How to Record a Restaurant Assistant Manager Video Job Ad
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Assistant manager is the apprenticeship for restaurant management. It's where you learn P&L basics, navigate kitchen politics, handle HR problems, and discover whether you actually want to run a restaurant. The candidates who excel are those hungry for the GM role and willing to do the work to get there. Your video job ad should emphasise the developmental opportunity—what they'll learn, what exposure they'll get, how this prepares them for the next step. An AM position that's just "manager's helper" without real growth attracts nobody worth hiring.
Step 1: Open with the Opportunity
Assistant manager candidates are investing in their career trajectory. The role matters less than what it leads to.
The pathway to GM: This is the primary draw. How long does the typical AM-to-GM journey take? What does someone need to demonstrate? If your last three GMs came through AM roles, that's your strongest pitch. If promotion depends on new openings or departures, be honest about timing uncertainty.
Ambitious candidates are comparing your AM role against others. The one with clearer progression wins.
Learning scope: What will they actually learn? Not vague "development opportunities"—specific exposure. P&L review and management. Recruitment and hiring involvement. Scheduling and labour optimisation. Stock and supplier management. Marketing and local initiatives.
The more real management exposure, the more attractive the role to serious candidates.
The GM they'll work under: An AM's development depends heavily on their GM. Is the current manager a developer of people, or someone who hoards responsibility? Will they teach, delegate meaningful work, and create learning opportunities? Or will the AM just run shifts while the manager does the real work?
This relationship is often the deciding factor. If your GM is known as a talent developer, lead with that.
Business context: High-performing restaurant where they'll learn what success looks like? Turnaround situation where they'll learn problem-solving? New opening where they'll learn how to build? Each context teaches different things.
Step 2: Show Your Restaurant's Environment
Film the restaurant during service and during the operational work AMs handle. Candidates need to see both dimensions.
Service reality: The floor during a typical busy service. Guest profile and behaviour. Service style and pace. This is where they'll spend significant time—they should see what they're stepping into.
Operational exposure: The office or admin area if it exists. Stock rooms and receiving. The spaces where P&L work, scheduling, and administrative tasks happen. These are less glamorous than the floor but represent the management learning.
The team: Size and composition—how many people would they help manage? Experience levels and development needs. Current supervisors they'd work alongside. The team dynamic they'd be entering.
Kitchen relationship: The GM-chef relationship visible if possible. AMs often navigate kitchen politics as part of their learning. Seeing the dynamic helps candidates assess fit.
Step 3: Paint a Picture of the Role
Assistant manager roles vary between "junior GM with real responsibility" and "senior supervisor with a fancier title." Candidates need to know which you're offering.
Service leadership: Running the floor during assigned services—often the shifts the GM doesn't work. Being the senior manager present, responsible for decisions, problems, and standards. This is likely where most time goes.
Which services will they own? Lunches while GM works dinners? Specific days? Or always second-in-command when GM is present?
Management development areas:
P&L exposure: Do they review financials with the GM? Input into budgeting? Own any cost areas—labour scheduling, wastage tracking? The degree of commercial involvement determines learning speed.
People management: Involvement in recruitment—screening, interviewing, hiring decisions? Running performance conversations? Handling disciplinary issues? Training programme delivery? What HR exposure exists?
Operations: Stock management responsibility or just awareness? Supplier relationships? Compliance oversight? Opening and closing procedures?
Marketing and revenue: Input into local marketing? Social media involvement? Event planning? Upselling initiatives?
GM support: What does supporting the GM actually mean? Administrative tasks, or genuine partnership? Is the GM developing them as a successor, or using them as a assistant for tasks they don't want?
Still very operational: AMs work the floor. They're not office-based managers—they're working managers who do operational service alongside leadership duties. The ratio matters: 80% floor and 20% management, or closer to 50-50?
The hours: AM schedules are often demanding—covering when the GM is off, working both service periods, rarely having weekends. What's the realistic weekly commitment? Which shifts are typically theirs?
Step 4: What the Role Requires
AM hiring bridges service excellence and management potential. Both matter.
Service credibility: They need to be genuinely good at restaurant work. Technical skills, product knowledge, guest handling—all strong. The team won't respect an AM who can't do the job themselves.
Leadership capability: Managing people is different from serving people. Can they direct a team? Give feedback? Handle conflict? Maintain standards through others? Some excellent servers never develop leadership instincts.
Commercial curiosity: Do they care about the business, or just the hospitality? Interest in P&L, margins, efficiency, revenue—this separates AMs who become GMs from those who stay operational.
Not expecting expertise—this is learned. But curiosity and interest in commercial aspects indicates someone who'll actually develop.
Kitchen relationship skills: AMs often navigate chef relationships without the authority GMs have. Can they build rapport across departments? Handle kitchen pressure diplomatically? This soft skill matters enormously.
Administrative capability: Scheduling, ordering, reporting—management involves systems and detail work. Someone who's allergic to admin will struggle regardless of hospitality talent.
Experience calibration: What background do you actually need? Supervisor experience likely. But years matter less than demonstrated leadership and ambition. An 18-month supervisor with clear potential might outperform a 5-year one who's coasting.
Ambition fit: Some people want to be GM; others don't. AM is demanding—it makes sense as a stepping stone, less sense as a destination. Candidates should want progression, or they'll burn out on the workload.
Step 5: Make the Offer Compelling
AM compensation should reflect the developmental investment candidates are making.
UK compensation context:
- Assistant Manager (casual): £28,000-35,000
- Assistant Manager (premium/fine dining): £32,000-42,000
- Assistant Manager (high-volume): £30,000-38,000
Bonus structures: Performance bonuses tied to what metrics? Restaurant performance, personal development milestones, team outcomes? What's realistic based on current performance?
AMs are more likely to value development-linked bonuses than pure revenue targets—progression matters more than maximising current earnings.
Service charge: How does this work for AMs? Same pool as team, management percentage, different arrangement? Total compensation matters.
Development investment: Training budget: external courses, management programmes, industry certifications. What does the company invest in AM development? This differentiates from "just working your way up."
Mentorship structure: formal development conversations, GM coaching commitment, group-level support for progression. The development promise needs substance.
Progression clarity: What does GM pathway actually look like? Average timeline. What needs to be demonstrated. Whether promotion is internal preference or competitive. This is what AMs are really buying—make it concrete.
Schedule reality: Expected hours—rarely the stated contract. Which shifts typically. Weekend and holiday expectations. This role is demanding; candidates should understand that before accepting.
Benefits package: Pension, healthcare, meals, discount. At AM level, benefits start to differentiate offers. What does the full package include?
Step 6: The Application Process
AM candidates expect a process that assesses management potential, not just service competence.
Application requirements: CV highlighting supervisory and leadership experience. Cover letter explaining career goals and why this role fits their development plan. Salary expectations.
Interview structure: Initial conversation: fit, ambition, experience, mutual interest. Service observation: seeing them work, either in current role or trial shift. Management discussion: commercial awareness, people management approach, problem-solving. GM conversation: relationship assessment—will they work well together? Owner/senior leadership: final approval for management-track hire.
What you're assessing: Service excellence: can they actually do the job? Leadership potential: can they develop and direct others? Commercial interest: do they care about the business side? Development appetite: are they genuinely hungry to learn? Cultural fit: will they represent your restaurant appropriately?
GM relationship specifically: The AM-GM partnership is crucial. Include meaningful time together in the process. Both parties should feel confident about working closely together.
References matter: For management-track hires, reference thoroughly. Speak to previous managers about leadership potential, not just performance. Understand why they're moving and what they're looking for.
Development conversation: As part of the process, discuss their development expectations explicitly. What do they want to learn? When do they expect to be ready for GM? Alignment here prevents problems later.
The best AMs become your future GMs—either at this restaurant or others in a group. Investing in the right selection process pays dividends in management pipeline quality.