Chef’s FAQ About TOPCHEFS Catering Recruitment
Does TOPCHEFS accept CV’s from anyone other than Chefs
We don't normally seek CV's for any craft other than chefs. Very rarely an existing client might ask us to seek someone for a high level speciality within their catering business and we access such requests on a case by case basis. As a rule of thumb we like to restrict ourselves to working with chefs and are very content to see such assignments go to more general catering recruitment agencies.
I apply for a Job. What’s next?
If your CV is a very close match for the type of position advertised and a good fit with the type of profile our client is seeking then you can expect to hear from us very soon. If you dont receive a personalized response within a couple of days that usually means that we've had to focus on other applications ahead of yours.This should not be taken to mean that there is anything wrong with your application. Often when clients approach an agency to work on a vacancy they come with a very specific description of what it is, and who it is, they want. Often these descriptions can be very proscriptive, even excessively so. While we can, and often do, attempt to advise clients to consider a wider range of possibilities we are, in the end, their servant and can only suggest CVs and Chefs who closely match their requirements.Even if you have no success with your application it's still worthwhile that you applied because we fill a lot of positions from our database and in applying to us you've let us know of at least one type of job you're interested in. So the next time we're approached to fill a similar position we're in a position to match you with the job.
I’ve been interviewed by one of your clients, what’s next & when
We always seek to get feedback from our clients as soon as possible. In theory we hope they'll be back in touch with us on the day your interview has taken place. In practice this doesn't always happen. When it doesn't happen we, usually, wait till the next day before following up with them ourselves. If we don't get to speak to the relevant person the next day we keep at it till we do. If after five working days the client, or the client's representatives, have not been back in touch with us, or remain otherwise elusive, we will write to them to let them know that they are in imminent risk of losing you as a candidate. The obvious exception to this default is when clients have advised us in advance of special circumstances, in such instances you can expect this information to be passed on to you by us in advance too.We take this proactive approach because we respect the chefs who work through us at least as much as we value the business our clients bring to us. Compromising on this would, we believe, put our reputation with the culinary community at risk. We are happy to lose the patronage of clients who are not prepared to offer our chefs timely feedback. This has happened before, and it will happen again, but when we put chefs into an interview process we expect that they will receive the courtesy and respect our clients would extend to a customer. If that isn't possible then perhaps these clients aren't very good employers and our candidates would be better off not dealing with them.
I’ve submitted my CV will I be interviewed by TOPCHEFS
This depends on how well we believe your skills and catering experience fit the job profile given to us by our client. If there is a good fit then you will certainly be contacted by us. Then, depending on circumstances, we'll either request you call into our offices for an interview or we'll conduct a more informal "phone screen" before bringing matters any further.
Is it ok to register with other recruitment agencies
This doesn't create a particular problem for us. If, as a job candidate, you feel your best interests are served by registering with more than one agency then that is what you should do. Naturally we prefer dealing with candidates who haven't made their CV's ubiquitous but we accept that is a decision for chefs to make about their own CV's. It is important though that you do tell us about any jobs for which other agencies have made an application on your behalf, especially within the last six months.
What if I apply for the same job through multiple recruitment agencies
There's no definitive answer to this but our considered opinion is that no, you will not increase your chances of success and doing so might prove to be completely counterproductive. Before putting any chef forward for a job we're obliged to ask candidates which jobs they're recently applied for in order to avoid such duplication. Furthermore we suggest that if your CV finds it's way into an employers hands more than once, and especially if it gets there from more than one source, that in doing so you're sending potential employers the wrong signals which will, potentially, devalue you as a candidate.
What is Contingency Recruitment
Contingency Recruitment describes the majority of recruitment transactions, especially for lower to mid level positions. A contingency recruiter, or recruitment agency, gets paid only upon the successful placement of a candidate in a job. This is in contrast to "Retained Recruitment." Any fee attaching to the, contingency, recruitment assignment belongs to the client and never to the candidate so the recruiter is working only for the client. Fees are calculated as a percentage of the candidate's first year renumeration. It is not uncommon for clients to work with more than one agency on an assignment, thus shifting all the risk to the recruitment agencies. The downside to this strategy is that agencies will always assign more man hours and resources to those clients for whom they're working exclusively.
What is Retained Recruitment
In contrast to "Contingency Recruitment" in retained recruitment the recruiter, or agency, gets paid for both the process of recruitment and successfully delivering the desired result. Usually the deal is structured in three thirds, 1/3 of the fee up front, another 1/3 upon delivery of an agreed number of suitable qualified candidates CVs and the final third after the successful candidate has started work. Usually retained recruitment is reserved for more senior positions and higher salaries. The fee structure is designed in this way to enable the recruiters to deploy more manpower and resources to the search process than in contingency recruitment, where all the risk is borne by the recruiter.
Will I have to pay TOPCHEFS to find me a job
No! We will never seek a fee from any chef for job placement or recruitment service. On those occasions when we're placing chefs abroad and working in tandem with accredited immigration agents, fees will be due to them but only upon a chef receiving both their placement and their visa. There is not, and there will not be, any fees due from chefs for placement.
Will TOPCHEFS check my job references
When we reference check a chef's former employers we do so only with the candidates prior permission. However the majority of reference checks will be carried out by the employer rather than the recruitment agency.
Will TOPCHEFS respond to my job application
We think it is best practice to respond to all applications and we endeavor to do so. We do though ask applicants to appreciate that we receive a vast volume of CV's every week before rushing to judgement about responses. We calculate that, to date, our response rate is above 80%. On occasion we've discovered CV's caught by spam filters and once or twice agents have left a CV aside in a folder to attend to later only to overlook it. We're not perfect and we are working to reduce such incidents but if your situation is particularly urgent then please do give us a call.
This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section is a work in progress, if you have a question in mind, which you think belongs on this page, please use the submission form below to sent it to us.
To learn more about TOPCHEFS and to obtain full and up-todate information on the wide choice of jobs we have on offer call us on (01) 633 4053. In the business of managing your career, it’s the only number you’ll ever need.
