For Zabir, moving to the UK as an international student meant starting a new chapter- adapting to a new city while finding work to support himself and build a life abroad.
Hospitality had always been part of his story. Growing up in Bangladesh, he spent time helping run his family’s restaurant and quickly fell in love with the energy of the industry.
“What keeps me hooked is the pace and rhythm of hospitality. The energy of a busy service and making everything run smoothly under pressure.”
But when it came to finding work in the UK, the job search quickly became frustrating.
🫣 The CV black hole
Like many hospitality professionals, Zabir began his search the usual way- job boards, applications and handing out CVs in person.
“Prior to joining Candid, I was doing what most people do. Endlessly applying online and hoping for the best. I also printed out a stack of CVs and walked around handing them out to places with hiring signs.”
Despite the effort, the hardest part was the lack of response.
“What frustrated me most was the silence. After hundreds and hundreds of applications, I’d either hear nothing back or just receive an automated response. It felt very impersonal and honestly quite discouraging.”
Zabir, Front Of House @ Sandwich Sandwich
🤩 Right place, right match
Zabir discovered Candid almost by chance while talking to a friend about how difficult the job search had been.
“I was actually on a call with my friend, talking about how frustrating it had been trying to find work. At that exact moment, he came across an ad for Candid and said, ‘Just try this, you never know.’”
“I signed up to Candid, matched within days, and the rest is history. So honestly, shoutout to my friend Niazi for that one.”
Zabir, Front Of House @ Sandwich Sandwich
Instead of chasing opportunities, Zabir suddenly found the process working both ways.
““The feeling of being matched rather than constantly chasing opportunities. For once, it felt like the process was working both ways. I was being evaluated purely on what I could bring to the role, rather than anything else.”
Zabir, Front Of House @ Sandwich Sandwich
🥪 A match made at Sandwich Sandwich
Through Candid’s anonymous matching process, Zabir connected with Sandwich Sandwich and secured a Front of House role.
Now settled into the team, the experience has made a huge difference as he begins life in a new country.
“What I can genuinely say is that I’m excited to go to work each time. Everyone has been welcoming and supportive, and from day one I felt like a valued member of the team at Sandwich Sandwich.”
💛 Serving up a new chapter
Zabir’s journey highlights a challenge many hospitality candidates face- hundreds of applications, little feedback and a hiring process that can feel impossible to break into.
By removing CVs and subconscious bias from the early stages of hiring, Candid helps venues discover great people they might otherwise miss- and helps candidates find opportunities that might never have come their way.
If you’re ready for a kitchen that feels right…
👋 Tired of job hunting the normal way?
Sign up to Candid and find your next hospitality role – faster, fairer, and without a CV💛
