Hiring-Sourcing

There are tons of employment websites from monster.com down to craigslist. While I have had success using these services two of the best sources I've found are free. I was managing a retail bakery cafe and we were extremely short staffed. The owner started scheduling managers time off to devote to recruiting. We had a few colleges in the area so I went to their career centers and they were more than happy to get me set up on their employment opportunities web page as well as their employment board. It took me about 20 minutes, it was free and I started receiving resumes that day. It was also great when I had specific day parts that I needed coverage for. Some of those hires have worked throughout their college tenure. That's 4 years of a solid, trained employee.
Another great source that is often overlooked is your current staff. Their friends, family members, previous co-workers. Typically referral bonuses are geared toward management candidates but I have gotten some really great hourly employees this way. I've known some managers to be leery of hiring siblings or such. I have never had any problem with family members or partners working together. Although, laying clear ground rules for expectations of professional behavior can help avoid potential problems. I would offer a $50 referral bonus stipulating 90 days after of the date of hire if the person they referred was meeting performance expectations, they would receive the bonus. That's why I consider this a free resource, if after 90 days they are meeting expectations they have paid for themselves.

Whatever method you use to attract potential hires, the interviewing process is the 1st step in preparing your business to be successful. Are you asking the right questions? Are they giving you specific or general answers? Will they be a good fit for your business? The next section will highlight interviewing techniques I have found successful..

The Interview-Getting to Know You

There are some great resources at EzineArticles.com that relate to business mgmt. My focus will be on managing people. The first and most important element is to hire the right people. There are a lot of resources out there that offer sample interview questions. Whichever method you choose the focus should be on getting an idea of the type of person and type of worker they will be. If you're receiving monosyllabic answers you must draw them out and get them talking. Make sure you are creating a comfortable environment so they will open up to you. I like to ask personal and professional questions. Questions I always ask that have a significant impact as to whether I hire a person or not are: How do you get through situations when there are a number of things you have to accomplish in a short period of time(multi-tasking) Tell me your idea of excellent customer service. Tell me about a time when you had to handle a dissatisfied customer(ask for specifics!!) This is another indication of how they will deal with a stressful situation. Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond to satisfy a customer(are they willing to go the extra mile for the customers. Then I'll throw in.... give me 3 adjectives that best describe you. If I met 3 of your friends on the street how would they describe you- is also a great personal question I've used. It draws them out. Most people smile at these questions if they don't, I begin to question how they will interact with guest. I will also start to tailor my questions towards ways they have made a guests feel welcome. Remember the true purpose of the interview is not to fill an open position, but to find someone who can take care of your business and the customers when you're not there.

I also believe in holding more than one interview. Having another managers perspective can firm up a decision or call it into question. Either way it's a simple and useful tool to ensure you are hiring the right person. When we didn't agreed on a candidate we would hold a more in depth interview or bring in another manager for a 3rd interview. I'll soon have some sample interview questionnaires and talk about setting up ratings systems for the interview.

It's All You

So after all your hard work you've made it to the top. You're the head honcho. You know the business. You know the numbers. You're feeling pretty good. Then your opening server calls out. A cook doesn't show up because you've scheduled him outside of his availability. Sally is only trained to work the register and Meridith only knows salads. Some things within the business will be beyond your control but having systems in place to ensure you are maximizing your staffs potential(and happiness) can be achieved with a little investment of your time. There are 4 essential parts. Hiring, Training, Development and Advancement. I'll share with you techniques that have worked for me as well as the bumps in the road. I'll talk about the other side of the interviewing process, how to set up a successful training plan for your new staff member and planning the next steps for your seasoned employee.