The job market may be tough right now, but there are still candidates out there who will serve you and your guests well, both in the kitchen and in the front of the house. An excellent restaurant staff recruiting plan is the key to good hiring. After all, if you can’t attract a good quantity of applicants for your open positions, hiring good quality employees becomes impossible.
4 Restaurant Staff Recruitment Strategies
1. Commit to constant recruiting. Recruiting is an ongoing process — a year-round job. By limiting recruiting you limit the number of qualified candidates to choose from. This may inadvertently eliminate a great hire from consideration and could lead you to feel forced into hiring a less-than-suitable candidate simply because of a lack of applicants.
2. Create a win-win staff referral program. Many restaurants already offer a referral program where current employees can earn a small bonus for referring new employees who stick around for a while. Sell this program to your employees by stressing how having the right people on the team makes everyone’s jobs easier.
3. Take an active approach to restaurant staff recruiting. We don’t operate in a job market that allows you to sit around and hope the next great hire will come to you. You should always be on the lookout for bright, energetic, and service-oriented people. Carry around special business cards with a message such as “I noticed your commitment to customer service today. Thank you for going the extra mile! If you’re looking for a career change, please contact me.”
4. Develop a referral program for guests. Your loyal guests want you to succeed, and they can often be a good source for hiring prospects. Guests who are friendly, energetic, and already love your restaurant may be a good fit – or they may know someone who is. Putting up a “Help Wanted” sign isn’t enough; personally talk to your best guests and let them know you’re looking for the right candidates to join your team.
You’ve Recruited and Hired – Now What?
Need help training your servers to increase restaurant profitability? Our restaurant training content was developed by industry experts and pros who have experience delivering results. Click here to learn more about our restaurant training program delivered on the powerful trainingGrid® learning management system.
