone’s staff of approximately 1,100 employees, Parkes participates in a lot of local job fairs, and recruits at colleges throughout upstate New York.
The New York State Restaurant Association’s aim with the Restaurant Industry Career Fair was to help its members with their staffing concerns, while also providing individuals with career opportunities.
“It’s a really great industry, and a great opportunity for people to work in the restaurant industry,” Fleischut said, noting that more than half of American adults have worked in the industry at some point in their lives, and one in three Americans got their first job in a restaurant.
“It provides great flexibility for someone who is willing to put in the work and give it a try.”