Role: General Manager
Company: Little Wing Newtownards
Track Record:
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
I had worked in a few different hospitality and retail jobs while at school and university. When I left university, I took up a full-time contract in the supermarket I had been working in and continued there for a few years without knowing what I wanted to do for a career. I started in Little Wing Bangor as a part-time waitress, just as a second job to subsidise my social life, and for the first couple of years I gradually cut my hours in the supermarket and increased my hours in Little Wing because I was happier in hospitality.
After a short period, a supervisor position came up in the Ballyhackamore unit, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to challenge myself, so I applied and was successful. I worked at Ballyhackamore for 2 years progressing from supervisor, to trainee Manager, to Assistant Manager, before moving to Holywood to help with the opening of the fifth Little Wing unit. I was at Holywood for 6 months before a General Manager position was advertised for Little Wing Lisburn Road. I worked in Lisburn Road for 7 months before volunteering to move to Enniskillen to open our 6th Little Wing, our first unit outside of the Greater Belfast area. I lived and worked in Enniskillen for 2 years before moving back to Holywood in anticipation of the 8th Little Wing opening in Newtownards where I have gained the position of General Manager.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Computing
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so what did you study and where?
I did initially go to UUJ to study software engineering, but by the middle of my second year I had realised this was not the kind of work I wanted to do, so I didn’t finish my degree.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
Not at all, this is a career I very much stumbled upon. I never really knew what I wanted to do, but as I progressed through Little Wing I have realised how much I enjoy the job and how many opportunities are available to progress within this company.
Were there any essential qualifications or experience needed?
I have personally found in the hospitality industry that experience is essential, however Little Wing offer training courses and NVQs to all staff members within the company no matter what level their experience is.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
I gained my position by working through each level in Little Wing, but we are recruiting for all levels of management as well as waiting staff, pizza chefs and kitchen porter. There are opportunities to become a member of the team even with entry level experience.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
You need to be confident, have good organisation skills, be approachable, be friendly and have endless amounts of patience. Keeping a cool head under pressure is a big requirement.
What does a typical day entail?
There is no such thing as a typical day in Little Wing. The company is very socially aware and are fantastic supporters of local community groups, so I get to do a lot of charity work. Over the past year I have gone on staff visits to RNLI station, did a moonlight charity walk, and spent several days trying to construct a Christmas tree from pizzas boxes. So really there’s always something exciting happening and no two days are the same. That’s what I enjoy the most, the fact that every day is a different day.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
I enjoy the social aspect of it the most, meeting different people every day but also building relationships with the people I work with each week. I also enjoy achieving company targets that are set for employees each month, and finally implementing new ideas to help boost sales and attract new customers I find are great challenges!
Why is what you do important?
Eating out is a luxury, and if someone has chosen to spend their hard-earned money in Little Wing then it’s my responsibility to make sure they have made the right decision. We want every customer to leave having enjoyed their meal and the atmosphere of the restaurant.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
There are so many options for someone to enter the hospitality industry at various levels, and the opportunity to progress is always available to those who want it and deserve it. If you work hard you will see the benefits.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
I honestly can’t think of another career I would enjoy as much, so unless I can win the lottery and become a lady of leisure I’m happy where I am.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
To enjoy it all. I think I have worked hard throughout my time in Little Wing, but I have also made sure to enjoy every step of the journey. I think that has helped me progress to where I am now.
Can you describe your ideal day off?
My two favourite things are spending time with family/friends and eating good food. So any combination of those would be good.
And finally, what’s the key to a successful job search?
Consider all your options, you don’t necessarily have to stick to what you know, trying something new could lead you into a whole new career.