According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were approximately 309,800 restaurant and food service manager jobs in the US in 2020.
The BLS projects that the restaurant management sector will experience 15% growth by 2030, which will create 46,200 new positions. While this increase in demand is great for job seekers, it can make it challenging for you to find qualified applicants to fill vacant positions.
Fortunately, you can still hire great restaurant managers and maintain an advantage over competitors by incorporating skills testing into your screening process. Below, we explain what a skills assessment for restaurant managers is. We discuss how it can improve your hiring practices, and we highlight some additional benefits these instruments provide.
What Is a Skills Assessment for Restaurant Managers?
A skills assessment for restaurant managers, alternatively referred to as a “skills test,” is a standard screening tool designed to measure job applicants’ abilities and talents. There are hundreds of skills tests available, each gauging specific abilities. Several skills tests can be useful when screening candidates for restaurant manager vacancies, but more on that later.
When assessing an applicant pool, your hiring team can assign skills tests to gain insight into each person’s abilities. Skills tests provide optimal benefits when administered before an interview, as this screening tool allows you to quickly eliminate any underqualified individuals from contention.
Traditionally, skills tests were administered either at your business location or a third-party testing site. This approach was effective for gathering additional information about applicants. However, on-site testing creates logistical issues because your organization must book the test at a time that aligns with the candidate’s availability and your team’s schedule.
In addition, in-person testing can be quite costly because it involves using a monitor and physical testing materials, such as booklets and answer sheets.
However, modern technology has paved the way for online skills testing. Now, you can assign skills tests via a virtual dashboard and then send a link to the candidates. Once they log in and complete their assigned assessments, your team can immediately review the results.
How Testing for Restaurant Manager Skills Leads to Better Hires
Overinflated resumes, subconscious bias, and many other factors will influence traditional screening practices. As a result, interviews and resume reviews have a high risk of resulting in bad hires, which is detrimental to the success of your business.
On the other hand, testing for restaurant manager skills provides your team with measurable data regarding each applicant’s abilities. The team can leverage hard data to make hiring decisions instead of using less reliable practices. Ultimately, this will reduce the risk of hiring the wrong candidate while simultaneously expediting the screening process.
In addition, you can administer skills tests to current employees to identify staff members with leadership potential. This tactic is a great way to address the current talent shortage and allow you to reward top performers with promotion opportunities.
The Best Skills Assessment for Restaurant Managers
Numerous skills assessments are suitable for screening restaurant manager candidates. You can use multiple hospitality industry-specific skills tests such as Event Planning Skills or Food and Beverage Serving Skills.
The former covers ethics and etiquette, event steps, professional attitude, and planning knowledge. The latter addresses key issues such as food safety, quality of service, and using service equipment.
In addition to these industry-centric skills tests, you may want to incorporate general aptitude and abilities tests into your screening process. A prime example is the Emotional Intelligence skills test, which has 40 questions and covers social intelligence, using emotions productively, and empathy.
Emotional intelligence is an essential skill for restaurant managers as it is the catalyst that allows your staff to work together effectively. Restaurant managers are often responsible for resolving conflicts between staff or customers, which requires both social and emotional intelligence.
Additional Benefits of Screening for Restaurant Manager Skills
Hiring a great manager using skills tests will benefit your business and staff. According to recent research, 69% of employees state that they would perform better and work harder if their bosses showed them more appreciation. This number is just one of many statistics demonstrating the importance of hiring managers with strong leadership skills.
Using the proper pre-employment screening can ensure that you always select the best candidates for these important managerial roles. You can also deploy these tests post-hire to identify skill deficiencies that your team can address with proper ongoing training.
If you are ready to start screening candidates for restaurant manager skills, it is time to partner with the most trusted name in online skills testing, eSkill.
Want to see how easy it is to find top candidates with restaurant manager skills? Contact us to request a demo.