Hiring the Right Employees for Your Restaurant Business

Hiring employees for a restaurant is no easy task, even though many may think so otherwise. Especially, if your restaurant structure has a hierarchy that relies on the ability of all the employees working together in harmony to increase efficiency. You have to make sure that the employees you hire are picture-perfect. From being trained and registered to having leadership and multitasking abilities, there’s a lot one has to look for in potential restaurant employees.

Why is this so? Well, because your restaurant employees are essentially the face of your restaurant. They represent your business venture and bring to life your vision and business values. Without them as a vital asset, your restaurant venture may not flourish the way you want it to. 

So, hiring employees for your restaurant is not to be taken lightly. If you are a restaurant owner who has just started, or are one who is on the lookout for what aspects to consider while hiring restaurant employees, then you have come to the right place. Take a deep breath and calm your nerves. Once you know which key elements to look out for are, the hiring process should become a breeze to complete. Here are a few guidelines you can follow to make sure you hire the perfect fit for your restaurant business. 

Have At Least Two Managers Interview a Potential Employee

Apart from interviewing the candidate yourself, make sure they are interviewed by at least two other managers beforehand. By doing so, you’re sure to invest your time in the ideal candidate who possesses most of the required skills. Multiple approvals along the hiring process also ensures that collective decision-making is included as a part of your business philosophy, further integrating your existing employees to your business values and goals.

Keep The Interview Semi-Structured

Many restaurant owners choose to opt for structured interviews. The standard questions of where they have worked previously and where they have received their training from are sure to suffice. However, this approach is not quite the ideal one to opt for if you want to hire the right employee. A semi-structured interview will help you observe and analyze the candidate’s people skills - whether they are welcoming and can handle different situations and responses. Peoples skills in restaurant employees are a vital aspect, especially as it adds to the customer’s experience. And the better the customer experience is, the better it is for customer retention and profits.

Inquire About Past Experiences

We all know inquiring about previous experiences plays an important role in examining whether the potential employee needs to be trained or has adequate skills needed to work efficiently. This can save you a lot of time and effort as you won’t need to invest in training the candidate. So, be sure to explore their previous work experience if any, and ask relevant questions.

For instance, ask them to describe their planning strategy in a situation where they had to handle a team of waiters on an important event for which they were catering for. Or, if they had ever received a bonus or promotion in their previous workplace, if so, then for what reasons? This will help you pick up on their additional skills as well.

Release Job Applications Which Detailed Job Descriptions

To hire the right restaurant employees in the first go, it is important to have custom-made job advertisements. Each specifying the job details and requirements needed in the ideal candidate you’re looking for. This will help cut down on shortlisting candidates with no prior skills in the restaurant industry and give you a pool of trained and professional candidates to choose from.

It’s also better to add your restaurants concept and style in the job application advertisement to convey your vision and goals. This can allow the candidates to be aware of your business atmosphere. In addition, you can also opt for a referral system where your employees can refer their previous colleagues to sign up for any open position. 

Check Each Candidate’s References

Once the ideal candidate has been chosen, checking for references should be your next step. Ask for at least 3 reference letters from their previous employers. If they are verified, only then proceed forward with the final hiring process. This is important in ensuring that what you have analyzed and observed during the hiring process is the true picture. This will give you an affirmation of the candidate’s skills. Remember, to do this thoroughly, you don’t want to miss out on any important detail here.