Posting the 'help wanted' add

[The Farmers Daughter]

I am in need of a part time weekend person for Sat & Sunday mornings from Nov 1 through mid Dec. I dread the interview process as it is so time consuming. Does anyone have any tips for writing catchy help wanted adds with the goal to attract the right people rather than the time wasters? Can you share anything that has worked well for you?
Thanks all!

 

[Joey Camb]

I don't know about adds but we always try and get in people we know refered by other people as it saves a lot of bother. Is there any kind of local womens network you could tap into?

 

[muirford]

We posted one ad on our local university's job line in addition to the standard newspaper ad. We sourced some good candidates through that ad.
In our newspaper ad, we did mention our hourly rate, which is quite a bit higher than most local housekeeping jobs. Also, we said weekend work was required. When we put the ad in the paper about 4 months ago, we were inundated with phone calls - literally over a hundred calls. Our solution to that was a group 'cattle call' - we had two afternoons where they could come to the Inn, meet my DH, and fill out a brief application with contact info, availability, work experience and references. He culled the group from the initial contact including their experience and scheduled the best 5 or 6 to come in for an interview with me. We were looking for two housekeepers and were able to hire both from that group - we also now have some backup candidates if we need them.
Nothing catchy to recommend, I'm afraid. I used to be an interviewer by trade and I look more for initiative and responsibility than actual work experience, and some decent customer service skills since they'll be around guests. Cleaning can be taught!

 

[Emily Spiers]

Do you have a college nearby with a hospitality degree program? You could contact them to see if anyone needs to get hours in the industry to get credit for something. I know that's part of my degree requirements, that's why I am mentioning it.
I work weekends at a B*B. If it's only for weekends, put "only those able to work weekends need apply". I've seen ones around here that say "only applicants with reliable transportation need apply".

 

[JBloggs]

Nothing has ever worked well. Make sure it says SEASONAL. Make sure it says SAT & SUN RQD!!! And then NO PHONE CALLS, EMAIL with their contact info! That saved me 1000 calls last time and half of the emails still said "I can't work weekends" or what have you.

 

[JBloggs]

Oh I paid for a couple extra words to save me some time
"Background check"

 

[JBloggs]

But don't listen to me, I have no help, I never have any help.
There were 100 people who applied who would not be here when I need them to be here. D'oh! NOT A ONE WOULD WORK OUT. Amazing isn't it.

 

[Joey Camb]

I was going to say as well things to put on
1 - weekends will be our busyiest time be prepared to work!
2 - hours are - or they are flexible depending on on demand if you guarantee a certain core hours say so then hours on top are a bonus
ie we guarantee you 10 hours a week but there may be over time depending on demand (or not as appropriate)
3 Anyone who comes in and says can't do this can't do that goes straight in the reject bin.
4 could they double up as extra breakfast help? sick cover? trained to take reservations? in short do they have potential? Also do they seem to have even a basic understanding of what is required? As we used to have reception candidates when I worked in a big hotel and they used to fill in the hours avaliable section 9 to five when reception had to be covered 24 hours! they went straight in the bin!

 

[birdwatcher]

I used to be in classified advetising for 15 years and mostly help wanted.
You want to make your title your may draw:
Housekeeper
Part time Sat & Sundays Seasonal starting in November and ending in December for a local Bed and Breakfast. Must be flexible and availablability on weekends is a must, if you cannot work weekends please do not apply. You will be responsible for: (here you put some responsibilities). Call us on ____-_____ at______ or e-mail us at ________ for an interview.Salary is comensurate with experience.
This is a simple ad with the specifics, you know if they call after, before or not within the hours that you have in your ad they where not following directions if you want them to have experience state this in the ad. The title can be whatever you are hiring for-you can mention that its at a B & B. sometimes you have to spend a little more, but its worth it to get the quality people you want and always always place your ad on Sundays but NOT ON MONDAYS, Wed and maybe Fridays...People don't look at want ads on Mondays they look on Sundays and call them on Mondays, go on interviews on Mondays and maybe Tuesdays and start looking again on Wed and Thursdays.
Hope this helped or hope its not too late for the ad.

 

[Emily Spiers]

Side note: one place I know of put "non smokers only" in the ad for a housekeeper...boy did that limit the applicants!

 

[JBloggs]

I don't believe you can say non smokers legally, or no one overweight. LOL

 

[JBloggs]

We don't have a Sunday paper. I would aim for the most local paper ya got.

 

[Emily Spiers]

I don't believe you can say non smokers legally, or no one overweight. LOL.

I don't believe you can say non smokers legally, or no one overweight. LOL

Illegal- a sick eagle.

 

[wendydk]

Perhaps the ad should be for "weekend help" with some midweek hours included..or some such wording.

 

[Morticia]

I used to be in classified advetising for 15 years and mostly help wanted.
You want to make your title your may draw:
Housekeeper
Part time Sat & Sundays Seasonal starting in November and ending in December for a local Bed and Breakfast. Must be flexible and availablability on weekends is a must, if you cannot work weekends please do not apply. You will be responsible for: (here you put some responsibilities). Call us on ____-_____ at______ or e-mail us at ________ for an interview.Salary is comensurate with experience.
This is a simple ad with the specifics, you know if they call after, before or not within the hours that you have in your ad they where not following directions if you want them to have experience state this in the ad. The title can be whatever you are hiring for-you can mention that its at a B & B. sometimes you have to spend a little more, but its worth it to get the quality people you want and always always place your ad on Sundays but NOT ON MONDAYS, Wed and maybe Fridays...People don't look at want ads on Mondays they look on Sundays and call them on Mondays, go on interviews on Mondays and maybe Tuesdays and start looking again on Wed and Thursdays.
Hope this helped or hope its not too late for the ad..

I used to be in classified advetising for 15 years and mostly help wanted.
You want to make your title your may draw:
Housekeeper
Part time Sat & Sundays Seasonal starting in November and ending in December for a local Bed and Breakfast. Must be flexible and availablability on weekends is a must, if you cannot work weekends please do not apply. You will be responsible for: (here you put some responsibilities). Call us on ____-_____ at______ or e-mail us at ________ for an interview.Salary is comensurate with experience.
This is a simple ad with the specifics, you know if they call after, before or not within the hours that you have in your ad they where not following directions if you want them to have experience state this in the ad. The title can be whatever you are hiring for-you can mention that its at a B & B. sometimes you have to spend a little more, but its worth it to get the quality people you want and always always place your ad on Sundays but NOT ON MONDAYS, Wed and maybe Fridays...People don't look at want ads on Mondays they look on Sundays and call them on Mondays, go on interviews on Mondays and maybe Tuesdays and start looking again on Wed and Thursdays.
Hope this helped or hope its not too late for the ad.

That's perfect! And you nailed the directions part...if they can't follow dierections to GET the job, they won't follow them later.

 

[birdwatcher]

YOu can however say "non smoking area or B & B" you can say its "physical" or a word saying that you do alot of physical labor?-

 

[One Day]

Help Wanted
Housekeeper. Local B&B. Seasonal 11/1/10 - 12/20/10. Weekends a must. (part time/full time) Self motivated. Responsible. Personable. Call ( ) between (am/pm). Email ( )
the (part time/full time) may appear as being 2 positions.......can explain during contact that it is part time work leading towards full time......meaning that they will be needed more than just sat and sun........if full time.......say full time
if you want to include salary............then do so..........I prefer not to as it leaves the door open to be flexible......
As for including (non smoker)......if you market the B&B as non smoking.......then you should hire non smokers....................if you market as non smoking inside..........well then.......

 

[One Day]

one thing I often thought of regarding staffing a B&B.........breakfast would be a perk.
Granted breakfasts are prepared for portion control to # of guests...or should be........I don't see any harm in considering the arriving housekeeper in the morning..................after all.........If " I " were preparing breakfast for guests......i'd prepare for myself anyway......whether I chose to eat it for breakfast or anytime during the day

 

[JBloggs]

side track... the dinner cruise we have nearby...she asks me every time if the guests have disabilities to which I answer I have never met them and I am not allowed to ask them anyway. So the last time I booked this package for guests she said "The boat has ladders so if there is anyone with difficulty with them, just thought I would let you know"
I had to laugh. I do understand this, of course, as many elderly people for some reason think they can get on a boat and just sit. Not all boats are designed this way.

 

[JBloggs]

See "Non smoking B&B" doesn't mean anything to a person in this ad. They aren't smoking in the rooms, they smoke before and after and have the smell of smoke on them, on their clothes, and it transfers to the linens etc.
Mentioning stairs, heaving lifting, is a good thing to put in. Weed out the sickly and elderly. LOL!