Back to school also means it’s back to job searching season for many restaurants

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – It seems like an odd connection, but the return of the school year means you might have to wait longer at your favorite restaurant. 
It also means that now is the time to apply for a job in the hospitality industry. 
Put aside the stereotypes of what you think of restaurant work because the industry has been forced to be more flexible and more generous. 
There’s no doubt you’ve been to a restaurant, seen empty tables, but still have had to wait to be seated. 
“Because of a lack of staff, perhaps there’s dining rooms or tables that they just don’t have the staff to cover and a restaurant doesn’t want to provide service that subpar,” said Ben Fileccia of The Pennsylvania Restuarant and Lodging Association. 
Fileccia said it always happens this time of year. 
“It seems that just when everything is flowing and everything is clicking, everybody’s back to school again,” he said. 
It also means the time is ripe for you to find a job. 
“There are close to 60,000 restaurant jobs in Allegheny County,” Fileccia said. “At any given time, there may be a few thousand positions open, and a lot of them are entry-level.” 
According to Fileccia, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re minimum-wage jobs anymore. He said they’ve seen kitchen staff at $15 per hour and servers making even more. 
“Just check out the classifieds, Craigslist, check out culinary agents – all these sites provide a lot of information about job availability out there,” he said. 
However, Fileccia cautions that there is a time and a place to apply for these jobs. 
“Don’t go apply for a job in the middle of dinner,” he said. “Don’t walk in in the middle of lunch. Between 2 and 4 is a great time. If you are going to walk into a place between 2 and 4, ask for a manager.” 
Remember – you are in the driver’s seat. As far as your availability goes, Fileccia said even if you only want to work a few hours per week, there’s someone out there who could use you. 
While he did say that $15 per hour is a starting rate for line workers and bussing help, cooks chefs, and other positions are making $20 per hour and up depending on experience and responsibilities.