Every week we comb through the news to find employment trends affecting the hospitality industry so you donโt have to. This weekโs hospitality in the news topic: what you need to ask when vetting a manager.
Regardless of the employment landscape, making hiring decisions is never easy โ and it shouldnโt be. Making a โbad hireโ can waste time and energy, not to mention rack up a big bill. According to the United States Department of Labor, the cost of a bad hire can be โup to 30% of the employeeโs wages for the first year.โ This can yield a huge cost, especially when hiring management or executive positions.
Even if you think youโve found a great candidate, you still may be surprised to find an executive-level employee leaving within the first several months, like in the case of a well-known restaurant chain. Less than 8 months after hiring her, their new CEO resigned from her position effective April 15. Not only is the company now tasked with finding another candidate fit to be CEO, but theyโre also on the hook for the cost of a bad hire.
But how can you prevent making a hiring decision that comes up short? By learning what questions to ask when vetting a manager.
Vetting a Manager: What Do You Need to Ask?
Oftentimes when a manager is hired, their technical experience has been vetted thoroughly. Itโs the other aspects, like whether they have the right soft skills or are a good culture fit, that arenโt given as much attention. Thatโs usually the case when an employee in a leadership position quits within the first several months.
By carefully vetting a candidatesโ soft skills, you can help prevent the high turnover rate thatโs associated with the restaurant industry. This will ensure that the candidate youโve chosen to join your team will be there for the long run.
Since 2003, LGC has been a key player in the hospitality staffing industry, placing great executive and management candidates with clients around the country. Here are some of the questions we suggest asking when vetting a manager for their soft skills and culture fit:
- Whatโs your preferred communication style? (With employees, other leaders, etc.)
- Do you feel comfortable joining a previously established management/leadership team?
- Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?
- Whatโs the ideal workplace culture you want in your next position?
- How can we best support you during onboarding and training?
- What qualities do you want fellow executives/management to have?
By asking these questions when vetting a manager, you can have a better understanding of what characteristics theyโre looking for from their next employer. If you donโt have the time to dedicate to carefully vetting a manager or executive, consider partnering with a staffing agency like LGC. We have a dedicated team of recruiters to source and interview job seekers so you can rest assured that when a candidate arrives at your door, theyโre a good fit.
If you need assistance with growing your team, whether on a full-time or temporary basis, contact LGC today.
