Author: TAM of Nevada

Job Searching in Las Vegas? Ace Your Next Hospitality Industry Job Interview

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job searchFinding a great job in the hospitality industry can be challenging. The job market can be very competitive. Are you positioned to show hiring managers you’re the best candidate for the job? Beginning your search is only the first step. Here are some tips for putting your best foot forward and acing your next job interview.

A great way to prepare for your interview is to think about common questions that are likely to be asked, and how you’ll respond. Ask a friend to give you a mock interview. You can practice answering questions and gain helpful feedback about your answers. You want to make sure that you can impress with your confident and friendly attitude and industry knowledge. A mock interview is a great way to build up that confidence.

When you get to your interview remember to:

  1. Arrive on time or a little early to show you’re prepared. Allow yourself extra time to get to the interview, just in case. You don’t want to miss your chance because you were stuck in a traffic jam or got lost! By arriving a few minutes early, you’ll be ready to meet with a hiring manager at the scheduled time, and won’t keep them waiting while you finish paperwork.
  2. Be confident. Smile and sit up straight. Be sure to project a positive attitude and show the hiring manager you are enthusiastic about the opportunity. You can also show your interest by asking good questions about the position.
  3. Show your prepared to get to work. If you’ve already obtained your TAM® Card and/or your Food Handler Card and Sheriffs Card, you’re ahead of the curve! Let the interviewer know if you already have these mandatory requirements completed. It can work in your favor if you have your cards already and can begin work sooner.
  4. Thank the interviewer for their time. Be sure you leave on the same positive note you came in on!

Now it’s your turn. Tell us – what other tips would you give to job seekers in the hospitality industry?

Congratulations to TAM® of Nevada’s Quarterly Customer Survey Winner!

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survey winnerHave you recently finished an alcohol awareness class with TAM® of Nevada? If so, we’d like to hear from you! Here at the TAM® office, we look to our customers for feedback on their experiences with our business – from start to finish.  As a token of thanks for participation, we enter survey respondents into a quarterly drawing for a $25 Amazon.com gift card prize.

Congratulations to Samantha K., winner of our most recent quarterly gift card giveaway! Upon learning she had won, Samantha stated, “Thank you!! Great staff at TAM of Nevada! Very friendly and glad to be a customer!”

If you’ve recently completed your TAM® course and haven’t yet completed the customer satisfaction survey, we invite you to access the survey and submit your response before our next drawing. Let us know your favorite part of the training, what you’ve learned, your experiences with staff, or ask us any questions you might have.

Our customer satisfaction survey is available to both online and classroom students. Thank you again to all of our customers for your patronage and for your helpful responses. Remember to visit us on TAM of Nevada on Facebook and keep the conversation going!

Safe Beverage Service – Higher ABV Wines Require Special Consideration

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Wine ABVIf you’ve taken your TAM® Card training, you know that all alcoholic beverages are not created equal. A standard serving size means 12 ounces of beer with 5% alcohol, 5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol, and 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits, which are 40% alcohol by volume. This calculation helps when you are observing your guests for increasing signs of intoxication. You can easily estimate how much alcohol they have consumed and act accordingly to keep things safe.

However, it is becoming increasingly common for wines to have a higher than standard amount of alcohol by volume (ABV). Maybe you’ve noticed it yourself when opening a bottle of wine for patrons, but the standard 12% ABV isn’t always the norm. As reported by Health 24, it’s not uncommon for many wines to now register at 14-15% ABV, which throws off calculation on a standard five ounce serving.

Additionally, as reported by FWx, a new study suggests the ABV listed on a wine label might not be correct. The study indicated that nearly 60% of the 100,000 bottles tested came back containing a higher percentage of alcohol than was listed on the label. The average overstatement was roughly 0.42%, which might not seem like a lot. But, it could still lead hospitality professionals and guests to underestimate the amount that has been consumed, and put them at risk.

With variations like this, it’s easy to see how patrons can easily consume more alcohol than they intended to, and much more quickly reach unintended levels of intoxication.

So what does this mean for you as a service professional?

  • Read the labels and be knowledgeable about alcohol levels in the products you offer. If you have a bottle of wine or a microbrew on the menu with high ABV, consider including the alcohol percentage on your menu. A server can also mention the higher than average alcohol content to any guests ordering that beverage. A simple, “Here’s your beer. Just so you are aware, this particular bottle has a 10% alcohol level, so this is about double the standard alcohol serving,” would be appropriate.
  • When serving and observing guests, don’t just consider a drink’s potency, consider the serving size. If you’re offering bottle service, it is very important to keep an eye on guests and keep a tally of how much they are consuming. And even if you are serving a standard 12% wine to a guest, if they are ordering a tasting sampler with three 3oz glasses, or a larger 7oz pour, then this is still delivering more alcohol than one standard single serving.

To learn more about safe beverage service and any warning signs to watch out for in guests, complete an alcohol awareness course with TAM® of Nevada.

Happy Holidays from TAM of Nevada – Holiday Hours at the TAM® Office

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Happy holidays from TAM of Nevada! With area businesses hiring extra seasonal hospitality staff, and local establishments preparing for two weeks of festive holidays promotions, and an influx of visitors – it is one of the busiest times of the year for TAM® students. With everyone getting revved up for the big holiday parties, what does that mean to you as a TAM® Card holder? You need to be prepared. Be extra vigilant in checking identification and observing guests. Also, make sure your TAM® Card isn’t about to expire.

If you need to renew your card prior to the start of the New Year, check out our holiday schedule below to find a class that works for you. Don’t delay; make sure you are able to obtain your card in time. Remember, we also offer final exams for online students who take their alcohol awareness course online. Check our class schedule below to find a time that works for you. Best wishes for  happy holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you again in the new year!

TAM Holiday