Advice to Applicants -

Advice to Applicants

Thank you for your interest in working with us. I think you will find our approach to hospitality to be different from that of most other operators in the market, and we think this is the secret of our success. Our company has several significant goals.

TO EARN A REPUTATION AS THE BEST EMPLOYER IN THE AREA
To achieve this goal we will hire the most qualified people we can find. We will support their development both within and outside the organization. We will talk to them, listen to them, learn from them, pay them well, and demand a lot from them. We will enjoy a high retention rate (over 80%). We will have a waiting list of people who want to join the company. We believe that only happy and professional staff can give the level of personal service we demand. We see an investment in people to be a worthy investment in the future of the company.
TO OPERATE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS IN THE MARKET
Our operations will be exciting, diverse, and profitable. We will consistently deliver on our service guarantee of “a great time every time” and foster high professional standards. We will provide legendary service – the unique and powerful sort of personal care and attention that our guests tell stories about. We will win the various local polls that are a measure of our position and regard in the market. We will consistently achieve the highest volumes in our market and have a waiting line when our competitors are half full. We will develop a loyal repeat trade. We will find out what our guests want and be sure they are getting it. We will maintain rigid sanitation standards. We will take the lead in addressing the nutritional concerns of our guests. We will continuously re-examine our operations to stay fresh and responsive to our market while being stimulating to our staff.
TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PLANET
We will support worthy local charities with money, resources, and volunteers. We will maintain a high visibility in local activities. We will be environmentally responsible. We will recycle, conserve water and utilities, and reduce our use of chemicals. Whenever possible, we will select supplies and suppliers who are environmentally friendly.
TO BE A MODEL FOR OPEN, PARTICIPATORY BUSINESS
Our industry cannot get where it needs to go doing business the way we’ve always done it. The industry needs a new model and we are willing to be that model. We will maintain open books with our staff and investors. We will innovate in the areas of compensation, profit-sharing, rewards, and recognition. We will involve our staff in all areas of policy-making. We will always move in the direction of less structure, greater professionalism and more fun! We will be judged on our results.
TO MAINTAIN A PERSONAL WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR STAFF
We are not anti-union. However, regardless of what image it tries to project, a union is a profit-making business that can only get money from its own members. A union must justify its position by creating and maintaining a “them and us” relationship between the company and staff. We do not believe such a polarity exists in our organization and we do not think our staff should pay for any such disruptive force. We believe the way to achieve the kind of business environment we want is to create a trusting relationship with our staff. In this atmosphere, both staff and the company can work out difficulties and make decisions together. In this environment, a union is unnecessary and is likely to be destructive to operational flexibility and personal well-being. We cannot imagine a problem that we cannot effectively resolve among ourselves without the need for a self-serving third party.
TO HAVE A GOOD TIME
We recognize that people go out to eat because they are looking for a good time, not just a good meal. We will build fun and lightness into our company in the interest of our collective mental health and peace of mind.

We are not just another restaurant company, and we are not looking for just another job applicant. This letter will give you some ideas of what to expect and how to proceed from here:

Do not try to complete this application now. Please take it home, give it some thought, and take your time with it. Be sure to fill it out completely, even if you enclose a resume. If a question does not apply to you, mark it “NA” so we know you didn’t avoid the answer. Foodservice is a business of details, and we will only consider people who share our concern about the importance of handling all the small points.
We will verify all information you give us on the application. Any false or misleading statements will disqualify you from consideration, no matter how talented you may be. Please understand that we are not as concerned with what you tell us as we are that you give us the truth. Honesty is always the best policy… especially if you hope to become part of our team.
We are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace. This means that we do not tolerate the possession of drugs or alcohol on the premises, nor do we permit our staff to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
All our operations are completely nonsmoking establishments. This means there are no cigarette breaks and we do not permit staff to smoke while on duty or while in uniform this includes vaping and chewing tobacco.
If an offer of employment is made to you, we may require that you pass a physical examination. The company will pay all expenses of this examination although we do not pay for the time required to take it.
We will verify all your references. In addition to your supervisors, we want to talk with your co-workers and anyone who may have worked for you in your past positions. If we cannot check your references, we cannot consider you for employment, so be sure you list valid names and phone numbers. It does not matter if they still work for your old company or not. In fact, we often get better information from people who have taken other jobs. Please be sure that everyone you list knows to expect a call from us and has your permission to talk with us. It will require some work on your part, but, then, it takes a little extra effort to succeed in this business!
Be sure to include the correct telephone number for the registrar’s office of your college or university and the records department of your school district so we can verify your education. This may involve a long distance call or two to get the numbers, but we will not consider applications that do not have this information.
On the last page of the application, we give you the opportunity to make a personal “sales pitch.” We suggest you give it some thought and present a case for yourself. After all, if you don’t believe in you, why should we?
Read the final statement on the application carefully before you sign it. If you have any questions, please ask them before you give us your application. We will not consider unsigned applications.
When you have completed the application, call us at (816) 643-2463 to set up an appointment to submit your application and take some short screening tests. This appointment should last no longer than 30 minutes. Be aware that what you do and how you do it are being evaluated throughout the selection process, so dress the part, be on time, and show us your best. Remember the saying about first impressions!
Based on our observations, your test results, and a review of your application, we will notify you within five working days (weekdays) from the date of your initial screening about the status of your application. We will either call or send you a letter. If by some chance the five working days pass without your hearing from us, call the number above.
We take staff selection very seriously. If you are a final candidate, you can expect up to three interviews and perhaps several written tests. We may ask you to demonstrate your skills and tell us how you would handle some “sticky situations.” We will not take a “warm body” just to fill a vacancy quickly. Please be patient. We go to this trouble because our goals and standards are very high. If you are good enough to become part of our staff, you are truly an outstanding individual. With rare exceptions, if you need a job today, you should not count on us to provide it. If you need a job right away, we suggest you find something else that will work while we process your application.
Because our staff is actively involved in the operation of our company, do not be surprised to have portions of the selection process conducted by persons other than our managers. We give our staff a voice in the selection of their coaches and believe that co-workers are excellent judges of the talents of their peers.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and we will select only qualified applicants for every position. Period. We will not discourage you from applying for any position you feel qualified for. We will make selections based on what strengths you bring to our team and how you fit into our operating style. We are looking for people committed to professional excellence and legendary guest service who will make a positive contribution to our company for as long as we choose to work together.
We often bring new people into our company as part-time staff, moving them to full-time (if they want it) or changing their duties when the opportunity for more hours arises and their work performance justifies additional responsibility.
We expect you to take an active role in your own success and the success of your co-workers. Toward this end, it will be part of your job responsibilities to help train your co-workers for positions of higher skill and responsibility. Because of this focus, we will evaluate your performance based not only on your own professional development, but by the advancement of your trainees.
We will regularly evaluate your performance so you know where you stand and how you are doing. The purpose of the appraisals is to assist with your personal and professional development. Much of the responsibility for performance appraisal rests with your coaches, but we will also ask your co-workers to give us their impressions of your work and ask you to do the same of theirs. Their comments will be part of your performance appraisal. We will also ask you to evaluate the effectiveness of your coaches, and that will become part of their performance appraisal. We do not keep secrets from each other or ignore unproductive behavior.
Our success comes from delighting our guests and earning their regular patronage. Everything in our company is focused on achieving this goal. We do not believe in creating any more rules or structure than is necessary to ensure that our guests have a great time every time they dine with us. This means that there are no procedures to hide behind and that success is measured by your results rather than by your activities. There is nothing to “get away with.”
If you are not offered a position, we will return your application. We encourage you to apply again later if you are still interested in working with us. Many of our most successful staff members were not selected until their second or third try. You must decide if what we offer is worth your effort to meet our high standards. Whatever your choice, we hope you will visit us often as a guest and let us know how we are doing.

Thank you again for your interest and your time. We wish you all the best luck in the future, whatever direction your career may take you.

With best regards,

The Perennial Team