We have all heard the old saying many times, “hire the right people for the right positions.” Sounds great. Very logical. But, what does this mean exactly and how do you go about doing this?
For the club’s catering department, this will first require an analysis of the department, including determining the potential revenue goal and the responsibilities involved with this specific position. You cannot hire the right person if you do not understand the profile of the person you want. You must first determine exactly what it is you need—a catering director who will “stand alone” in the department and handle all sales and administrative work; a catering director to head a department with more than one person (needs leadership skills as well in this case); a “second-in-command” catering manager, or a catering coordinator to handle all administrative aspects of the department. The biggest determining factor when building your department “structure” is typically the amount of revenue the department generates. The more dollars you have, the more people it takes to effectively handle all sales, administrative work, follow through and execution.
Second, write the appropriate job description to attract the right candidate and provide an accurate and recognizable job title. If you are looking for a true catering director but calling your position a “banquet secretary,” “social coordinator,” etc., you will not attract the right type of candidates who can sell catering services and have the knowledge necessary to plan and execute events.
Third, create a compensation package that reflects and incentivizes the team member’s efforts in the areas that are most important to you and the goals of the position. If you are looking to increase revenues, then structure a package that is part salary and part commission. If catering revenues are not expected to grow, but you are looking to grow membership through catering leads, offer a commission/incentive on referrals given to the membership department.
The next step is the actual interview. This position is one that requires prior experience and subject matter expertise. The worst possible thing you can do is hire someone very “green” to event planning and have them plan a wedding for the daughter of a club member for the first time. Hire experience—you never have a “do-over” on a private event. Proper planning, sales technique, menu and wine knowledge, vendor relationships, and event execution are critical skills when choosing the best candidate. If your event and food & beverage knowledge is limited, recruit another team member to sit in on the interview with you—someone who has the best knowledge of the department. In addition to the general interview-type questions that you might ask of any candidate for any department, here are a few of my favorite catering-specific questions to ask during the interview:
- What do you think are the differences between catering in a private club versus in a public entity such as a hotel?
- If you are given the catering director’s position tomorrow and are asked to complete a marketing plan, what are the first steps you will take?
- Describe a typical day in the life of a catering director.
- Verbally or in writing, walk me through an appointment in which you are planning all the details of a wedding.
- What motivates you?
- What actions would you take in the first weeks, should you join our team?
Once in place, make sure that your new catering director has all the tools he or she needs to succeed. Not sure what that is? Ask! Also remember that the catering industry is constantly changing everyday with trends, new upsell ideas and options such as new food & beverage ideas, décor and entertainment. Make sure you provide some educational opportunities throughout the year for your catering director to keep current with education and trends.
Lastly, you cannot ignore the benefits of the weekly meetings between the catering department and the club manager. These meetings do not have to be long, but they should have an agenda and stay on track. Set goals, follow up on action items from previous meetings, discuss how to better service your members and guests, track financial goals and progress, and of course, celebrate successes. And again, as a club manager, one of the most important questions you can end the meeting with is “How can I help you?” Providing leadership and tools to help all department heads succeed is the sign of a strong leader and builds a well-balanced team and a thriving club.
Lynne LaFond DeLuca is the executive director of the Association of Club Catering Professionals. She has worked within the private club industry for 26 years, is an industry speaker, conducts seminars and workshops, and consults for the club and special events industries. For more information, contact Lynne at [email protected], or visit the www.TheACCP.com. Follow her on twitter at www.twitter.com/ClubCateringPro.