The key to better managing your labor costs is to turn over the applicants, not the employees. How? Become a better interviewer. The most important part of any interview comes in the planning. Being well prepared will send a clear message to applicants that you’re serious about finding only the best people to work in your restaurant.
Use this interview agenda as a baseline to create your own:
Greet the applicant and put him or her at ease with small talk.
- Explain what you hope to accomplish with the interview.
- Tell the applicant that you’ll be taking brief notes.
- Ask questions from a prepared question list.
- Follow the 80/20 rule: Let the applicant do 80 percent of the talking — you should only speak 20 percent of the time.
- Review the job description. Answer any questions the applicant may have.
- Finish by explaining your timetable and the next step in the hiring process.
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