Restaurant recruiting is big business. Well over 10 million people hold jobs in restaurant employment and the number is usually growing. That said, why does it seem to restaurant managers around the country that it's practically impossible to get good help?

Restaurant recruiters can take a huge burden off the shoulders of overworked managers by searching for and pre-screening potential candidates. But is it worth it? Is it worth saving a few hours of job-posting and interviewing if its going to cost an extra couple of thousand dollars to hire someone you could have found yourself?

Restaurant industry recruiters have their place, but does your restaurant need one? Consider the following:

1. Determine what you need from a restaurant employment agency. Are you looking to hire high-level management or line employees?

2. Find a restaurant employment recruiting firm that you trust to consider your specific needs.

3. If you do decide on a restaurant recruiter, always keep your other options open. Don't lock yourself in to one course of action.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Compare value: expense versus time saved in restaurant staffing

The use of restaurant recruiters should begin and end with two simple questions. First, can you afford the cost to get the very best? And second, is it the best you're getting? Just because a candidate comes to you from a restaurant recruiter doesn't mean the candidate is the best fit for you. Restaurant recruiting firms find candidates the same way you would. They post ads on career websites, solicit resumes, and interview potential candidates. There's no secret search tool possessed by restaurant recruiters. They're attraction is that they do something you might not have the time to do.

I recommend: There are convincing arguments for and against using restaurant employment agencies. Great Managers recruiting offers a persuasive list of their usefulness. If you're conducting a national search for a chef, Chef's World offers quality service.

Find the right restaurant employment recruiting services

If you decide that paying up to 5-10% of a new manager's salary to restaurant employment recruiting services, then the next step is determining which recruiter is right for you. There are numerous national search firms that can pull candidates from across the country. For a more personal touch, each state has smaller, local restaurant staffing agencies who might be better at meeting your specific needs.

I recommend: Hospitality HR offers a state-by-state listing of local restaurant recruiters. And Gecko Hospitality is a well respected, national firm with a proven track record.

Keep other restaurant staffing options open

Once you sign on with a restaurant recruiter, keep your options open. Just because you have an agency conducting a search for an open position doesn't mean you can't look around on your own. If you can hire an equally qualified candidate without paying a commission, you're that much ahead of the game.

I recommend: Depending on where you live, posting job listing on Craigslist is either free or fairly inexpensive. It is the new "go-to" for job seekers young and old. Hotel Restaurant Jobs is a hospitality specific place to list your opportunities.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The restaurant community is tight. If you want to hire a recruiter, ask around and see who has a strong reputation in your local industry community.