Some context:
This didnt happen today, roughly two weeks ago. I was invited into one of the nicer restaurants in the small town I live in (UK) for an interview, I've enjoyed dining there many times so thought it would be an ideal place to work.
I have plenty of hospitality experience, most recently working as a Chef de Rang in a fine dining restaurant, so I'm confident in myself, my abilities and expertise and wanted to go for a supervisor role.
Well I got there for 12 (the previously agreed upon time) and there was nobody there, front door locked despite them opening at 12. I had to go round the back and found my way into the kitchen where there were two chefs, long story short I hung out with the chefs and had a smoke for the HOUR I was waiting. When someone finally turned up (the General Manager) we had a 3 minute chat about what I want before she invites me for a supervisor trial shift in two days. This should have been a big enough red flag for me to just walk off but I believe in second chances so I went.
I arrived to the trial at 4pm (the agreed upon time) to be told to wait behind the bar for a couple of minutes, 5 minutes passes, then 10, then 20. I ended up going over to the manager and asking if there's anything I can do just for him to snap back at me saying “Just wait”! Anyway another hour they kept me waiting, It's now 5pm and most the waitresses are starting. I get told I'm shadowing [waitress] for this evening in this one extremely small section of the restaurant. It has a huge outside beer garden and a large upstairs seating area but I got put and told to stay in the small downstairs section, fine whatever. I start talking to this waitress and she's walking me through how to take an order asif this is my first job! I told her I'm here to be a supervisor and I know my shit. Her reply: “Well you're not allowed to take any orders just watch me”.
10 minuted passed and a table waved me over, I went over and they asked for me to take an order as they've been waiting over 15 mins. I happily agree and get their order taken (with 0 issues), the second I did this the lady I was shadowing pulled me aside and chewed me out for not doing as she said. Fuck this. I left and went upstairs to have a look around, I believe as a supervisor I shouldnt be tied down to one area. I went to the pass and asked the head chef (and owner) a couple of questions about his food and service to which he was more than happy to answer, I took a couple of meals out to guests before going to have a nosey outside.
After seeing the whole place I came to one conclusion, not a SINGLE PERSON was in charge, everyone was fending for themselfs like some kinda manic frenzy, there was 0 communication and everyone seemed to be working against eachother instead of with eachother.
So I pull the manager aside (the one that snapped at me) and told him I'm no longer interested in the role, not only have they messed me around waiting for two hours but I've been treated poorly by his staff and it's clear there is no real management going on. He went from being really cocky to “I'm so sorry I promise this isnt what it's normally like, can you come back again sometime this isnt normally us I'm so sorry”. Boy that felt good. I just told him “you doesnt need to bother paying me for my time I dont want your money” and walked off.
I'm now at a really nice place just outside of town as a supervisor, they value me and have already given me more responsibility in the 5 days I've been there then I've had in my whole career so I'm happy.
Rant over.