Max's Resto Day 3 Interview

Is this real? Is this a fantasy? The final interview for Max's Resto finally arrived after what seems like an eternity of interviews. After exams and the three interviews, the final one has finally arrived. We were told to be there by 3PM, but interview only started at what? 4:15PM? Whiled the time away by sketching, thinking of food, and chatting with the other applicants. There were only around twenty of us now and we were pretty familiar with each other, so it was a cool atmosphere and even got pretty noisy at some point. It was cool how we were all rooting for each other, despite that we were all practically fighting over who gets the job here.


At around 6PM I got interviewed since they started interviewing the supervisors/managers/kitchen applicants first and the dining area applicants later. The chinese franchise owner in Valenzuela, with his wife, was doing the interviews.


When it was my turn to be interviewed, it was pretty laughable because the interviewer was asking me why I was applying for waitress when my experiences were more solid in the kitchen area. I almost facepalmed laughing. He made a good guess and asked me if I wanted to be a waitress or if someone just put me there. I laughed a little and told him that the previous interviewers at Max's told me that I'll only be considered for waitress and that was all I was qualified for (despite their advertisements saying otherwise). I laughed at the irony of it all as we talked about food and cupcakes and good practice in the kitchen. The lady interviewer (the chinese guy's wife?) told me that I shouldn't show interviewers my hands because they're one thing that make interviewers doubt that I actually cook, they don't look like they're suited for work. That realization hit me just then.


Just be yourself with these Chinese entrepreneurs. They're pretty cool. I went to SM North EDSA, my fave shopping spot, after the interview to get some sandwich and then go home.

Day 2 Max's Restaurant Interview

It's the second day of my now-long leg of interviews for Max's Restaurant.You can read the first part of my interview here. 


Don't you just hate it when you have to come back three or more times for a job (which will only pay you minimum wage and around 6-8k a month)? Max's has to thank God they're a good name in the local industry when it comes to restos, or else this would discourage a lot of applicants. 


And the second day... It's pretty uneventful. Had to sit down with all the other applicants (which are still around 30+ in number) and wait to be called to be interviewed by the owner of the SM Valenzuela franchise of Max's. But while he was interviewing, another lady was interviewing, too, and she is, if I understand correctly, also part of the Max's team. She was doing group interviews, while the owner was doing one-on-one interviews.


Well, we had no idea what was going on with two people interviewing, and pretty soon I got called in for an interview with the lady. Quick questions, basic stuff, the quintessential "tell me something about yourself" jig. She also, interestingly, told me that I'd be considered for the waitress position despite the area manager giving me hopes the other day that I can work for the kitchen, and even suggested I try out for the bar. This is what happens when I put on make-up and try to look nice.


And then she told me to come back on Friday. I'm like, "okay".


...And then, "Whut the hell I just used up P200 for this."


A few of us applicants chattered outside as we were going home, and we were like, "Now I'm thinking thrice if I really want to be employed here."


But no pain, no gain. Sadly.

Max's Restaurant Initial Interview

Max's SM Valenzuela is hiring these days so I decided to check it out. They posted an ad on Jobstreet in search for staff for the about-to-open franchise branch in SM Valenzuela, opening this March (or so I hear). If you're interested in the position, send an e-mail to careers@maxschicken.com.ph like I did. 


Here are the links to their advertisements in Jobstreet for Waiter, Waitress, and Kitchen Personnel respectively:


http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/2/default/80/3120370.htm?fr=21
http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/2/default/80/3126641.htm?fr=21
http://www.jobstreet.com.ph/jobs/2012/2/default/80/3127805.htm?fr=21


They mailed me back for interview within the same day I sent the e-mail, and was invited for exams and interview at their EDSA Caloocan branch, located at 498 EDSA Caloocan City. How to get there?


If you're from the North Caloocan/Fairview area like me, you can simply:

• Ride a bus which says UE/Letre/Monumento. You can look out the left-side window and watch for signs that say EDSA Caloocan, and it won't be difficult to see Max's there. The EDSA Caloocan path is past SM North EDSA.
• With that being said, you can also take an FX to SM North, and ride a jeepney going to Monumento, and stay on watch for the Max's resto.

Got there at 9AM. The first batch of examinees were already in and taking the exam, I waited a little while more. There were a lot of applicants applying for different jobs--from CSA to Supervisor, and they also have applicants for the Housekeeping staff.

Exam was fairly easy, just the usual abstract exams, but within 12 minutes. There are people who failed the exam, though, because they ran out of time. (I did, too, but I only had a few numbers left when I did and I just randomly checked any box to make up for it.)

And then we waited to be interviewed by the two HR ladies there; they conducted group interview in groups of five. In my group, only one question was ever really asked: Tell me something about yourself.

They sort the wheat from the chaff with just one question, so better make that one answer count. Talk about things before they even ask it: where you graduated, previous work experience, things that they would obviously want to know, etc.

After qualifying for that interview, we were told that there would be one more interview conducted by the Area Manager, and we were told to come back at a later time that day for it. I took my lunch and burned time shopping and waited for it.

The Area Manager conducting the second interview was a friendly guy and generally nice. Be prepared to answer the usual questions, and if all goes well, you'll have an endorsement for final interview with the branch owner of the SM Val branch. Which I am just about to show up for this Monday, so I'll tell about it then.

If you live near SM Val at all, I encourage you to apply for it. (I know I don't, but I still decided to check it out.)