When it comes to finding and retaining talent in labor and skilled-labor positions there are many challenges that may arise. Bakery owners know first-hand that finding and retaining quality talent for their organization is extremely tough, but there are steps you can take to ensure a candidate is a good fit.
When hiring for a position in a bakery, there are a specific set of skills that employers look for, these 3 hiring tips should help you find the best talent for your bakery.
1. Know what your business needs
Here you need to fit the personality to the role and the organization. Before you begin looking for candidates ensure you know what type of person the role needs and what type of person will fit in well at your bakery. A lot of companies today hire to fit the company culture, and bakeries should do the same!
Depending on the size of the bakery, you may be looking for different skill sets, for example larger bakeries with higher outputs will need more specialized positions. Smaller bakeries might need more cross-functional roles, with employees filling in where needed. Once you know what type of person you need, the hiring and interview process will become much easier.
2. Be specific with the candidate
Throughout the hiring process it is best to be a specific as possible with candidates. To do this you must first compose a clear job description with the day-to-day tasks outlined so the applicant knows exactly what they are getting in to. It is important to communicate clearly in the interview process as well, make sure the applicant knows what they can expect in terms of hours and expectations and this should help with retaining the person you choose to hire.
3. Utilize Specialty Job Boards or Colleges and Culinary Schools Job Boards
Job boards such as CareersInFood.com may be able to help you find specialty talent like chefs or quality assurance roles. Think outside the box, for example CareersInGrocery.com often features bakery positions on its website, so it may have a good database of qualified people who are looking for something new.
Post on multiple places. Most colleges have their own job boards that they post jobs on for current students and alumni. A good tactic when hiring for a bakery is to make a list of institutions that had culinary courses and reach out to them to post your position to its students and alumni. This will ensure the candidates have the skills required for the position you are hiring for, especially if it is a skilled-labor role.
In addition to these three great tips be sure to make the most out of online recruitment tools. Today there are numerous recruitment tools that will help you find the type of talent with the experience to fit your role.