When recruiting staff for both front-of-house and kitchen positions in a restaurant, designate one person to be responsible for each of the following tasks: receiving applications, reviewing applications, conducting initial interviews, and conducting final interviews. If the company is small, the same person can handle all these tasks, but each step should still have clear completion criteria.
Let's start with the deliverables of this job.
This position involves peak weekend hours, standing all day, and quick meal preparation. Before opening the position, we should discuss whether the employee can work weekend shifts, peak-hour task allocation and handover, and hygiene practices, confirming which items require pre-employment training and which can be arranged. Different tasks or shifts need to be explained separately.
Weekly Schedule Example
- At the beginning of the week, the hiring manager confirms the tasks, time, location, and compensation scope, and the administration organizes the received resumes.
- During the week, review resume analysis and original data to clarify any gaps in information such as work schedules, related store operations, and whether it is possible to attend classes on weekends.
- After review, a preliminary test invitation will be issued, specifying the number of questions, the deadline, and the contact information for handling difficulties.
- Once the candidates are selected, the supervisor will review the report and decide whether to conduct an interview or conduct a supplementary selection; the next steps will be communicated simultaneously.
This is a scheduling example, which can be adjusted according to the candidate's schedule. Each invitation should have a response window; there's no need to wait until the weekend to handle ad-hoc issues.
How do supervisors and administrators hand over responsibilities?
Administrative staff are responsible for tracking the status of received documents and notifications; supervisors assess the evidence and necessary conditions for work. When professional competence requires practical experience or completed projects to be confirmed, qualified personnel are assigned to assist.
For restaurant staff handling both front and back kitchen duties, this mock interview exercise can be used in subsequent interviews: Provide the candidate with a mock order form that includes changes to the menu items, and ask them to explain how they would confirm with the kitchen and then write down the key points of the handover. During the review, carefully check the changes, confirm the recipient, and explain when to respond to the customer.
What adjustments are needed after the first round?
If multiple people have different understandings regarding the availability of weekend shifts, first clarify the full-time vacancy; if the issue is stuck due to a lack of response from the supervisor, reserve the fixed review period. Using tools can help organize information, but the company still needs to complete communication and staffing decisions.
The next step can be to refer to the three-step process from resume to interview for small and medium-sized enterprises without human resources .
Explore the interview system plan for SMEs
The MIND Interview plan for SMEs costs NT$3,000 for six months and includes 50 resume analyses and 15 AI interviews in total over six months. It helps you screen resumes, conduct first-round interviews online and organize reports. Your company reviews the results and makes the hiring decision.
Once you have prepared the job openings, the expected number of resumes, and the number of interviewees, you can confirm with the team whether the plan is suitable and how to start using it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Key questions often raised by business leaders and HR teams:
Without dedicated HR personnel, who will be responsible for the initial screening and review of the restaurant's interior and exterior operations?
This can be handled by the boss or the person in charge, with administrative assistance for data compilation and notification. Professional tasks should be assigned to individuals capable of assessing this skill level.
After the initial interview for both front and back kitchen staff at a restaurant, how can one supplement evidence of their work ability?
Provide a mock order form with changed items. Ask the candidate to explain how they would confirm with the kitchen and write down key points for the handover. The key points are verifying the changes, confirming the recipient, and stating when to reply to the customer. The company will arrange and review this process; the initial interview summary will not be considered the final hiring decision.