The retail sector is on a high-growth trajectory and the fast food sector is a major chunk feeding this boom. The expansion of major fast food chains in the country is dishing out tempting work opportunities for the youth, writes Chetna Keer Banerjee

The service sector in India is in rapid expansion mode, both in terms of employment generation and its share in the GDP. Recent studies have indicated that the domestic organized retail industry has seen a five-fold increase in the past five years and is expected to touch Rs 35,000 crore or more in 2005-06. Riding this boom is the quick service restaurant (QSR) or the fast food industry. The expansion of existing fast food majors and entry of new food retail chains in the country has laid out a menu of innumerable and irresistible possibilities before the youth.

The job openings in this industry occur at various levels and it absorbs people with varied qualifications
— from raw hands to hotel management graduates to B-school passouts.

The leading fast food chains operating in India recruit people mostly for entry level and middle level jobs. Says Vijay Srivastava, Regional Manager-HR, McDonald's, North India, " A graduate or undergraduate can join our company as a part-time crew member, which is an entry-level post. Plain graduates with one-two years of experience in hospitality or hotel management graduates can join as management trainees, an entry-level position in the Restaurant Management Cadre.

"We do not recruit people at senior positions as people from the entry level or middle level are groomed and promoted to senior positions," he adds.

For posts like trainee relationship executives in their company, only female candidates, who are Class X or XII passouts, can apply.

Elaborates Pankaj Batra, Director Marketing, Yum! Restaurants International (Pizza Hut's parent company), "Pizza Hut recruits people at all levels, depending upon the demand from time to time. People coming to our organisation are usually graduates or pursuing graduation.

"A hotel management degree is not a prerequisite, but helps the candidate get a perspective on the service industry," he adds.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) too takes in fresh plus two students or simple graduates at the team member level and management graduates at the middle level. Recruitment is an ongoing process at KFC.

In other fast food chains like Dominos too, the entry-level posts are those of customer service representatives, pizza makers and safe delivery persons, while hotel management graduates are taken in at the middle level.

The main work areas of a quick-service restaurant in which crew members have to work are the kitchen, supply base, cash and on the floor. "Based on their skill set, after training the new recruits are assigned to various areas like working at the kitchen floor, interacting with customers, taking orders etc.," says Batra.

Since it is a customer-service industry, the youth applying for these jobs need to be good at soft skills, possess a pleasant personality and have the ability to effectively handle irate or dissatisfied customers.

Explains Srivastava, "The prospective employees must have an outgoing and pleasant personality, capacity for hard work and a liking for interacting with people. The ability to keep the situation under control during any crisis, discipline, commitment and dedication are a must."

Ditto for other fast food chains too. Elaborates Sharanita Keswani, Director of Marketing, KFC, "Our company hires people who have passion, drive and a can-do attitude. A candidate should show willingness to learn, commitment, strong communication skills, customer focus, work ethics and team skills. We like to recruit youth who are committed to building a long-term career in this industry."

Though each organisation has a recruitment programme tailor-made to meet its individual requirements, the selection procedures are essentially meant to test an aspirant's ability to perform well in the main work areas.

"We have a very stringent employee selection and development system in place to ensure quality every time we perform an activity," says Srivastava.

Keswani says that for selecting team members, KFC has an automated screening programme that determines the candidate's capabilities in key areas of customer focus, speed, service orientation, team skills and work ethics.

"The shortlisted candidates go through a structured interview where we further evaluate the applicants against the same competencies. We also put them through a realistic job preview wherein they spend time in the restaurant during peak hours and get exposure to the work environment," she adds.

For the managerial cadre, the selection pattern is more stringent, Management candidates are evaluated and interviewed specifically to identify their abilities against several competencies like drive for results, customer focus, integrity, leadership qualities, etc, informs Keswani.

Since this industry is highly competitive, the leading names in QSR offer pay and perks that are meant to attract and retain the best talent.

At Mc Donald's, an entry-level employee gets a monthly package of Rs 4000-5000, while at the middle level it ranges between Rs 6000 and Rs 10,000. For senior posts the scale is Rs 15,000-30,000 or above.

Informs Srivastava, "Unlike any other service industry, we provide ESOPs (Employee Stock Options). At the middle management level and above, employees are provided with company vehicles, depending on their nature of job. Retiral benefits such as PF/ pension/ gratuity etc, and medical insurance are as per rules."

With the fast food sector providing tempting prospects for growth and a work climate that is peppered with rewards, it can certainly pay to grab a slice of this bulging job pie.

The fast food chains operating in the country promise fast career growth. Based on performance, a crew member goes on to become a trainee floor manager, then a floor manager, an assistant manager and finally a restaurant manager. Crew members who are brilliant at their job and eligible for higher responsibilities are put 'on the bench', to be made shift managers, as and when vacancies arise. There is a system of instant and periodic rewards for outstanding team members and managers. 'Employee of the month', 'restaurant manager of the year', crew dinners and holidays are some of the incentives to make the workers 'serve with a smile'.

— Photos by Kuldip Dhiman