Summer has arrived and seasonal work for high school kids and college grads is ripe for the plucking. It’s estimated that about 40 million young Americans, aged 16-24, will be turning in their resumes and applications for summer jobs to tide them over between school years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Hiring managers are looking for the best and brightest to help get their busy season handled and under control. But with the need for more work and the availability of a big crop of possible employees, the hiring process still needs to be diligently processed and researched. Even though restaurants see plenty of staff come and go, especially during the summer months, there still needs to be a process for getting hiring right the first time around. Here are some ways that can help hiring managers hire the best temporary seasonal employees.
Hiring managers and supervisors should be thoughtfully mapping out who they want to hire. This needs to be done before the onslaught of interested individuals come pouring in. Think about attributes like culture fit or communication; these things need to be just as important as the ability to remember an order or serve a table of 10. Paint a picture of what a successful candidate looks like and how they can fit in. This will help guide through the screening process, knowing who and what exactly you want. The job description should emphasize not only the day-to-day tasks, but the cultural element of working within your restaurant.
When it’s hiring season it means that there are piles of applications that come pouring in. This means that hiring managers will pour themselves over stacks and stacks of paper or electronic resumes and applications. These will lead to interviews, of course, so it’s important to make sure to set the standard for interviews during this time. Having a template for interviews can help streamline the process while also being able to cut out candidates who just aren’t good fits. Reduce your hiring workload by cutting applicants who don’t provide the answers you’re looking for through the first-round of questions.
During the interview process, it's important to be up-front with candidates about the time frame of the position. If you are looking for temporary employees to keep you covered from June to August, let them know at the outset that the position will not be long-term. You can also ask candidates about their plans and whether they will be returning to school at the end of the summer, so you will be prepared to lose employees once the school year draws closer.
Firing someone is basically a waste of time. It takes a lot of effort to go through applications, set up interviews, conduct interviews, train, and more. This all takes time away from servicing customers, finding the right candidates, and possibly will cost a restaurant in more than just time. Many hiring managers, at this point in the season, may be so desperate for staff that they hire anyone. But service industry jobs demand performance and end up suffering from high turnover rates. Make sure to stick to a clearly vetted and valued outline of who you want and why they would be a great fit in more ways than one. This will save time, stress, and, in the end, your bottom line.
As you engage in the hiring process, make sure that your operation has a comprehensive Hospitality Insurance program that includes employment practices liability (EPLI) and professional liability coverage. The hiring process can be complex, and you don't want to bring on claims when you're looking to bring on new employees.
At RMS Hospitality Group, our expertly crafted policies are written specifically for the hospitality industry. We offer custom tailored solutions to meet any venue’s specific needs. For more information, contact our knowledgeable experts today at (516) 742-8585.
At RMS and associated firms, business continues as usual. Our staff is remote-capable and available to handle all partners, brokers, and insureds at the present time.
