When a customer walks into your restaurant, you want them to be greeted with a warm welcome. You want honest, hard working employees who have a desire to carry out the vision and mission of your business. More often than not, it can be challenging to find the kind of employees you want. Here are a few tips to keep in mind next time you are looking for new hires at your restaurant.
Get Referrals from Current Employees
You will find that most referrals from employees are going to be a reliable source to consider. Your employee doesn’t want to refer anyone that will reflect poorly on them, and most of the time they know people who have experience in the quick service industry.
Be Specific in Job Ads
Ads you post should have a clear description of what position you are hiring for, with your projected opening date and a few keywords that describe your restaurant’s culture. You should be clear and concise wherever you post your ad, including all job boards and your social media sites.
Check References
Professional references are a great way to get feedback from an outside source and know more about the person applying. Have people list at least 3 professional references. When you have narrowed down your candidates, let them know that you will need to hear back from at least 2 of their references before you can move forward with their application. You might think you really like someone and can tell that they will make a great employee, but checking references is always a good idea.
Be Prepared
Before you start interviewing, be sure you have a solid list of questions that you want to ask (we will cover this more next week). Not only do you want to have questions ready for them, but you also want to make sure you have all of the information that you want the candidate to know about you as well. The candidate will need to know the expected number of hours they will work and what all will be expected of them. Having a clear understanding of how things operate will give them a better idea of what they are getting into and if they want to be part of your team. You want to get to know them, but also want them to have a clear understanding of who you are as a business to make sure it’s a good fit.
Having good employees and lowering your turnover rate can do wonders for your business. There is no sure way to know who you are hiring, but there are some strategies to help you onboard good employees. Next week we will discuss specific questions to ask during an interview.
