Christmas is nearly upon us, which means one thing – the busy Christmas period. The need for workers to fill every corner of the hospitality industry is well and truly here, and when it comes to coping with the festive celebrations, it’s always a long road to Christmas day.
As a hectic period of the year, the need for motivated, dedicated and skilled workers is higher than ever. However, when combining the demands of Christmas with the already challenging landscape of hospitality itself – i.e. tightening margins, uncertainty in Brexit etc. – the ask for such workers feels like something of an added bonus for many businesses.
GIG Seeker, Florin, is an example of just what the industry needs – a dedicated, passionate and skilled worker that can deal with the stresses of the industry, especially during Christmas. As our latest GIG Seeker of the month, we sat down with Florin to find out why he got into hospitality, what keeps him motivated, and why he chose the GIG Seeker platform.
Tell us a bit about yourself and why you got into hospitality?
I grew up in a family of hospitality; seeing my family manage restaurants, hotels and clubs was a part of my childhood, so since I was a child I’ve always been curious to learn and grow within the industry. Finding out and delivering the real guest experience has always been a quest and it might sound cliché but I love to see guests happy and impressed.
What got you into becoming a waiter?
While growing up I became interested in organising events, so I started working as a waiter to help out. It’s made me a bit of a perfectionist and I still love organising events but I’m now working as a waiter. For me, it’s fantastic; it makes me happy to help deliver a good experience for the customer.
Why did you decide to choose GIG to find work?
Way back in 2015 I was working for an agency that would send me to shifts all around London. It was okay but very tiring and I had to either accept or say no to shifts, which would make me stress as I felt obliged to say yes. A good friend of mine mentioned GIG and I thought I’d give it a go – especially as I could control where and when I worked.
I’ve never looked back really. As I can decide my rota, I’ve been able to work as much as I like, especially during the busy periods - my record is 95 hours in a week. Knowing I have that control makes me feel good and actually drives me to apply for shifts because I’m the one who decides where and when.
What do you love most about London and about your home in Romania?
That’s a hard question but I think the food in Romania is amazing, while the nightlife and partying in London is the best.
What’s been your favourite venue to work for through GIG?
The International Maritime Organization would have to be one of my favourite venues, simply because it’s so beautiful and has a great team there. But I also really enjoy the Radisson Blu Edwardian, The Wessley Hotel, and Hilton on Park Lane.
If you could work anywhere in the world as a waiter, at any venue, where would it be?
I’m not sure really – maybe one of the Radisson hotels in New York. It would provide an amazing opportunity to travel and see a whole new city, and if it’s anything like the Radisson hotels I work with here then I think it would be fun!