Chapter 7: Hiring and Training Employees
Chapter 7: Hiring and Training Employees
Your personal chef business might eventually grow too large for you to do everything on your own. Some personal chefs decide to operate by themselves for a period of time before considering the hiring of additional employees; others will want to more aggressively build the business, and might want to have the hiring completed before the first meal is ever served. In any event, it is important to know how to properly find quality employees that will treat you with loyalty and respect.
This chapter outlines many of the considerations of hiring and training employees to help your personal chef business grow profitably, while providing valuable career experience for the people you choose to hire.
Finding and Pre-Screening Employees
Now that you have a vision of your business and have determined where you want to work, it is time to think about hiring employees. Some of the people you employ to make your business a success will be consultants, lawyers, and accountants. You might also need to hire employees who work for you and help with transportation and delivery, dish washing and clean up, or serving food.
Perhaps you have decided to be both employer and sole employee of your business for now. That is fine; many personal chefs begin their operations without the assistance of employees and find that they are able to serve quite a few clients before additional help becomes necessary. If you are not yet ready to consider hiring employees, you can skip to the section about hiring professionals and consultants and refer back to this section if the need for employees arises in the future. However, if you have determined that hiring a qualified staff is essential to the success of your business, read on for tips on how to choose, hire, and train the right employees for success.
Even if you have decided to hire employees, you will probably still be doing most of the cooking and food preparation. Your employees will be responsible for some of the other elements of your business, such as clean up, transportation of food, and serving food at catered events. Even though these might be relatively low-paying, part-time positions or contingent positions, it is still important to hire the most responsible employees you can attract. The quality of the employees you hire can have a direct influence on your success as a business owner.
Your first consideration should be deciding how much you will need to pay your employees. Check on federal and state minimum wage and labor laws to determine what you will legally need to pay your employees. If you are planning to hire high school students to work part-time, you will also want to check on the maximum number of hours that these employees can work, how many breaks you are required by law to provide, and how late they are allowed to work. If you have an attorney or human resources consultant, they might also be able to help answer these questions for you and provide valuable guidance regarding whether it will be beneficial to your business to hire students as part-time employees.
Taxes and payroll are also important considerations you will need to deal with when setting up and expanding your personal chef business. You will probably need and want to hire an accountant to oversee your tax forms and make sure all tax deductions are legal and for the correct amount.
The first thing you will need to do is let potential employees know that there is a job available. One of the most common ways to get the word out that you are hiring is running an advertisement in the local newspaper. This method of finding employees could also prove to be your most costly and time consuming method of recruiting suitable talent to help you run your business.
With the current job market, this method will probably provide you with a relatively large response; there are many unemployed people looking for entry-level food service positions in many parts of the United States. When writing your advertisement, it is important to be as specific as possible about the job and requirements. Taking time to put together a well-structured advertisement will save you some of the trouble of screening out employees who do not meet the specific job requirements. This will also save time, since running an advertisement in the jobs section of the newspaper will probably provide you with the largest list of potential employees to pre-screen and interview.
It is important to get as much employment history as possible when you are initially screening potential employees. This can be a challenge when hiring for an entry-level position, as some of your candidates might not have established a work history or created a resume. If they do not have any work history, ask for personal references from teachers and family friends.
It might be best to ask potential employees to call in. Have a list of preliminary questions by the phone and be prepared to conduct a pre-screening interview over the phone. These questions need not be complex, but will give you a clearer idea of what applicants you should have come in for an interview and which you can eliminate quickly. Here are some sample questions you can ask when potential employees call in.
From the three sample questions listed above, right away you will be able to determine whether the candidate has experience in food service, whether they are available to work the required hours, and whether or not they are particularly interested in the job you are offering or are just looking for any job.
You can be as detailed or brief with your pre-screening interview as you want to be. The first thing you will want to address when setting up your pre-screening interview and the actual interview is what is most important to you. Do you want someone with experience? What hours do you need your employees available and what is the minimum, or maximum, amount of hours you want your employees to work? If the employee will be interacting with customers much, how well do they speak and present themselves?
Having a clear-cut idea of what types of employees you are looking for will make the interview process much quicker and simpler by helping to eliminate those who do not meet your standards.
When pre-screening potential candidates, you will also want to be sure to ask for their first and last name and phone number. This may seem like obvious information you would want to obtain, but sometimes it is easy to forget to ask when you get on the phone with someone. If possible, print out a form with the questions you want to ask; the form should provide a space for the candidate’s name and phone number, as well as a comments section for you to make notes on your personal observations about the candidate.
If you feel like you simply do not have the time to speak with and pre-screen every candidate who comes in, you can request a copy of their resume. You can also accept a letter of interest if an applicant does not have a resume. Be sure when using this method of pre-screening employees that you include your e-mail, fax number, or mailing address for the candidates to send their resumes and letters to. Also, be sure to specify what means they may use to contact you. For example, if you do not want to get a huge volume of phone calls from people inquiring about the job, you can indicate in your ad that your do not want candidates to call in.
As the resumes come in, separate out the most qualified candidates. You can still choose to complete a pre-screening phone interview before meeting with the candidate, or if you are operating on a short timeframe and need to hire someone as quickly as possible, you can go ahead and proceed with setting up face-to-face interviews. When looking at letters and resumes, you should already know what qualities you consider most important in an employee and should be prepared to immediately screen out anyone who does not meet your criteria.
Another way to find qualified employees is to ask friends and families for referrals. Most people will not stick their neck out and recommend someone they do not think will do a good job. They know that the failure of someone they refer could reflect negatively on them and their credibility. Therefore, they will take great care in referring family members and friends to potential employers.
Gathering referrals will save you time when it comes to pre-screening employees. You will not have the huge volume of candidate calls and inquiry letters to go through. You will also have the peace of mind of knowing that your candidates already come recommended and have a glowing reference from the family member or friend who referred them.
The best part is that having potential employees referred to you is free.
Another advantage to gathering referrals is that it might help you find people who are interested in the business. These people might be interested in opening their own catering or personal chef business or might be students in culinary school. People who are interested in your industry will more likely take the job more seriously and see it as a career booster rather than just a job.
However, you will not want these people to take your ideas and move in right down the street, undercutting your prices and stealing your customers. Speak with an attorney about setting up a non-compete clause that is fair to both you and your employees. A non-compete agreement is a legal contract that keeps your employees from taking your clientele with them when they open their own businesses. Some non-compete clauses also specify how geographically close a former employee can set up their own business to your existing business.
Looking for employees through the referral process should never be a substitute for checking references. The person referring the potential employee might not be aware of all of their work history or past job performance. If you are requiring your potential employees to provide references from past employers or teachers, it is still important to call and check references before hiring. This practice will help you determine that your candidates are reputable, responsible, and able to conduct themselves properly while on the job. Anyone you hire represents you and your personal chef business; therefore, your employees’ actions will be a direct reflection on you and the reputation of your company. As you build your business, your reputation as a professional can make or break your success.
Some personal chefs and caterers choose to hire family members. Hiring a spouse, sibling, cousin, or nieces and nephews as part-time staff can cut out the expense of running advertisements and can save you the time of interviewing because you already know your candidate’s employment history and work ethic. If you choose this option, it is important to make sure you hire family members who are responsible and will take the job just as seriously as they would if they were working for an employer who was not a family member.
If you have a rented kitchen or storefront, you might also be able to find employees by placing a help wanted sign in the window. Please be aware that this might increase your traffic. Potential applicants will see your sign and simply walk in during business hours to inquire about the job. If you are currently working alone or do not want interruptions, you might not want to use this option. This option might also be difficult if you are sharing rented kitchen space with another chef or caterer. The employees of the other chef or caterer might not know that you are hiring and will likely not want their work to be interrupted by your potential employees.
If you do decide to put out a sign, you will need to have application forms available for the applicants to fill out. Generic application forms can be ordered online or through a business supply catalogue, or you can have some printed up at your local print shop. In larger metropolitan areas, you might also be able to pick up generic application forms at an office supply store. If you want more personalized application forms with your company’s name and logo, you can also get creative and make your own on your office computer. Be sure to ask for your applicant’s name, address, personal information, contact numbers, and work history. You can also include any questions you like about relevant skills and work history on your application. If you have hired an attorney or human resources consultant, you might want to have them look over the application form to make sure all of the questions that are asked are legal and within the confines of employment law.
If you have the opportunity to speak with candidates who come in to fill out an application, it might be helpful to use this time to pre-screen. Most applicants who have seen your sign will come in impulsively. This will give you a chance to see how the employee presents themselves and how well groomed they are. This is especially important if your employees will be coming in contact with clients on a regular basis. You will want to choose employees who are well groomed and will present themselves well to clients. Good employees will help you maintain clients and gain referrals.
The Interview Process
Now that you know how to find and pre-screen potential employees, you will need to proceed with the interview process before selecting your employees. The interview process can be long and time consuming, but it is necessary to interview your applicants to hire the right employees. The only exception or reason to not interview potential employees is if you are hiring family members. This is an exception to the rule because you already know your family members and have some familiarity with their work history and work ethic.
If you are hiring your employees from a pool of people who you are not already familiar with, taking the time to interview can save you time in the long run by allowing you to weed out candidates who are not a fit for the job. This also cuts down on turn-over and keeps you from having to constantly look for new employees to replace the ones who did not stick around.
By taking the time to interview, you can also avoid, or cut down on, the risk of employing people who call in often or are habitually late for work. These employees can leave you under staffed and can cause you and the rest of your team to run behind schedule for an event. Being late or failing to have food ready to go on time can cause you to lose clients and be left to deal with customer complaints.
The interview process can be stressful for the employer and the potential employee. If you are not used to interviewing people, you might not be sure of the appropriate questions to ask. If you are nervous and unprepared, you will not be able to focus on the process at hand, which is hiring the best employees for your business.
The number one rule of successful interviewing is to always be prepared. Here are some tips to preparing for an interview:
Now you are probably wondering what you should ask your potential employees. We have already discussed a few questions you may ask when pre-screening your applicants. If you have not previously asked the candidate those three questions, they may be included in the interview. Here are some more sample questions you may ask potential employees when you are conducting an interview. Please note that these questions may be changed, modified, and some left out completely if your applicant does not have any prior work experience. If you are working with an attorney or human resources consultant during the hiring process, you will also want to go over the questions you will ask at the interview with them. With today’s strict privacy and employment laws, some questions may be seen as inappropriate to ask.
These are just a few questions you can ask potential employees. Another way to develop interview questions is to think back to your own job interviews. What questions have past employers asked you that have stuck in your mind? Do you think these questions would be helpful to you in determining whether someone is a good fit for the job you are offering or for your company?
The interview process is your chance to see the real person behind the glowing resume or work history. A thorough job interview should last 20-30 minutes. If you are working on a strict time schedule, try to dedicate at least 15 minutes to each candidate interview.
The less time you spend with each candidate, the more each question will need to count. When you are deciding what questions to ask your applicants, determine what you hope to learn with each question and how relevant and important the question is.
You may also want to test potential employees’ skills by having them prepare a dish in the kitchen. This can be from your recipe or theirs; however, having them prepare one of your recipes ensures they can follow diections.
If you have already employed an attorney or legal council to help you set up your business, go over the questions you will ask your candidates with your attorney. Although there may be certain questions you want to ask to determine whether your candidates would make good employees, there are some questions that might not be legal to ask at the interview.
Employment laws are set up to protect both the employer and the employee. You will need to be sure to involve your legal staff in the hiring process. If you are planning on hiring several employees, you might want to contract with a human resources specialist. We will talk more about contracting with professionals later in this section.
Training Employees
Now that you have hired the best employees in the business, you need to train them. Even employees who have worked in a similar setting will need training. This is because each business does things a little differently. You will want to make sure things are being done consistently by each staff member and are being done the way you want them to be done.
It is important not to skimp on training. If this is your first group of employees, consider holding some group training sessions once you have selected your employees. During these training sessions, orient the employees with the equipment and your facility.
Make the training as hands-on as possible, as many people learn from doing. Demonstrate, then let them complete the task themselves, whether it is the proper way to set up the table or quick food preparation. Be sure to address any questions at these training sessions as well.
Sometimes employers will bring in consultants to train employees. Although this might result in highly skilled employees who have been trained by an expert, consultants are costly and might not train your employee the way you would prefer them to. As a small business owner, you will have certain standards that you will want your employees to live up to. You will also want them to do things by your standards. If you hire a consultant to help train employees, make sure they are on the same page with you and your vision for your company. Also make sure that they are flexible and willing to work with you to train employees who will meet your needs.
Once you have employees trained the way you want, you can train designated employees with seniority to train new employees on the job. Be sure to sit down with your trainer and let them know what is expected of them before training begins. This will also be a time to make sure your current employee is comfortable training another. Some employees are natural teachers and like to train others, while some employees do not communicate or teach as well and do not wish to train others at all.
When choosing an employee to train others, you will want to make sure that the employee is patient and communicates well. An employee who does not have the patience to answer questions and the ability to communicate effectively with others will probably not be a good trainer.
If you are asking another employee to train your new hire, it is still important to make your new employee feel welcome. Talk to them and welcome them on their first day of training before introducing them to their trainer.
Contracting with Professionals
A lot of work goes into running a business. As a small business owner, you will probably need to contract with professionals who have expertise in areas such as accounting and the legal aspects of starting and running a business.
These professionals can be costly and you will need to budget for them when putting together your business budget. When you are looking for a lawyer, consultant, or tax specialist, it is important not to shop by price alone. Look for quality and price.
For example, if you are looking for a Web designer to hire as a consultant when getting your Web site off the ground, you will want to see a sample of Web sites they have already completed. Although one Web designer may be offering to contract to complete your Web site at a significantly lower price than most, you probably will want to pay a little more for another Web site design professional to ensure that his or her work is up to your expectations. This will be especially true if a competitor’s work is exactly what you are looking for and is only slightly more expensive. After all, with the growing popularity of the internet, it is essential to have a Web site that is organized and well put together.
So how do you find lawyers, tax specialists, and consultants who will fit your budget and still do a good job? The best and easiest way is to ask friends and other small business owners whom they use. This saves you the time of going through the yellow pages and making calls to find professionals who will be able to deliver the services you need within the budget you have set.
Another way to find qualified professionals to provide support for your business is networking. Many towns have organizations for small business owners. Accountants, consultants, and some attorneys are small business owners themselves and can be found in these small business groups. Being a member of one of these groups will also help you gain clients’ and referrals.
You can also utilize the Internet to find qualified consultants and professionals. Web sites, such as www.elance.com and www.guru.com, will give you the opportunity to post a description of the services you need. Qualified professionals can then bid on your project and provide samples of their work. The best thing about most of these Web sites is that it is free for you to post your project and you do not have to choose any of the bidders if none meet your requirements or budget. This is an excellent way to find Web site designers and qualified writers to provide marketing materials for your business.
Here are some things to remember when hiring consultants and professionals as support for your business:
Hiring employees, professionals, and consultants to aid you in starting and running your business can be a difficult and stressful process. Whenever possible, get recommendations from friends and other small business owners. This can save you time and take some of the guess work out of your choices.