Ever cheered as your favorite college football team snagged a big-time prospect through top-notch recruiting? Though lacking the same amount of publicity, recruiting great restaurant talent requires the same amount of effort that coaches put into recruiting athletes. You need top talent on your roster to drive performance, just as a coach needs the best athletes to grab wins.
Your employees have as much influence on your patrons’ dining experience as the food you serve. And if recruiting isn’t your full-time job, finding talent can be difficult. These five steps are important to consider when sourcing employees:
1. Take inventory of your workforce
Prioritizing your open positions is an important part of the hiring process. Is there a spot within your establishment where an extra staff member could boost productivity? Do staff members struggle to remain efficient with the workforce you have?
Awareness of the problems within your workforce can allow you to prioritize hiring decisions. Focus on your employees’ needs to determine where to begin.
2. Determine expertise needed
It is also crucial to determine ideal skills and traits for these positions. What experience and education are required? What traits and characteristics are needed for success?
Including these in the job description can help narrow your talent pool to qualified candidates. It also allows potential employees to understand the expectations of the job.
3. Create job descriptions
Though certain positions already have minimum requirements, it’s important to adjust those descriptions for success at your restaurant, using Step 2 as a guide.
Look to your current staff for the traits and skills you want to see in applicants. Keep your top performers in mind when creating and writing your job descriptions.
4. Post job openings
Restaurants struggle to find qualified candidates, often relying only paper applications and word-of-mouth — so post your jobs online! With 39% of hourly hires coming from online job boards, top talent uses the internet to find new opportunities. Are you making the most of your carefully considered job descriptions?
5. Locate the right people
Remember those outstanding employees of yours? They might have referrals with the same personality traits and skills to help your restaurant improve. Consider using employee incentives, as they are effective in ensuring those workers recommend applicants they truly think will succeed.
Former employees and community partners are other options to consider when searching for the right people. Building and maintaining relationships with other organizations in the community and past employees ensures efficient communication and qualified applicants.
Finding the best candidates for your business doesn’t have to be stressful, but it is important to help applicants understand the expectations and the skills needed to succeed. For even more information about HR challenges restaurants face today, check out this free white paper.
