Sponsored by our partners at Performance Foodservice
Even before the pandemic, finding the perfect talent to round out your restaurant staff was challenging. With local competitors vying for the same candidates, it’s important to ensure your restaurant is doing everything it can to attract potential employees. That includes having a well-rounded recruitment strategy.
If you’re looking for new ways to reach potential cooks or waitstaff, here are a few ideas to consider adding to your current recruiting efforts.
Employee Reviews
One easy way to improve your chances of hiring high-quality employees is to solicit reviews from your current staff. In fact, not having reviews on websites like Glassdoor or Indeed can hurt your chances of hiring a potential team member. According to Glassdoor, more than 70% of people read company reviews before making a career decision.
Having your employees discuss what working at the restaurant is like can help reassure potential candidates when deciding whether to accept a job offer. Another great way to use a staffing website in your recruiting efforts is to respond to any reviews that your current or former staff members leave. By responding to each positive or negative comment, you will show potential team members that you care about their feedback.
Tweak Your Descriptions
Most restaurants are guilty of using a generic job description when they have an opening. Instead of going the traditional route of writing a paragraph about the job and a couple of bullet points, try to list out why your restaurant is a better place to work than all the other eateries in the city.
Do you offer certain perks for the staff? Are there competitions for waitstaff with prizes? Do employee family members get a discount? Whatever makes your business unique, make sure to include it in the job description.
The Power of Video
While larger organizations often use video for recruitment purposes, that doesn’t mean that it can’t benefit your restaurant business. Videos that either demonstrate your culture or show the day in the life of a team member can be a great selling point for potential candidates.
You may also try recording some of your current staff and allowing them to discuss what they like the most about working at the restaurant. Hearing firsthand about what the job will be like is often an excellent way to attract talent.
Forecast Seasonal Hiring
Generally, there are times throughout the year when you will need to bring on additional staff to assist with the busy season. Some restaurants could add more chefs and waitstaff during the holidays, while other establishments might need more team members over the summer.
One way to prepare for seasonal hiring is to perform a labor forecast at the beginning of the year. This forecast will allow you to predict when to hire additional staff throughout the year so that your team isn’t short-staffed.
Work with a Staffing Partner
While owners and managers are excellent when it comes to the operations of a restaurant, it can be more challenging to balance recruiting efforts on top of daily tasks. Relying on a recruiting partner or program like Qwick can be a great way to get the support you need to find the perfect candidates. Qwick is a trusted staffing platform that can fill shifts instantly with highly vetted industry professionals. Find out how Qwick and other digital resources can help with labor on their One Source, Solution Partners page.
