Finding strong candidates to work at your restaurant isn’t always easy. This is especially true in major markets like Toronto, where labour shortages have been a persisting challenge over the last few years.
With that in mind, if you’re looking to attract the most suitable and skilled talent for your restaurant business, you’ll need to write an informative and enticing job posting.
Although it’s not always an exciting project, drafting a strong job posting can help you find the right staff for your restaurant as efficiently as possible. The more essential information you include, the less applications from under-qualified candidates you’ll need to sort through.
If you’re a restaurant owner wondering how to write a job posting, this blog is for you!
Know Your Needs
There’s a lot of thought involved in finding the right person for the job. Simply putting a “help wanted” sign in your window, without thinking about what type of help you need, isn’t going to cut it.
Sure, there are plenty of job seekers who might inquire about or apply for a non-specific role, but that’s not what’s going to get you the best candidate.
Before you break out the metaphorical typewriter, sit down and really think about what you’re looking for. Do you need a skilled and formally trained chef? Maybe you’re seeking a General Manager who can get your restaurant running smoothly. This will help you nail down the positions you need to fill and the skills and attributes required for each role.
Thinking about these things in advance will make it much easier to write your job description when the time comes.
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Define the Role
The very first part of your job posting should be the title of the role and a brief overview of what it is. Don’t forget to clarify whether you’re looking for part-time or full-time help.
You don’t need to write an entire essay, an easy to digest summary of everyday duties and responsibilities is great. Keep in mind that job seekers are reading countless similar postings everyday, so you’ll want to get to the point – otherwise they may get overwhelmed and click away.
Qualifications, Skills, & Expectations
Once you’ve outlined the role, highlight the qualifications, skills, and experience you need from interested candidates. Be sure to include the minimum education level required (if relevant) as well as the number of years required in terms of prior job experience.
For this section, use bullet points so that readers can quickly identify whether or not they meet your minimum requirements. Be as specific as possible – especially if your requirements are somewhat niche or rare. This will reduce the number of irrelevant applications that you have to review.
Having the right staff in your restaurant is very important! Check out these blog posts for more insights.
Wage & Salary
Should you include the wage or salary in a job posting? For a long time, this decision was up to the employer. However, that is changing (depending on where you are). In Ontario, employers will be required to include information about wages and salaries on any public job postings effective January 1, 2026. If your restaurant is located elsewhere in Canada (or the world) double check whether local laws and regulations require you to include wage and salary insights in your job posting.
That said, even if you’re not formally required to include these insights, being transparent about compensation can make your search more efficient as it’s less likely that someone will turn down the role after you’ve interviewed them due to misaligned expectations.
Tell Your Story
Finally, your job posting should also highlight why someone would want to work with you. This is your chance to make your restaurant stand out in a sea of other job postings. Offer some background about your restaurant, its team, and what it’s like to work there.
Talk about the brand, your values, and the ambience and reputation of the restaurant. For instance, are you known for offering a high-end, formal dining experience or is it more of a casual dive joint? Talk about any cuisines or dishes that you specialize in and highlight any awards or accolades that you’ve received.
Where to Post Job Listings
In today’s day and age, most job seekers are looking online. So, once you’ve written your job listing, it’s time to get the word out. In addition to traditional job boards and newspaper advertisements, explore social media, industry-specific platforms, and recruitment websites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed to advertise open positions.
Have more questions about restaurant ownership? We can help! Send us an email at ryan@carverealestate.com or give us a ring at 416-618-0054 to get started.
