Difficulty recruiting, suggestions?
Discussion
I'm having a few difficulties recruiting (or even getting applications) for a specific role.
I am looking for a person to work in a school kitchen as a cook/chef. Issue is that the level of cooking is significantly higher than most school.
For example chicken chasseur, pomme boulongere with fine beans or char-grilled tuna steak with gremolata, ratatouille, fresh herb gnocci.
Previously the role was graded at around £8.50 per hour with a basic (NVQ 2) qualification as a requirement and was only advertised on the council and schools website.
Not one application, even after several months.
Changed the advert to say a qualification was desirable and convinced HR to actually pay for an advert on Indeed (
)
One application. Interviewed very well, lots of experience but a useless cook, old school, literally. Despite my concerns they were appointed under pressure from HR and management but only on a temporary contract.
They stayed 5 weeks before deciding it was not for them.
That whole process has taken 8 months.
So now we are advertising again and I want to attract a higher level of applicant. I've managed to get the role upgraded to a permanent position on £10.80 per hour which might help but the hours are pretty much set in stone.
I've thinking the advert should be aimed at chefs, not existing school cooks. Realistically no chef is going to only be looking at 19 hours a week but might want the security of a permanent role which they can supplement with higher value agency work of which there is a lot locally.
Advert would show a salary which would be circa £18K (£7.8k pro-rata) emphasising the pension, the fact it is term time only (39 weeks), flexible hours, always finished by 2pm. no weekends or evenings.
Anyone suggest anything else or an alternative approach?
Also going to try to get HR to pay for it to be advertised on caterer.com
I am looking for a person to work in a school kitchen as a cook/chef. Issue is that the level of cooking is significantly higher than most school.
For example chicken chasseur, pomme boulongere with fine beans or char-grilled tuna steak with gremolata, ratatouille, fresh herb gnocci.
Previously the role was graded at around £8.50 per hour with a basic (NVQ 2) qualification as a requirement and was only advertised on the council and schools website.
Not one application, even after several months.
Changed the advert to say a qualification was desirable and convinced HR to actually pay for an advert on Indeed (
)One application. Interviewed very well, lots of experience but a useless cook, old school, literally. Despite my concerns they were appointed under pressure from HR and management but only on a temporary contract.
They stayed 5 weeks before deciding it was not for them.
That whole process has taken 8 months.
So now we are advertising again and I want to attract a higher level of applicant. I've managed to get the role upgraded to a permanent position on £10.80 per hour which might help but the hours are pretty much set in stone.
I've thinking the advert should be aimed at chefs, not existing school cooks. Realistically no chef is going to only be looking at 19 hours a week but might want the security of a permanent role which they can supplement with higher value agency work of which there is a lot locally.
Advert would show a salary which would be circa £18K (£7.8k pro-rata) emphasising the pension, the fact it is term time only (39 weeks), flexible hours, always finished by 2pm. no weekends or evenings.
Anyone suggest anything else or an alternative approach?
Also going to try to get HR to pay for it to be advertised on caterer.com
Pretty much used every in-house avenue I can think of, PTA, school facebook, school newletter, newsletters at other local schools.
Basically anything that is free as schools find it very alien having to pay for recruitment.
Going to add benefits such as supportive team, food hygiene of 5 (as this can be unusual for a chef!) plus they have access to all the toys chefs like (probably say extensively equipped modern kitchen)
bigandclever said:
Probably stating the obvious, but won't you get more response from cheffy-type job sites? caterer, chefjobs, chefquik, chefcrossing ....
Yep, that's the obvious answer but as mentioned, the concept of paying for an advert is almost unheard of here!It's something I will be suggesting if they don't get a response to indeed and their "free" methods.
"free" meaning it doesn't cost them money out of a budget, but it does cost them the goodwill of a kitchen team "a man down" for nearly a year!
(although strangely I still have time to post this with 96 orders in for lunch
)
SydneyBridge said:
ask the school kids
there must be a mother on maternity leave or something, who the hours (and term time only) would suit, to return to work
perfect job for a parent who has the required cooking skills- not necessarily qualifications, but skills...
For numerous reasons, not an option unfortunately.there must be a mother on maternity leave or something, who the hours (and term time only) would suit, to return to work
perfect job for a parent who has the required cooking skills- not necessarily qualifications, but skills...
We put it in the school newsletter but that has a minimal readership.
I'm half contemplating running a recruitment drive at parents evening!
Geographically this is in the back end of Devon so TBH wages not that great, certainly not home counties levels!
As for outsourcing, they did, then they brought me in to do a better job. I'm just struggling with this one site, the others are fine.
Anyway...
Chef (Permanent)
Hours: Monday to Friday mornings between the hours of 9am and 2pm, 19 hours per week.
Term time working only (39 weeks per year)
Salary: £18,070.00 pro rata (£7,876.39 actual) and excellent pension scheme
If you are an exceptional cook, an experienced chef or a professional caterer tired of working weekends and nights, want more time with your family, then this could be for you!
We have great opportunity for a new person to join our catering team at ****** School in **********. Working in our modern well equipment kitchen you will help produce up to 100 meals a day from fresh produce for students and staff. An example of the type of meals we serve can be found on our school website.
It is likely you will have a background in volume or educational catering although this is not essential. More important is your experience and knowledge of food and cookery which we will expect you to demonstrate at interview to a level equivalent to NVQ 2 or City & Guilds 706/2.
You will be good at working on your own or as part of a team. You will be able to retain your sense of humour and you won’t crack under pressure. Most of all you will have an unwavering passion for producing food of the highest quality.
Lots of LA/HR specific gumph ....
For further details and an informal discussion about the role please contact 21TonyK on .....
As for outsourcing, they did, then they brought me in to do a better job. I'm just struggling with this one site, the others are fine.
Anyway...
Chef (Permanent)
Hours: Monday to Friday mornings between the hours of 9am and 2pm, 19 hours per week.
Term time working only (39 weeks per year)
Salary: £18,070.00 pro rata (£7,876.39 actual) and excellent pension scheme
If you are an exceptional cook, an experienced chef or a professional caterer tired of working weekends and nights, want more time with your family, then this could be for you!
We have great opportunity for a new person to join our catering team at ****** School in **********. Working in our modern well equipment kitchen you will help produce up to 100 meals a day from fresh produce for students and staff. An example of the type of meals we serve can be found on our school website.
It is likely you will have a background in volume or educational catering although this is not essential. More important is your experience and knowledge of food and cookery which we will expect you to demonstrate at interview to a level equivalent to NVQ 2 or City & Guilds 706/2.
You will be good at working on your own or as part of a team. You will be able to retain your sense of humour and you won’t crack under pressure. Most of all you will have an unwavering passion for producing food of the highest quality.
Lots of LA/HR specific gumph ....
For further details and an informal discussion about the role please contact 21TonyK on .....
Well I guess we'll see. I completely agree its not a lot of money for a semi-skilled role. And, given the number of hours the take home pay isn't that great.
But, it is above the normal hourly rate for even a senior role in the target market and as I do not have the authority to override payscales I can only do what I have done in manipulating the role up a grade.
Despite what many may think there are still a lot of people on <>£8 an hour
But, it is above the normal hourly rate for even a senior role in the target market and as I do not have the authority to override payscales I can only do what I have done in manipulating the role up a grade.
Despite what many may think there are still a lot of people on <>£8 an hour
wisbech said:
21TonyK said:
Please, someone else help here. FFS!
Its 19 hours between 9 and 2 over five days!
But that is 25 hours... Is it flexi time on their side? So they can do 5 hours for 3 days, and then 4 hours on day 4? Or turn up at 1010 everyday to do 19 in 5? The more flexible you make it, more likely will be attractive to someone fitting it in around parenting etc.Its 19 hours between 9 and 2 over five days!
At the moment, it sounds that they are expected to be on site 25 hours, but only get paid 19
Edited by wisbech on Sunday 17th September 01:48
However. This is not the same role, if is an "upgraded" role and the responsibilities require that the person is there from 9 until at least 1:30 if not 2 every day. So it is at least 22.5 hours.
Not a lot but maybe slightly more of a draw and an extra £1.5K pa.
This is not how HR will see it though so I think I might be in for a bit of a battle.
Problem is that what happens at one site is mirrored at others so it means other people getting a pay rise as well.
A month in caterer is about £160. The more I think the role through the more I think its not going to work anyway. Or at least not achieve what is needed. Forgetting the hourly rate the role needs more hours if it is to be a five day job. On 20 hours you could just about manage to do 4 days It's a 25 hour role to actually do the job and that's with a more experienced person supporting.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff