How to Get a Job at House of Blues
Known primarily for hosting concerts and other live events, House of Blues locations also feature full-service restaurants frequently offering entry-level and managerial employment opportunities. In order to work for the nationwide chain of concert venues and restaurants, job seekers must successfully complete interview processes, which tend to remain relaxed yet professionally conducted. Applicants often need to go through two or three interviews to get hired, though a single interview session commonly suffices for certain entry-level positions. Candidates navigating the interview process typically meet with hiring managers one-on-one at the venue offering the job opportunity.
Typical Questions and Ways to Answer
House of Blues job interviews regularly include situational questions tailored to the type of position applied for. Applicants interested in entry-level server jobs often encounter questions revolving around customer service, such as, "What would you do if a customer disagreed with the amount of his bill?" and "How would you handle an extremely drunk and disruptive guest?" Interviewees applying for management positions frequently deal with questions like, "Can you describe how you would put together a wine list for the club?" which simultaneously probe for decision-making skills and knowledge of restaurant operations. Other popular topics of discussion at interviews include highlights of previous jobs, expectations for the available position, and schedule availability.
Outgoing, Personable, and Well-Dressed
Job seekers should dress slightly more formally than usual when interviewing for House of Blues jobs. Maintain a warm and approachable demeanor throughout the interview process, as the chain of restaurants and concert halls primarily employs friendly workers capable of interacting with the public on a constant basis. The dual functions of House of Blues locations require interviewees to be ready to talk about music-related subjects in addition to fielding questions relevant to restaurant jobs. Interviewers sometimes hire job seekers on the spot. If the interview wraps up without a job offer, make sure to ask for a description of the remaining steps in the hiring process and make plans for follow-up accordingly.
House of Blues Dishwasher Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties?
House of Blues Dishwasher: A utility dishwasher, same thing I do here. Just wash dishes, transporting saute pads, and ramakin clean up, that type of stuff.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
House of Blues Dishwasher: Super, super fast-paced. I’ve worked pretty much in the back of the house all the time, so it’s ongoing, nonstop onslaught of dishes, but it gets time going pretty fast. But everybody was pretty fine with the workload we had, but sometimes it’d be a little overbearing if you weren’t a real labor intense person. But overall it was pretty good environment.
Interviewer: Please describe the application and interview process.
House of Blues Dishwasher: It was pretty hectic for me personally, because I was doing the interview while they were still under construction, so it was like almost a rushed interview. But it was honest questions like, would I be able to work in an environment where they still building and everything like that. But he asked just straight on questions like, would you be able to handle the labor workload, and how fast you can keep up with the fast pace. Other than that, it was real fast because we didn’t process them. They just opened, so…
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
House of Blues Dishwasher: Majority of the thing I could really remember is, they show me what type of work I’m going to be dealing with, and they kept like going over and making sure I was able to do it before they actually hired me in. That’s one thing they was really focused on, like making sure you was able to handle the workload.
Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
House of Blues Dishwasher: Oh, by phone. It wasn’t a matter of not even two weeks. It was actually about a week and a half I was right in the back of the house.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
House of Blues Dishwasher: Yeah, I can say I’ve seen a lot of people, that’s the whole thing, get afraid of the workload because it’s a whole lot. And then I guess when they seen that I wasn’t going to buckle under the workload, because they actually showed me what I’m going to be dealing with before they actually hired me in. So I think a lot of people probably got deterred when they seen the type of environment it’d be in and how fast-paced it was.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
House of Blues Dishwasher: Just be honest and straight-forward about your work ethic. Because if you say you can handle the workload and you’re willing to do the workload, you’re just going to put yourself to get smashed in there. You got to be just able to handle it, able to go through with it. That’s all pretty much it. It’s a real intense labor job. So if you’re one of them guys who like to work to get your time pass fast, it’d be the job for you.
