Find restaurants near you that are looking for help and apply in person. You'll probably be bussing tables or cleaning at first, but you'll get a look into what working in this industry is like. 

Apply for a restaurant job.

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

Welcome patrons, seat them at tables or in lounge, and help ensure quality of facilities and service.

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Strengthen your people skills and practice patience with people. Then find a restaurant that is hiring hostesses and apply. Explain your people skills and demonstrate to your interviewer that you are friendly, outgoing, and personable.

Getting to work early and setting up my area and making sure the front is all cleaned up. Also being alert and focused when greeting and seating guests.

Hostess

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

Other Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers

Assign patrons to tables suitable for their needs and according to rotation so that servers receive an appropriate number of seatings.

Greet guests and seat them at tables or in waiting areas.

Answer telephone calls and respond to inquiries or transfer calls.

Operate cash registers to accept payments for food and beverages.

Speak with patrons to ensure satisfaction with food and service, to respond to complaints, or to make conversation.

Maintain contact with kitchen staff, management, serving staff, and customers to ensure that dining details are handled properly and customers' concerns are addressed.

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

Overview

Career

What Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Do

Other Job Titles Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

Overview

Career

What Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Do

Other Job Titles Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop

Related Careers

Related Leaders