Focus on reliability, teamwork, and customer service performance with previous employers whilst asking specific questions about attendance, cooperation with colleagues, and handling of guest interactions. Structure reference checks around catering-specific competencies and service requirements.
Common misunderstanding: Conducting generic reference checks
Many hiring managers conduct generic reference checks without focusing on catering-specific qualities like team support during events, guest service under pressure, and reliability during varied schedules that are essential for successful catering assistant performance.
Let's say you are asking general questions like 'Was this employee good?' instead of specific ones like 'How did they handle busy wedding receptions?' Generic questions miss the teamwork and pressure-handling abilities that matter most in catering roles.
Common misunderstanding: Asking superficial reference questions
Some managers ask superficial reference questions without probing for specific examples of teamwork, problem-solving, and service delivery that provide insights about actual capability and work patterns in demanding hospitality environments.
Let's say you are accepting vague answers like 'They were fine to work with' rather than asking 'Can you give me an example of how they helped colleagues during a particularly busy service?' Specific examples reveal much more about actual work behaviour.
Inquire about punctuality, willingness to help colleagues, response to pressure, and guest service attitude whilst asking for examples of problem-solving and teamwork during busy periods. Focus on behaviours that predict success in collaborative catering environments with varied event demands.
Common misunderstanding: Asking general performance questions
Hiring managers sometimes ask general performance questions without exploring specific examples of team cooperation, event pressure handling, and guest service delivery that reveal actual capability and work approach in catering assistant responsibilities.
Let's say you are asking 'How was their performance?' instead of 'How did they support other team members when you were short-staffed?' The general question tells you little, whilst the specific one reveals their teamwork instincts under pressure.
Common misunderstanding: Avoiding detailed reference discussions to save time
Some managers avoid detailed reference discussions to save time whilst missing critical insights about reliability patterns, team dynamics, and service attitude that predict success in demanding catering environments requiring consistent collaboration and guest satisfaction focus.
Let's say you are rushing through reference calls with just basic questions to speed up hiring. This time-saving often costs more later when you hire someone who seemed fine but actually struggles with teamwork or reliability under pressure.
Confirm employment dates, role responsibilities, and reasons for leaving whilst verifying any food safety certifications and asking about performance during events or busy service periods. Focus verification on aspects most relevant to catering assistant success and team integration.
Common misunderstanding: Limiting verification to basic employment confirmation
Hiring managers sometimes limit verification to basic employment confirmation without exploring actual job performance, team relationships, and service capability that provide essential insights about candidate suitability for catering assistant demands and team collaboration.
Let's say you are only confirming they worked at previous jobs rather than learning how they actually performed. Knowing someone worked somewhere tells you nothing about whether they were reliable, helpful to colleagues, or good with guests.
Common misunderstanding: Over-focusing on formal qualifications
Some managers over-focus on formal qualifications without adequate verification of practical service experience, team cooperation, and reliability that are more predictive of success in hands-on catering assistant roles requiring consistent teamwork and guest service excellence.
Let's say you are spending time verifying certificates and training courses but not asking about how they actually worked with teams or handled customer complaints. The practical experience matters far more than formal qualifications for catering assistant success.