How do you get a job as a hostess or waitress with no previous experience?

I suspect my answer does not apply in most circumstances, but here's my story. I got paid to wait tables because I went to work for a rather wacky hole in the wall that cycled jobs between the kitchen, the floor, and the bar. (I got paid three entirely different rates for this. It made tracking my pay really interesting.) I had no prior industry experience, but I did know how to do dinner for twelve with conflicting dietary needs (vegan/vegetarian/omnivore/mushroom-phobe/etc.), and more importantly for that particular establishment, in a town full of "lite beer" drinkers I knew my way around import beers. I shadowed an experienced waitress and then did my best to cope after that. I suspect I was a terrible (or at best adequate) waitress and only got decent tips for charm. (I know I was decent in what there was of that kitchen, and there wasn't much to that bar but opening cans and bottles and making suggestions.) The only reason I survived was because I knew what I expected in service as a diner, and did my best to provide that. Well, that and I'd done a lot of time in retail sales and management, including some hellish Christmas seasons which were good practice. Now, specifically regarding the question, connections matter. If you have friends who are already in the industry, you're going to have at least that much better chance. Otherwise, start smaller and slower. Quiet low-paying shifts at a mom & pop, maybe. Edit: Jonas' answer about walking the streets is incredibly valuable. The first instinct of many restaurant owners in looking for new staff is to ask their current staff, and to post a sign in the window. Taking out an ad takes money and time that are both in short supply, and a place that puts out an ad is one that can afford to be picky, and furthermore needs to be.

Being hired as a hostess will be a little easier than being hired as a waiter/waitstaff if you have no previous experience. First thing is first, apply! As previously stated, applying to a chain might give you better results because they have awesome training programs to help you get started. If you weren't interested in starting with a chain and want to approach more personable and smaller restaurants there is a Waiter Training and Certification Program being created by WaiterPop. If you wanted to see what restaurants are hiring in your area WaiterPop has a free online job board that you can directly apply from. P.S. Best way to impress your future employers in the restaurant biz, is to read up on your stuff. If you show interest and knowledge about a job you are interviewing for it increases the likelihood of getting hired, even without experience. For tips and tricks regarding life as part of a waitstaff visit my company's blog: http://waiterpop.com/how-to-be-a-waiter/  http://waiterpop.com/waiterpop-blog/ Wish you the best!

I've worked in restaurant/bars during and after college.  The best advice I can give you is this: Go in on off hours (2-4); ask to speak to the GM or owner directly, be confident, look the part, smile A LOT, and tell them why their restaurant is your number one choice. Don't go in when you see a posting, just go in and make an impression. I was hired by Cameron Mitchell restaurants (the nicest, overall most upscale restaurant company in my state) at 19 with zero restaurant experience, little overall work experience, and a primarily blank application. I did this by putting on a black blazer, black dress pants, stilettos (essentially dressed as if I was going into work there). I asked to speak to the GM, smiled huge, shook his hand, introduced myself, and told him I wanted to work for them. He asked me to take a seat and he came back in less than a couple minutes (I didn't have time to fill out the application, my references were blank, work history mostly blank). He interviewed me and I told him that if I wanted to work in a restaurant then I wanted to work for the best that there is. I gave him examples of why I felt it was the best, and how that aligned with my personality. I was hired on the spot. I remember explaining that I hadn't filled out my application yet when he offered me a job. He looked at it, shrugged his shoulders and set to the side. A good friend of mine who had years of serving / fine dining experience told me that it took him three interviews before he was hired with them. I was a teenager, so I remember excitedly calling my mom from the parking lot and saying "Guess Where I just got a job!?" I told her and she replied incrediously, "you're kidding me". My work experience at the time consisted of the pool, and slicing bagels. I said "Nope. I just walked in and walked out with a job!" So, I truly feel that if you follow my advice, focus on making an impression, you can absolutely get a restaurant job without experience. Also, why not go for the best and and tell them why you belong there? Never hurts to try.

Move somewhere seasonal like the beach during the summer or mountains during the winter because those types of places are always hiring due to employee turnover. Hosting is a really mindless job and a good place to start. Serving can be learned quickly with the help of experienced servers. Id really recommend that everyone works in a restaurant/bar at some point in their lives. It can teach you more about people than almost any other job.

Everyone has to start somewhere. So when applying without experience, make sure to highlight your strengths in other areas through your resume.Read this blog from career and salary research site called PayScale for job hunting tips including cover letter & resume writing as well as interview tips, http://bitly.com/1omMNdz . Use the search function on the right side to find related articles.