Concession workers need to handle a variety of tasks, such as preparing food, taking orders and handling payments. Finding workers who can keep up with these demands can be a challenge. PeopleReady offers valuable tips to help you hire concessions workers and gives you an inside look at how a staffing agency makes the hiring process easier than ever.
In this article, we’ll share:
- How to hire concession staff for live events
- Tips for interviewing concession workers
- Benefits of working with an event staffing agency to find concession workers
How to hire concession workers for live events
No two events are exactly alike. Each one will have different audiences and refreshment options that will determine the type of event staff jobs you need to fill. Once you know what types of jobs you need, you can start building your staffing plan. Here are some concessions staffing tips to help you get started:
Create detailed job descriptions
Your job descriptions should include a full list of duties and what shifts these event staff jobs require. Be sure to mention any mandatory certifications, such as a food handler certificate or a bartending license.
Review applications
While reviewing applications, keep an eye out for key qualities that could prove valuable, such as a background in customer service or retail. This will help you narrow down the list of applicants and find workers who are likely to have transferable skills. Previous food experience is good to have, but it isn’t necessary to get the job done well.
Check references
It’s a good idea to contact the references of the best candidates for insights into their work ethic, reliability and overall performance. Additionally, candidates should be vetted to ensure that they are in compliance with local and federal employment laws.
Interview top applicants
When you’re ready to interview, ask questions that will highlight your candidates’ skills, experience and willingness to work as a team. Duties may change from venue to venue, but the key skills your workers need will stay the same. For more information, read our expert interview tips in the next section!
Build your schedule
Once you have the workers you need, create a detailed schedule so that your needs are covered. While some unexpected changes may occur, planning ahead of time can help ensure that you’re still fully staffed.
Provide event staff training
Some candidates may have prior experience in concessions while others will be new to this kind of work. It’s important to train all your new workers — even the experienced ones — in your specific processes so that they can adapt, adjust and create an excellent guest experience.
Questions to ask when interviewing concession workers
The most important part of the hiring process is interviewing. Concession workers must be able to communicate clearly with their coworkers to ensure efficient service. Being courteous to customers, even in challenging situations, is also important. But above all, they must be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
During the interview, look for candidates who are friendly and have strong teamwork and communication skills. Asking these questions can help match you with the best candidates:
How do you ensure proper safety?
Concession workers should prioritize the health and safety of your guests and their co-workers. This question can also determine if the candidate has any food safety certifications.
How do you work as a team?
Teamwork is essential for concession workers to provide efficient service for customers. Concessions workers should keep a positive attitude and be willing to help out in any situation.
How do you prioritize tasks?
Events are fast-paced and hectic, requiring the ability to manage various tasks at once. Concessions workers must be able to prioritize competing demands, whether they’re taking food orders, preparing food or any other task.
How comfortable are you taking on new tasks?
In some cases, your concessions workers will need to step into other roles. Quick learners who can think on their feet will help your team stay on track.
How do you handle difficult situations with customers?
Public-facing workers need to be able to keep their cool and resolve any issues that come up. After all, a positive customer experience is key to your reputation.
Benefits of working with an event staffing agency to find concession workers
Staffing for an event can be time-consuming, especially if your needs change at the last minute. There are many ways to find concession workers for your event jobs, ranging from online job boards to event-specific staffing agencies.
Working with a specialized agency staffing for events makes the hiring process that much easier. If you’ve never partnered with a staffing agency, here are some of the benefits you can expect.
Industry expertise
An agency that specializes in event staffing will have greater industry insight than a general staffing agency. They know what kind of workers are needed for different events, and they have the knowledge necessary to find and recruit the best candidates.
A stronger applicant pool
You will likely need different types of workers for each event. If the agency also has a local presence, they can provide customized staffing solutions and source workers with specific skills who are also close to your venue.
Flexibility and scalability
Staffing agencies are adaptable. When your workforce needs change, they allow you to quickly scale your workforce. Whether you require a handful of workers for a small event or a large staff during your peak season, a staffing agency has you covered.
Fewer administrative tasks
Hiring concession workers requires you to complete time-consuming paperwork, including onboarding and payroll. A staffing company takes the hassle out of hiring by completing these tasks for you while also ensuring each worker is compliant with local labor laws.
PeopleReady helps you hire concession workers for your live events
Whether you need to hire concession workers or other event workers for your next live event, PeopleReady is here to help with our W-2 workforce solutions. Our local presence in 600-plus markets across North America allows us to dispatch workers to your venue that much sooner. Whether you’re looking to fill arena jobs, stadium jobs or other entertainment jobs, our staffing experts can provide insight into your local hiring market to make staffing for events easier than ever.
We also understand that your staffing needs can change at a moment’s notice. That’s where our JobStack app comes in. It’s available 24/7, allowing you to fill special event jobs even outside of standard work hours. The best part? JobStack keeps track of your order history so you can invite your best workers back for future jobs.
If you’re asking, “Where can I hire concession workers?” check out our locations page.
