Interviewing, Hiring and Training in the Restaurant Industry

               Anyone working in management in the restaurant industry knows that it can be hard to hire (and keep) quality staff. When dealing with high turnover rates, sometimes it can feel like as soon as you hire a new employee, another one quits. Through all the stress of constantly hiring and finding replacements, it can be difficult to find the time to thoroughly train employees, but often, proper training can solve a lot of problems.

               A good place to start the process of improving your staff is during the recruitment of new hires. One of the most important factors to pay attention to when interviewing is your candidate’s attitude. Many restaurants look for candidates with a lot of experience in the industry, but it’s much easier to teach employees new skills than it is to change their personalities.

               The interview process is a crucial stage when hiring. This is where you get a feel for your candidate’s personality, which is essential if they are going to be interacting with customers. Try to ask questions that generate honest responses from your interviewees. By getting creative, you’re encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone and open up to you, rather than just saying what they think you want to hear. Some good interview questions could be:

1. Think back to a time you made a mistake. How did you handle it and what do you think you could have done differently?
2. What words would your friends and family use to describe you?
3. How would you define good customer service?
4. Think back to a time you felt you received bad service at a restaurant. If the roles were switched and you were the server, what would you have done to remedy the situation?

               Once you have a good team in place, train your best staff to help mentor newer employees. Not only will this take some of the stress off of you, but it will provide employees with a model example to follow. This will also encourages camaraderie and teamwork among your staff, contributing to an overall great dining experience for your guests.