One restaurant manager suggests stealing employees from competing restaurants by sitting and observing who works proficiently and offering them a job. That way you have someone who you know has already proven they work hard and is trained in your industry. He further suggests, “[F]igure out how much you would have spent on advertising and training…and pay the person that amount as a hiring bonus.” Sitting down with an applicant and finding out there background is still an important step in the hiring process, so remember not to bring someone onto your staff prematurely.

Another approach is to “cast a wide net” and try to garner as many applicants as possible for the position. The basic principle at play here is the more people you bring in, the more likely you will find the person who is perfect for the job. Radio ads, Craigslist, signs, classified ads, and even ads on local television channels are all ways you can use to locate interested candidates.

Once you have hired a new employee, you will likely have to train them. One restaurant manager claims, “The key to keeping good employees is keeping them happy.” He does this by interacting and listening to his staff’s concerns, complaints, and suggestions for the restaurant. His jobs might not be the best-paying, but his employees all know that he has a vested interest in them personally and wants to help them achieve success. He personally gives his expectations to the new employee on their first day in front of everyone else so it is clear to everyone. Having your new staff member observe and follow one of your best employees is another approach to on-the-job training. The benefits of this method is the obviously successful model for your new recruit to emulate. Hiring and training a new member of your staff doesn’t need to be a long expensive process. With a little creative thinking you can find the right person for the job at minimum cost to your business.