Angling for a promotion in a restaurant - help!

I'm a server and I've been working front-of-house off and on for about ten years. For what it's worth, I would ask to train as a server rather than to be promoted. Ask for the training, then ask to take the tests involved in training, then ask for recs for the servers who trained you, then ask to pick up some shifts. That sounds like a lot, but you can probably get it done in a couple weeks if you hustle. You might just have to pick up some shifts other servers don't want or call out on at first, but if you prove yourself as a hard worker and keep picking up as many and as difficult shifts as you can, you should get on the server schedule pretty soon and your hostess shifts will peter off. You will have to be *very* assertive about making sure your training days and tests are scheduled, though, and make sure you schedule those shifts with the manager who actually runs the restaurant (the proteges of anybody but the big boss and/or the person who actually does the bulk of the managerial work never get anywhere, in my experience). I wouldn't directly ask for a promotion. One reason is that the managers are likely to give you lots of lip-service and just continue to schedule you as a hostess. Once they know you want to be a server they're also likely to hold that out as a carrot to get you to take on extra scunt work as hostess, and won't actually give you what they want as long as they can hold it over you instead. I don't know why restaurants in particular seem to work like that, but in my experience they do -- maybe the customer service culture of never saying "no" *shrug.* The other reason is that you need to get the wait staff on your side before you start picking up serving shifts, because unless the place is *severely* understaffed you'll be stealing shifts from them and therefore taking money from their pockets. Obviously, they aren't going to want that to happen. If you let the servers feel like you're coming in as their trainee, though, and become the person who is happy to save the day by picking up some shift they can't come in for, or by working extra hard on the floor, then you'll probably be in a much better position. So I would basically be extremely pushy about training and then let super hard work and humility on subsequent shifts speak for itself. When you talk to either the management or the other servers about becoming a server yourself, I would also talk up how much you love interacting with the waitstaff and customers, and how you love selling, etc, and would leave out any criticisms about the waitstaff/serving style (such as, I wouldn't say anything about shuddering over servers not having an open stance or not serving plates by seat position, etc). Especially if you're in Cali, remember to be *super positive.* Again, I don't know why service culture has to be so extremely negativity-adverse, but it is, so I would try to reflect those values. My advice would be to sell yourself as someone who will be a good contribution to the waitstaff as a team, not just in talking to management, but also in how you prioritize your work everyday. If you can make them believe that you'll make their lives easier by being a server, you'll become and stay a server in their restaurant.

Approach your manager at the end of a shift (wait a little while if they're busy) and say, "I want to get promoted. How can I do that?" If they say it isn't a good time, ask when will be; if they say they're not the person who makes that call, ask who is. When you finally get to talk to the person who makes that call at a time of their choosing, then you listen to what that person says. Don't let them get away with "Be better"; ask for specifics. Don't argue if they point out some negative things about you. If they don't give you a timeline, ask for one. Then figure out whether you'll be able to do those things and whether that timeline is good enough. You are the only person who cares about your career (until you make it as an actor). Take charge of it.

If talking to your manager at the restraunt you're hosting at now doesn't yield a good answer, I'd also explore other places. If you have a couple of weeks, really see if you can get a full-time serving job. I'd check everything out. The object of working is to make piles of money. If you're really hot, aim for something like Hooters where you can make real money (if indeed you can, I always suspected it was a myth.) Bartending is another good way to make dough. Especially in a trendy bar. I wouldn't hesitate to work at a Chili's if I thought I could make a few bucks. Especially if it was close to home and I got a lot of hours.

Going for the completely obvious here, but have you actually *asked*? As a result, I have no idea if they think I'm doing a good job or not. This leads me to believe you haven't. It doesn't work to wait around hoping for people to notice. It isn't always easy, but ask for what you want. When I'm not busy, I run drinks and food, drop checks, clear tables, etc. and the servers like me and appreciate my help. I have fine dining experience and I cringe when I see people serving without an open stance or reaching across or making other rookie server mistakes. I know the menu and I can sell the food enthusiastically. I have used a POS system, and when the server or bartenders are busy, sometimes they will log me into the POS system and I'll put in an order for them. (Probably against the rules). Blah blah blah. This shit isn't rocket science, but I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall. You make a great case here. I'd hire you in a minute just based on this speech. If you tell them this and they don't want to hire you, go somewhere else.