Did you ever stop to think why some restaurant owners and managers are so good at hiring the right people, while others are constantly dealing with turnover because new employees never work out? What is it that the successful employer does differently? And what can you do to improve your own hiring success ratio?

Often employers don't have a systematic method of preparing for an interview, so they don't ask the right questions. And if employers don't ask the right questions, they may end up hiring someone for all the wrong reasons. Some common interview errors include asking the wrong questions, talking instead of listening, giving away hints as to how to answer questions, and making hasty judgments. After the interview is finished, there is no way for the interviewer to come to a final conclusion about whether the candidate can do the job or whether he or she will perform up to the restaurant's standards.

Such a haphazard approach results in poor hiring, and thus bad service and increased turnover. But when operators use the right interview techniques, they are able to hire the best candidates and provide their customers with the best dining experience possible.

Start with the basics

There are some basic techniques that will greatly enhance your chances of hiring the right people. First, get organized and create a system. Start off by thoroughly reading each candidate's resume and application. This information will help you to create a list of good questions that will draw out the information you need from the job applicant.

Next, decide where to hold the interview. The atmosphere in which you conduct the interview should be relaxed and informal. The room should be comfortable, quiet and free of interruptions. There should be no obstruction or barrier between you and the candidate.

Treat each candidate the same way you would like to be treated in a business situation. Greet the candidate warmly, extend your hand, introduce yourself, and give your position or title. Use the person's name in the introduction, and also two or three other times during the course of the interview.

Avoid making snap judgments based on the way a job applicant is dressed. Many young people may not have been taught how to dress for a job interview, and a lot of employers have unearthed great employees under unprofessional attire.

Use small talk to develop a rapport with the candidate and make the person feel more comfortable. Don't launch right into the questions. Take some time to chat with the potential employee so that he or she relaxes and is therefore able to interview better. This informal conversation will also help you gain a better sense of what the candidate is all about.

Treating potential employees with dignity and respect also creates goodwill for your restaurant. When candidates aren't treated well during the interview process, the word could quickly spread to others seeking employment and might affect the quality of people who apply for jobs at your restaurant. Also keep in mind that people who interview at your operation are potential customers as well.

To forge a bridge between the small talk and the actual interview questions, give candidates an explanation of the entire interview process. Tell them that you are going to ask them questions about their background to judge whether they would fit into your operation. Tell them you will explain such important details as salary, benefits and scheduling at the end of the interview — there is no sense going into all of that at the beginning if it is unclear whether the person is qualified for the position or not.

Q and A

Write out your interview questions ahead of time. Remember that the purpose of the questions is not to find out exactly what candidates did on previous jobs but to determine how effectively they did those jobs.

Be sure to ask certain key questions early in the interview to immediately eliminate inappropriate candidates. For example, if one of the requirements of the job is that the employee must work the 3-p.m.-to-12-p.m. shift every Friday and Saturday, then one of the first questions you should ask applicants is whether they will be able to work that shift. If a candidate cannot, then he or she is not a viable employee. In some cases a car may be required for delivery, or a job may require a certain amount of physical strength for restocking inventory or moving tables and chairs. Make sure candidates can meet the specific requirements of the job before continuing with the interview.

After determining that applicants have the capabilities and skills to perform the tasks of the job, you must find out whether they will perform up to your standards. In addition, you have to learn whether they will work well at your restaurant, under your everyday work situations. Finally, you need to know whether they will work well with your staff. An attitude of "it's not my job" or "looking out for number one" will simply not fly in today's restaurant environment, where customers are ever more demanding. You need to hire team players.

Your questions should concentrate in the areas of education, work experiences, on-the-job behaviors and how job applicants view their own assets. Finding out where candidates think they need further coaching and development will be critical to your final decision of whom to hire.

Another often overlooked area during interviews is how potential employees spend their free time. You can really learn a lot about a person from his or her hobbies and interests outside of work.

Learn by listening

Often interviewers spend too much time talking and give away answers to questions. A good rule of thumb is that the candidate should be talking for at least 75 percent of the interview.

One way to encourage job applicants to speak up is to ask open-ended questions — questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. The old who, what, where, when, why and how are your best tools to elicit a well-rounded response from candidates. In addition, you can get people to open up by starting questions with words such as "describe" or "explain." There are many books available that offer tips for preparing for an interview and list common questions asked by employers and the best answers to give. So that you won't just get stock answers from applicants, ask questions they are not expecting that will get them to talk about their past job behaviors.

Your questions should be based on the behaviors you feel are absolutely critical to success at your restaurant. By having candidates discuss past situations and behaviors they encountered during their previous jobs, you can better predict what their behaviors will be on the new job.

Take notes while a candidate is speaking, so that you can refer to them later when making your hiring decision. Listen intensely, nod, and give verbal and nonverbal feedback. It is up to you to steer the interview in the right direction. Using statements such as "That's interesting; can you explain more in-depth how you did that?" or "Oh really, what did you learn from that?" not only shows that you are listening, it also allows you to delve a little deeper into the interviewee's background.

The wrap-up

When you have finished questioning the candidate, cover all aspects of the job and your restaurant that are relevant to the person's potential position.

If you feel a person is qualified for the job, then you will want to "sell" the job to that candidate. Create a clear picture of what the job is like. Explain the overall benefits of working for your restaurant, but remember not to oversell. Answer all the applicant's questions and maintain rapport to the end.

If you think you want to hire the person, ask one final question to gauge his or her interest in the position, such as "Based on what you have seen so far, does this seem like a position you would be interested in?" This question may unearth some fears and misgivings that the candidate has about the job. And then, just like a salesperson, you have to overcome their objections and close the sale.

Typically, at this point, the restaurateur will tell the candidate the interview is over and walk the person out. But don't forget one important step — explain what happens next. If the person is being considered for the position, tell him or her whether there will be additional interviews, or psychological or drug tests required. Tell the applicant when you will contact him or her to set up the next appointment or test.

If the person is definitely not a candidate, don't be overly enthusiastic or give any false hope about his or her getting the position. But do walk the person out and maintain a good rapport. If you are undecided about a candidate, organize and review your notes from the interview. Weigh the pluses and the minuses. Make your decision on the following bases: Can the person do the job, can he or she perform up to the standards you have set, and would he or she fit into your restaurant.

By properly preparing before an interview and carefully analyzing your impressions afterwards, you can greatly improve your chances of hiring the right people for your restaurant.

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