Is your food truck ready for a new staff member or two? We all know that there is a fairly high turnover rate for food truck employees than almost any other career field outside of the food service industry. To slow down your turnover this year you should consider using some of these food truck recruiting tips for hiring a staff that is going to work well as a team, stay loyal, and bring a welcoming, friendly personality into your food truck.
Food Truck Recruiting: 10 Tips To Find The Best Employees
Be selective
Even if you have to fill the opening immediately, don’t let corner you into working the hiring process thoroughly. If necessary, offer your current staff overtime so you aren’t forced to hire someone just to fill the vacancy.
Get the word out
Let your staff know that you’re looking to fill an opening and ask them to think of trustworthy, dependable people who would bring great energy to the job. They can help you find people that they already get along with as well as help you be selective, right from the start of your search.
Post online
Mobile Cuisine, Craigslist, Indeed, and LinkedIn are all great resources to consider when posting job ads online.
Use strong words
You want honest, dedicated, punctual, hard-working, energetic, and motivated people to apply for any food truck job you post. The stronger your language, the more you’ll keep away those that don’t fit those criteria. Don’t be afraid that you are making too long a list of requirements; you want strong employees, so use strong language in any job posting.
Consider family and friends
This one has to be approached with caution. In some cases it’s not the best idea to mix business with your personal life. The one issue that food truck owners have to deal with is the high rate of theft in the industry. Because of this it’s very important to hire people you can trust. If you’ve struggled to find people you can trust outside of the family, it might be time to start recruiting them.
Offer some incentives
The food truck industry has quickly become known to be a bit thrifty when it comes to employees. Show that your food truck business is different by offering incentives to your employees. The result will be stronger loyalty and less turnover.
Talk with customers
Odds are high that your food truck parks in areas surrounded by other businesses. Have you become friendly with some of the owners or employees? If so, let them know that you’re looking for great employees. Again, if someone comes with a reference from someone you know on a personal level, odds increase that they’ll be a good bet for adding success to your team.
Check references
Take special note if the candidate has had more than two jobs in the last few years. This can be a strong indicator that they won’t stick around for too long.
Know interview legalities
You must avoid asking about age, birth place, marital status, parenting status, or issues pertaining to religion or ethnicity.
RELATED: Bad Interview Questions: What Not To Ask When Hiring
Check social media
More than ever, people reveal a lot about themselves on their social media accounts. Checking out a candidate’s online reputation could help you to find just the right qualities you’re looking for. It could also give you some advanced warning to RUN from a candidate before you spend too much time with them.
The Bottom Line
Growing your food truck business can be an exciting time. Bringing in new energy can often inspire your existing crew that is already working hard to maintain a great guest experience at your food truck.
Have you recently been involved in food truck recruiting? How did you fair, did you use these tips, or would you suggest any others? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section, our food truck forum or social media. Twitter | Facebook
