Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has pledged to hire 4,000 people in one day during a first-ever National Career Day event scheduled for Sept. 9.
The Denver-based chain, which already employs about 60,000 people, is one of a growing number of restaurant chains that have set dramatic hiring goals. Chipotle is also part of an effort, along with chains like Starbucks Corp., Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, that are supporting the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, a program designed to find jobs for at least 100,000 young Americans between the ages of 16 and 24.
The move comes as the industry struggles to find and keep good workers. Low unemployment and rising wages have increased competition for quality employees in what some in the industry are calling the “war on talent.”
In June, the industry added about 30,000 jobs, according to the National Restaurant Association. Over the past year, the industry has added more than 355,000 jobs, which is about 1,000 jobs per day on average.
Chipotle said management teams at each U.S. location will hold interviews for up to 60 applicants between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sept. 9. Potential applicants are invited to register for an interview at NationalCareerDay.com.
Chipotle has long touted its employee development program as a pillar of its continued success. Over the past year, the company has promoted more than 10,000 people who started as hourly workers into management positions.
More than 95 percent of managers are promoted from within, the company said. Managers also have the opportunity to become “restaurateurs,” a high-level position that offers benefits like a company car and six-figure salary.
Chipotle also offers benefits like paid sick leave, vacation for full- and part-time workers, tuition reimbursement and merit pay increases.
“We believe that our success is the direct result of our incredibly strong people culture, which is rooted in having teams of all top performers, and developing them to be the leaders we will need to accommodate our growth,” said Monty Moran, Chipotle co-CEO. “Regardless of your background or experience, you can succeed at Chipotle if you have a passion for making the people around you better.”
No experience is required to work at Chipotle, but the chain looks for 13 characteristics that indicate an applicant’s potential success: being conscientious, respectful, hospitable, high energy, infectiously enthusiastic, happy, presentable, smart, polite, motivated, ambitious, curious and honest.
On the company’s website, Chipotle offers short videos featuring certain positions, from crew member, shown as having a starting salary of $28,000, to a restaurateur earning $133,000 — though a footnote states the average salaries are for illustrative purposes only. Actual compensation is based on performance and other factors.
In 2011, McDonald’s Corp. staged a similar day of national hiring. Earlier this month, the Oak Brook, Ill.-based quick-service operator said it had cut 225 jobs, more than half at the company’s headquarters.
Chipotle operates about 1,850 restaurants, including 17 units outside the U.S.
Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
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