(FS8) Successfully Interviewing For Your Franchise Business

As a franchisee, the interview process isn’t just a representation of who you are, but of the franchise as a whole. Imagine the power that comes with being the owner of a big name franchise and if you hire someone, you’ll want to transfer your passion for the brand or franchise onto them. You should only include the necessary information about the company during the interviews without crossing the line of what is confidential for individuals outside of the company to know. While you want them to know what you stand for and what is to be expected, you don’t want to cross any lines with your franchisor.

So you’ve got the resume in your hand and you’ve looked it over. Before you walk into the interview, it’s important to know that a resume and an interview aren’t actual work. They are a piece of paper and a talk with an individual and can prove nothing about what kind of employee the individual is. You just have to conduct the interview, pay attention, and hope you see signs of what’s real and what’s not because many job seekers will embellish or make you think they are better employees than they really are simply through their words—though that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t trust your applicants. Many of them will be trained and polished from past jobs. Just as many of them that are overqualified will probably be under qualified. The most important thing is to simply be aware.

Before the Interview

Before you enter the room for the interview, you should have a few things prepared such as the resume in hand and a list of printed questions. You should have a pen or pencil for note taking during the interview and maybe mark important or questionable things you saw on the resume that you might want to address when you’re in the interview. This is your first contact with an individual will have with you as a potential employer. By being prepared, you set yourself up for respect and viewed as competent. You set yourself up to be someone who the person might want to work for and whether you’re prepared and organized will be a helping factor in that. An interview with you is just as much an interview for them on whether you’d be a good fit for them.

Most franchises will have an operations manual from the franchisor. It should list information on the following things regarding hiring:

• Applications and other hiring tools
• Guidance on what to anticipate management and staffing needs
• Hiring evaluations
• Human resources paperwork
• Interview preparations
• Interview questions and techniques
• Job descriptions and staff responsibilities
• Job features and benefits for you to tell the job seekers during the interview
• Profiles for different candidate types that should be sought after
• Recommended pay plans and bonus information
• Recruiting Resources
• Recruiting techniques and strategies
• Recruiting tools (letters, signage for your store, brochures, etc.)
• Reference checklist
• Telephone techniques for recruiting

If for some reason your franchisor doesn’t provide any of this information, you can either ask them to develop it or seek help through other franchisees. They may have resources they are willing to give to you or to share with you for recruiting. You should never just hire someone to put a body in your store. This can jeopardize your entire franchise. You should always pick your people carefully and having the right tools is am a major part of that.

•   The Prototype Application:

This should be included in your operations manual presented by your franchisor. It should be the same if not a similar form presented to all franchisees. You can photocopy it or make an online format.

• Quick Reference Information for Your Business and Brand

Most applicants will want to know about your franchise and what it stands for. You should be prepared to talk about the franchise in great detail, what you believe, and why you love it so much. You want to instill the same passion for the product and chain in them as you have. If you need a reference sheet, make one ahead of time that you can use to stay on track.

• A List of Questions You Want to Ask

All the questions you ask in the interview should have something to do with the job, job requirements, or tell you something about how the individual will perform. If you have a list of questions, you don’t have to remember or memorize them. Make the paper in bulk so you can fill out answers with what the interviewee says and stable it to their resume to review later.

• Rules of Employment

It will be important that all of your potential employees know the rules of employment prior to accepting the job. They don’t have to know everything they’ll learn during training, but they should know what the deal breaker rules are from the get-go. This includes dress code and grooming requirements, policies, expectations, and code of conduct.

• Hours and Days Available

While you can have a tentative schedule that’s changeable upon hiring, you’ll need to know if you’re hiring part time or full time. You’ll also need to tell them if it’s for any specific days. If your store operates every day and you’re hiring for everyday services, then let your applicant know. If you’re just hiring extra help on the weekend, let them know that. Also let them know if you’re hiring for specific hours or flexible hours and which hours go with which job.

• Review the Application

Always, always, always review the application and/or resume prior to the interview. You should have a general idea of the individual’s background so you know where to start. You don’t have to study their resume, but you should have a sketch that the interview will attempt to color in.

Continue Reading from The Franchise Series 8

• Hiring, Training, and Other Staff Decisions in Your Business
• Different Legal Issues to Consider For Hiring in Your Franchise
• Things to Remember During Interviews at Your Franchise
• What Comes After the Interview in Your Franchise
• Being an Effective Leader for Your Franchise
• Training Your Team to Work in Your Franchise Efficiently
• Keeping the Employees You Want in Your Franchise
• Making Sure Your Franchise Follows OSHA Rules