Candidate Interview Questions

Interview Question Training Instructions – Restaurant Zone Recruiters

Goal:

To equip recruiters with a structured, rapport-building framework for conducting candidate interviews that last 15–20 minutes while capturing the critical data points required for client submission.

When & How to Use:

• Use this guide after reviewing the candidate’s resume.

• Reveal the concept name during the call to build transparency and evaluate motivation.

• Aim to build rapport in the first 2 minutes, then transition into structured questioning.

• Input notes for each question into the ATS or your submission doc immediately after the call.

• If needed, ask for an updated resume during the call and send a text/email follow-up.

• Use this framework for both management and hourly roles (skip/store open-specifics for hourly).

Core Interview Structure (15–20 Min Guide):

Start with brief personal rapport (1–2 min), then use these 5 questions to guide your conversation:

1. “Walk me through your career, where you are at, and what you’re looking for next.”

• Purpose: Understand transition motives, gaps, pain points.

• Follow-up: “What would your ideal next role look like?” & “What was your motivation for leaving your previous role (or others)?”

2. “Describe to me your top focuses where you have made a positive impact in your role?”

• Purpose: Validate operational scope and top priorities that align with the client’s needs.

• Follow-up: “What do you personally oversee—labor, food costs, scheduling?”

3. “How would you describe your leadership or management style?”

• Purpose: Gauge leadership culture fit based on the description of the client.

• Follow-up: “How do you handle conflict or underperformance?”

4. “What level of experience do you have with P&L, driving sales, or control costs in your past roles?”

• Purpose: Learn how they influence results, scope of responsibilities, and what level of understanding of managing the business.

• Follow-up: “Can you give me one example of a successful initiative?”

5. “What are your compensation expectations, and what’s your availability for interviews?”

• Purpose: Set clear expectations — request their range first. Seek out availability for interviews to help move the process along.

• Follow-up: “Would anything show up in a background check?” / “Are you open to relocation (if needed)?”

? Optional Follow-Up Questions (Time Permitting):

• What are your career goals over the next 3 years?

• Do you have references or a LinkedIn profile?

• What’s something you’re missing in your current role?

? Reminders:

• Always verify if they have reliable transportation.

• Capture their location, availability, and motivation.

• Keep the tone natural—follow where the conversation flows, then return to your guide.

Restaurant Zone Interview Questions

Below are general questions to help you gather data to determine if a candidate is worthy of a submission. Some will apply to managers and some apply to hourly candidates.

It’s important to keep your submission notes to the client consistent, however, feel free to use your own unique questions to build a strong rapport with the candidate. Remember to reveal the restaurant concept during the interview and retrieve an updated resume if necessary.

Why do you want to leave your current position or why did you leave your last position?

What has been your greatest achievement?

How would you describe your personality?

What’s your experience with operations in terms of P&Ls, sales reports, food, and labor costs?

How would you describe your management and leadership style?

How have you increased sales and what did you do to control costs?

What is your salary expectation?

Where do you see yourself 3 years from now?

Have you opened stores before?

What are you looking for in your next role that you don’t have in your current one?

If we ran a background check on you, would anything show up?

What’s your schedule like for an interview?

Do you have LinkedIn and references?

Do you have reliable transportation?

Tell me about where you are right now and what are general careers goals.

How is your work ethic and how would you describe it?

How do you work with team members?

What are the three things that every GM should know to be successful in their career?

“Who” Questions by Geoff Smart

1) What are your career goals? Where do you want to be financially/professionally?

2) What are you really good at professionally? What are you not good at or not interested in doing professionally?

3) Who were your last two bosses and how did they each rate your performance on a 1-10 scale when we talk to them?

4) Run me through the numbers of your store. What’s the weekly sales volume? How many employees do you manage? Describe your involvement with the P&Ls.

5) What is your management/leadership style? What is your greatest achievement as a manager?

6) Tell me what you’re looking for in your next career? What is something you’re not getting from your job right now?

7) Tell me the top 3 things you focus on inside the restaurant?

8) What sort of things have you done to increase sales? What sort of systems have you put into place at the XYZ restaurant you worked at?