6 Qualities to Look for When Staffing Your Franchise

Finding the kinds of employees who will work hard for your franchise and stick with you long-term can be a challenge, especially if you’re in a high-turnover industry like food and beverage.

And while sometimes you need to hire someone stat, it’s worth taking your time in the hiring process to ensure that anyone you consider meets your requirements, including the following characteristics.

1. They Have Experience

While you don’t need a sales clerk to have 20 years’ experience working in retail, you do want someone who has at least spent some time working in a similar environment. There’s a trend to hire the youngest (cheapest) and most inexperienced workers for restaurants and stores, but consider the extra effort you’ll have to spend training them and instilling in them a positive work ethic. You’re better off paying someone a little older who has at least a moderate amount of experience.

2. They’re Enthusiastic

It can be hard to gauge whether the exuberance a candidate has in the job interview is genuine or put on, but you do want to narrow your search to those who seem to be excited at the prospect of working for you.

How can you know? Talk to them about not only the products you sell but also your company ethos and their own passions. You might find a budding fashionista is thrilled at the prospect of helping customers pick out attractive outfits, or a Type A personality chomping at the bit to take on a leadership role.

3. They Ask Questions

Questions in the interview process usually indicate curiosity and willingness to learn, and that’s an asset to your business. You don’t want to be the only one talking in the interview; you want the candidate to be interviewing you back. After all, it should be a good fit both ways.

4. They Have Unusual Skills

This quality is a bit more nebulous than the others. It refers to those one-off skills some candidates have that would be an asset to your franchise. For example, you probably wouldn’t require employees to know how to juggle, but maybe you meet a candidate who’s adept at it. This could be a cool asset if you run a child-related franchise! So look beyond the job description to find candidates who have a little something extra.

5. They’re Polite

It’s a small thing to say “thank you” or “yes sir,” but hearing these polite terms should give you the green light to consider a job applicant. They’re small nuances, but if these habits are already ingrained in someone, they’ll be more likely to keep customers happy with their politesse.

6. They’re Not Mini-Me’s

Your ego may say that you should hire people who are like you, but that’s not always the case. Yes, you want someone with solid work ethic, but beyond that, you’re better off hiring someone with a different but complementary skillset from your own. If you’re analytical and an introvert, you’d do well to hire someone who’s passionate and extroverted.

Hiring the right people for your franchise goes beyond the resume and job requirements. Sometimes it’s what your gut tells you about a candidate that is more right than what you see on paper, so keep alert during the hiring process to find the best match for your needs.