In recent days, Chipotle has been very public about their mission to hire as many as 4,000 new employees in just one day. This massive hiring frenzy, while unrealistic for most restaurants, is a good reminder that operators must stick to best practices when it comes to the hiring process, particularly in the interview.
We reached out to our restaurant human resources and compliance consultant, Brian McDonough, to uncover the top five things to look for when hiring hourly employees.
1) Connection : Explore the ability of the candidate to make eye contact, converse and explain—that’s how they will communicate with your guests and other employees.
2) Consistency: By reviewing events within the candidate’s life (sports, past jobs, education), does the candidate stick with what they start?
3) Attitude: How the candidate approaches problem solving, interaction with other employees and interaction with guests is what makes them a high-performing employee.
4) Experience: Even if the candidate has not performed the specific duties of this position, review past experience and cross-reference similar skills to be sure the candidate has has a strong chance at performing the tasks being presented.
5) Desire: Through questioning, gauge the prospective employee’s interest in the position, working for your company and working at all. Ensure the candidate has sufficient motivation to come in to work each day.
Happy hiring!