Hiring the Right People

Introduction

In a restaurant or pub, hiring is not just about getting a body on the rota. It is about building a team that can handle Friday night pressure, keep standards tight, and still give guests a warm, steady experience. A great cook, bartender, server, or shift lead can lift the whole room. A weak hire can slow service, upset guests, and wear the rest of the team down.

The best operators think about hiring like a funnel. You do not want every applicant to reach the final stage. You want your process to pull in the right people, train them well, and filter out the ones who are not ready for the pace, the attitude, or the standards your place needs.

Concept

The talent funnel in a restaurant or pub has three parts: hiring, training, and the repellent job ad. If you get all three right, you spend less time fixing bad hires and more time running a smooth floor.

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Hiring

Hiring starts before the interview. It starts with how you write the ad, where you post it, and what kind of people it attracts. A strong restaurant job ad does not pretend the job is easy. It tells the truth: split shifts, weekend work, busy service, carrying plates, standing for long hours, or closing duties after midnight.

That honesty saves time. It brings in people who know what they are signing up for. For example, if you are hiring a pub bartender, say upfront that they must handle cash, clean down the bar, learn the till, work late nights, and keep calm when the bar is stacked three deep. That ad will scare off the wrong people and pull in the ones with grit.

The interview should test more than charm. In a restaurant, charm matters, but so does speed, memory, teamwork, and pressure handling. Ask how they dealt with a lost order, an angry guest, or a slammed Saturday night. If possible, do a short trial shift so you can see how they move, listen, and fit with the team.

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Training

Once you hire the right person, training turns potential into consistency. In hospitality, training is not just showing someone where the fridges are. It means teaching the standards, the flow of service, the menu, the drinks list, allergy procedures, cash handling, opening and closing checks, and how to help the team when things go wrong.

A strong training process helps new staff understand how your place runs. A server should know how to greet guests, run food, clear tables, and handle complaints without freezing. A kitchen hire should know prep standards, ticket flow, food safety, and how to keep calm when the pass is full. A bartender should know pour standards, house rules, stock rotation, and how to keep the bar clean during service.

Training also builds culture. If you want a pub that feels friendly, fast, and sharp, your onboarding should show that from day one. New hires should learn what good looks like, who they report to, and what happens when standards slip.

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The Repellent Job Ad

A repellent job ad is a smart filter. It is not rude. It is clear. It tells the truth about the work so people self-select before they waste your time.

For example, if you need a line cook for a high-volume kitchen, your ad can say: "This is a fast-paced role. You will work hot, loud, and under pressure. If you need step-by-step micromanagement, this is not for you." You can also include a simple instruction like: "Start your application with the word 'SERVICE' so we know you read the full ad." That one line filters out the sloppy applicants fast.

The goal is not to be harsh. The goal is to attract people who can do the work and cut out people who will quit after two busy shifts.

Conclusion

Hiring well in a restaurant or pub is about fit, honesty, and follow-through. When you build a real talent funnel, you stop treating hiring like a panic move and start treating it like part of service quality. The right people, trained the right way, make every shift easier, every guest experience better, and every manager less stressed.