Careers & Employability: Recruitment

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1 Student Activity Pack Your Challenge Your challenge is to identify the skills and personal qualities a new recruit will need to have, so that they can contribute to the success of a new and growing small business. Think of what interview questions the business owner might ask to explore each desired quality, and spot how the right person could show they ve got promotion potential. Work your way through the activity sheets and case studies as directed by your teacher. Good luck! Contents Activity Sheet 1 Job Descriptions... 2 Activity Sheet 2 The Vital Ingredients...4 Activity Sheet 3 Challenge Guide... 5 Activity Sheet 4 Person Specification... 7 Activity Sheet 5 McDonald s Case Studies...8 Page 1

2 1 Job Descriptions Job Descriptions Choose one of the job descriptions below. Think carefully about the role. What tasks does the person need to do? What else might they need to do that s not listed? Think about the role from the employer s point of view. What sort of person might they want for this job? How will this person contribute to the success of the business? What skills and qualities will that person need? Bargain Bonanza Part-time retail assistant Bargain Bonanza, Anytown s leading value homewares store, seeks a parttime retail assistant. Duties will include: Providing a warm welcome to the store Assisting customers with their purchases Taking payment and operating an electronic point of sale (EPOS) system Shelf stacking and stock replacement Ensuring the sales area is clean and tidy. Gadgets Galore Warehouse picker/packer: Apprenticeship Gadgets Galore sells a wide range of phone and tablet accessories online. We re after someone to join our small but busy warehouse team to: Unpack supplier deliveries and replenish our stocks Manage stock Quickly and accurately pick and pack customer orders Ensure daily orders are ready for daily collection by couriers and the postman. We offer an apprenticeship in warehousing and storage that will pay you as you work towards a recognised qualification and develop your skills. Page 2

3 1 Job Descriptions Job Descriptions continued The Play Centre Apprentice play worker wanted Outgoing and energetic people wanted to lead and supervise play at our soft play and laser tag centre. Full apprenticeship provided for the right person, who wants to: Make children and parents feel warm and welcome Supervise soft play and laser games and make sure everyone stays safe Operate our drinks and snacks bar Deal with customer enquiries and bookings Work towards an accredited qualification in play work. Fab Feasts Customer service, full time Fab Feasts is a growing bakery, delicatessen and catering service. We re after someone who s passionate about food and people! You will: Serve customers at our busy counter Prepare sweet and savoury snacks to order Weigh, count and package delicatessen food Prepare catering and party orders Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness, hygiene and food safety. Page 3

4 2 The Vital Ingredients The Vital Ingredients When recruiting a new employee, a business will often create two documents. Job description Lists the tasks and activities the person will need to complete and any outcomes or results they need to achieve. Person specification Outlines the right kind of person for that job and the skills and personal qualities they will need to do it well. Who would be the right kind of person for the job you have chosen? What skills and qualities will help them to contribute to the success of that business? These add up to what McDonald s calls having the vital ingredients. Here are some skills and personal qualities that McDonald s looks for in the people it recruits: What other skills and qualities can you think of? Great customer service skills Interpersonal skills Sensitivity Be able to use a wide range of equipment and tools Work to a consistently high standard Ensure quality Be clean and hygienic Solve problems Use initiative Use logic Have a positive attitude Be tenacious/ determined Have lots of energy Be hardworking Work well independently as well as in a team Come up with practical solutions Become a team leader You re looking for someone who won t just be able to do this job, but who has what it takes to stick with the job, and perhaps also work towards a qualification if she or he is an Apprentice, and get promoted. What qualities might they need for this? Page 4

Think of what interview questions the owner might ask to explore each desired quality, and spot how the right person could show they ve got promotion potential.

5 3 Challenge Guide Challenge Guide Who s got the vital ingredients for the job? Your challenge Identify the skills and personal qualities a new recruit will need to have, so that they can contribute to the success of a new and growing small business. Think of what interview questions the owner might ask to explore each desired quality, and spot how the right person could show they ve got promotion potential. Key Tasks 1 Read the four job descriptions Each job is for a new business and will play a vital role in helping it succeed and grow. Two offer Apprenticeships the chance to work for a real employer and earn a wage while working towards a qualification and gaining valuable skills. Choose one job description and add more details: what other tasks and duties might that person need to do? 2 Write a person specification for the job This should list and describe the skills and personal qualities the right candidate will have. 3 Discuss and write some interview questions Each question should help the employer to find out whether a candidate has these skills and qualities. 4 Role-play your ideas: Share your job description and person specification with another group (you need to keep your interview questions). Prepare some answers that would help you to demonstrate some or all of the skills and qualities they are looking for. McDonald s often uses the STAR approach, and looks for interviewees to explain: Situation: Task: Actions: Result: What was happening? What were you trying to achieve? What did you do? What happened as a result of your actions? Take turns to interview each person from the other group and identify the best person for the job! Your teacher will tell you how much time you have to prepare. Page 5

6 3 Challenge Guide Challenge Guide continued Key words: Employability Skills Person specification Qualification Training Job description Career Personal qualities Apprenticeship Promotion Learning on the job Experience Page 6

7 4 Person Specification Person Specification A person specification lists the skills, knowledge, personal qualities and attitude a person will need to do a job well. Person specifications are used to write job advertisements, shortlist candidates and guide interview questions. Use this template to write a simple person specification for your chosen job. Education and qualifications Essential Desirable Experience Essential Desirable Skills and ability Essential Desirable Personal qualities and disposition Essential Desirable Page 7

8 5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies The right skills and personal qualities make you more appealing to employers because they show that you ll make a real contribution to the success of the business. What s more, they ll also help you to develop as a person and grow your career. These three McDonald s employees explain how the right skills and personal qualities help at any level in a business. Crew Member Crew Members are part of a restaurant team that works together to provide the best family restaurant experience possible. A Crew Member has three main responsibilities: Customer Service, Food Preparation and Cleanliness and Hygiene. Priyanka Bhatti is a Crew Member in Hayes Town. What first attracted you to McDonald s as an employer? The restaurant has a friendly atmosphere and the job is flexible. These convinced me to become a member of the store. What skills or personal qualities did you need to show during your recruitment process? I had to show how I am approachable, enthusiastic and willing to take challenges. These are all things that I need to succeed in my job and contribute to the store s success. How has McDonald s training helped you develop your skills and personal qualities? My McDonald s training has helped me to become more disciplined and level-headed. Every day is different in the store and unexpected situations happen all the time. It s important that I can deal with them calmly and still make sure everything gets done properly. What do you think makes a good McDonald s employee, and why? I d say a good McDonald s employee is someone who is hardworking and friendly towards staff and customers. As Crew Members, we help to create the right atmosphere in the store so that customers feel comfortable when they visit. And it s always busy with lots to do, so everyone has to pull their weight. How do you think your skills help you to contribute to the success of the business? By being friendly and working hard I help to create a welcoming atmosphere, so that customers are highly likely to visit the store, and this increases our revenue and popularity. How do you think these skills also contribute to your own career? They have built my self-confidence and allow me to be strong and level-headed. Do you think your training has unlocked any skills or potential of which you weren t aware? Yes! I ve discovered I m good at multi-tasking and working at speed, and that I can stay comfortable when things get pressured. Page 8

9 5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies continued Business Manager A Business Manager is in charge of the restaurant. They provide motivational leadership to the restaurant team, ensure customers leave satisfied, and make sure that the business is financially strong. The Business Manager is also responsible for making all of the major decisions associated with running the restaurant, from recruitment to energy efficiency. They also work at building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with the local community. Typically, a Business Manager will manage a team of 80 employees. Gary Robbins is a Business Manager in Chelmsford, Essex. What do you look for in potential recruits? They need to have a good basic understanding of the job role. If you re applying for a job you should make sure you ve read the job description! I need staff to be able to identify with different types of customers, not just people like them. They need to be comfortable interacting with each customer and tailoring the experience to each individual. It s not one hat fits all. I look for people who are mature, outgoing, enthusiastic, who easily adapt to change and who can thrive in a challenging environment. Every applicant needs to be smart. First impressions count a lot. With me, and with customers. How do employees contribute to the success of McDonald s? I believe the perception of your restaurant is entirely down to how good the staff members are at front of house (that is, the staff that greet, help and serve customers). Managers can lead, coach and develop, but in the long term, any sustainable growth in a restaurant s business will come from how staff members can deliver an outstanding customer experience that s unique to McDonald s. Do you think certain skills are becoming even more important? Absolutely. The ability to relate to different people in different situations is a skill I am looking for more. Staff need to understand what each customer wants and how best to help them. Confidence is also becoming more important, so staff can sort out any problems or complaints. But that doesn t mean being narrow-minded they ve got to be able to put themselves in the other person s position, show empathy and work out what s best to do. What advice would you give to a young person who would like a career rather than just a job? The opportunities are there for them. Opportunities present themselves all the time. If a young person is willing to learn, develop themselves and travel for the opportunity, they can quickly progress. I m looking for staff to take ownership of their careers, know where they want to go and put themselves forward when they know they have what it takes. They will be supported at all stages, but I want young staff members to come to me and show me how they have developed and are ready for their next step. I don t want to have to chase them. Page 9

10 5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies continued Apprentice McDonald s employs over 97,000 people across the UK in 1,225 restaurants. We have delivered over 61,000 qualifications to our staff, and almost 3,500 employees are studying for an Apprenticeship. To date we have delivered 17,300 intermediate Apprenticeship Qualifications to our employees. If you want to start work, but not stop studying, then a McDonald s Apprenticeship could be for you. You can earn a wage, gain valuable skills and a nationally-recognised qualification (equivalent to 5 GCSEs grade A* to C) at the same time. If you live in England and Wales and are leaving school in the year that you turn 17, then the Crew Apprenticeship Programme fulfils the government requirement for you to continue in education or training until the end of year 12. How it works Our Apprentices work in our restaurants while studying for a nationally-recognised qualification. It s called the Intermediate Apprenticeship in Hospitality and Catering and includes sections in English, Maths and ICT. And it s worth the same as five GCSEs at A* to C grade. Apprentices learn about customer service, food preparation and the importance of keeping things clean. They also find out about the business and what we do for local communities and the environment. Responsibilities In addition to your day-to-day duties, you ll need to keep an Apprenticeship Diary up to date and study in your spare time. Some of the English, Maths and ICT elements of the Apprenticeship can be completed online, where you ll have help from an online tutor. And there are regular catch-ups with your Crew Trainer, who ll review your diary and help you to keep on track with your studies. Key Skills The Apprenticeship takes a minimum of 12 months to complete, although people can learn at their own pace. So you ll need to be dedicated, eager to learn, and good at juggling work and study. Benefits As well as gaining a nationally-recognised qualification, Apprentices can get a wide range of benefits including money off at over 1,600 retailers. Page 10

5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies continued Mark O Reilly Apprentice of the Year Mark, 25, started his career at McDonald s in June 2011, with no formal qualifications.

11 5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies continued Mark O Reilly Apprentice of the Year Mark, 25, started his career at McDonald s in June 2011, with no formal qualifications. Before joining McDonald s Mark had been made redundant and was out of work for over 9 months, despite applying for dozens of jobs each week. Mark signed up for the Service Academy at the local job centre where he was offered work experience with McDonald s. Mark believes the Service Academy to be a turning point in his life: It got me interacting with more people. I d done something similar in the past but never with work experience, which was totally different. I brightened up and straight after my first shift, I visited my family to tell them how much I enjoyed it and they could see that I d changed for the better. Mark settled in quickly and his relentless enthusiasm and strong initiative were noted by all, which led to Mark being offered a fulltime position in July Shortly after, he enrolled on the Apprenticeship programme and gained an Intermediate Apprenticeship qualification in Hospitality and Catering. Part of the Apprenticeship programme enabled Mark to gain a Level 2 in Adult Literacy and Numeracy something he had failed to achieve at school. It s the best training I ve ever received, very thorough, detailed and well thought out. Mark has really impressed me with his positive outlook on things. I am really proud to have him as part of our team as he has so much dedication and determination. I know he will succeed in anything that he sets out to do. Vicky Joynson, Apprentice Manager Mark s drive and knowledge, as well as his ability to consistently deliver results, led to his promotion to Shift Management in December Mark manages around 20 people each shift and directly contributes to the customer service and results of his restaurant. Mark now revisits the Service Academy to talk about his experiences and encourage other unemployed youngsters, as well as delivering presentations at his local job centre. It s very important to go back, because if it wasn t for the Service Academy and McDonald s, I wouldn t be where I am. To think that 2½ years ago, I was jobless now I m a shift manager at one of the biggest restaurant chains in the UK! Mark has a message for other young people in his position: Stick at it because there s something better around the corner if you look for it. A positive attitude is your most important quality. If you ve got that and it leads to qualifications or training, you can get anywhere. Page 11

12 5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies continued Competing with three other finalists, Mark won the McDonald s Apprentice of the Year 2012 award, which was no mean feat considering he was up against over 40,000 of his peers. Mark stood out as the ideal candidate to me. I believe that Mark is only at the start of his journey with McDonald s, and I believe his success will continue for some years to come. Mark McAvoy, Operations Manager Mark was also awarded the City and Guilds Medal for Excellence for his outstanding performance in his Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hospitality and Catering Services. But his biggest achievement to date was being awarded the prestigious James Caan Award for an Inspirational Young Person at the Opening Doors Business Awards Mark was one of three young people who were presented an award by Nick Clegg. In the near future, Mark hopes to become a Restaurant Manager, but no doubt his determination and thirst for success will push him beyond this in the years to come. Page 12

5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies continued Operations Manager Operations Managers at McDonald s are responsible for a region of restaurants within the McDonald s business.

13 5 McDonald s Case Studies McDonald s Case Studies continued Operations Manager Operations Managers at McDonald s are responsible for a region of restaurants within the McDonald s business. As part of that they manage the performance and growth of restaurants that are split between six seven Operations Consultants. They also have overall responsibility for around 150 salaried employees. Within the region and group of restaurants they are responsible for all areas of the business including; Finance, Human Resources, target setting, business planning and reporting. Leah Boothe is an Operations Manager in the Midlands. What do you look for in potential recruits? I m after people who are passionate, selfmotivated and driven, with good people skills. At McDonald s we want to employ people who are willing to work hard, learn and succeed just like any good employer. How do employees contribute to the success of McDonald s? People make a major contribution to the business. They work front of house to greet, help and serve customers, and so our staff determine the customer experience that we deliver. Committed and competent employees help to grow the business by delivering constantly high levels of quality, service and cleanliness. When customers have a great experience, they come back, and tell others. Do you think certain skills are becoming even more important? Having good confidence when dealing with customers is most definitely important. McDonald s strives to offer the highest standard of customer experience and so it s vital for employees to have a natural ability to put customers first. Our training and development programmes help to develop strong management and leadership skills, which are more important now than ever before. But most importantly, our managers need to be able to empathise with a diverse workforce and adapt their management style to support a wide range of employees. In our fast-paced environment, being able to think on your feet and respond positively to situations is also vital. What advice would you give to a young person who would like a career rather than just a job? Put yourself forward! Be instrumental in your own progression. That is, have career goals and go after them. Embrace opportunities. Make your manager aware of your ambition or desire to progress. If you don t make your intentions known, you have to rely on other people to spot your talent and drive your career for you. It s much better to take control yourself. However, you need to be worthy of promotion! Ensure you achieve a high level of performance and get the results you need. McDonald s is very target and goal driven. You need to show that you are able to get things done and achieve the business s goals. Page 13

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