A restaurant boss has criticised parents who message him asking him to give their child a job. Joe Franks, who runs two Open Jar restaurants, said he gets messages on a weekly basis from parents, with some bluntly asking ‘r u taking on 16 year olds atm?’.
Mr Franks questioned how children will be able to take on a job that involves speaking to hundreds of people if they ‘hide behind their parents,’ reports Teesside Live. "If it's blunt if they can't take five minutes out of the day to make sure a message sounds right then they're not really the person for us,” Joe said.
The boss took to social media to ask parents to stop messaging him, he was trying to help people, rather than making a ‘dig’. He claims it's the same issue for 'any other employer' in the food sector, and has offered some advice to parents who are looking to help their children get a job.
Instead, Joe, of Seaton Carew, County Durham, has some sound advice for any would-be restaurant workers. He says the "best thing" parents can do for a child who is looking for work is "making sure they are well-presented" and go door-to-door seeing managers in person, armed with "100 CVs".
"I honestly can't stress enough how much that this is the wrong way around, approaching someone for a position in their business." Places like The Open Jar need people who are "confident enough to go to tables and take orders, with a bubbly personality", Joe adds.
"All the hiring in The Open Jar is done by the management on site. So making a right first impression with them is definitely the way to go rather than thinking my dad has the owner on Facebook so therefore that's the easiest route.
Joe was "taken aback" by the amount of replies he got from people who agreed with him. "It seems to be quite a bug-bear. Our staff are the face of the business. It might just be a part-time job to them but it's our livelihoods.
"If they're going to hide behind their parents what happens if they have a really busy night or something doesn't go to plan? And it's not me that they're working with, it's the manager or supervisor they have to click with, so they're barking up the wrong tree anyway.
"When people come in with the right bubbly personality, well presented, they're the people that always end up with a job. Even if we don't have anything at the time and we ring them back a few months later.
"Also, they should be coming down in person to see if the venue is for them, just as much as the other way round - it's a two-way street."
"Hope this approach helps people find work whether it be with The Open Jar or elsewhere," Joe added.
