S1 E4: The Two Founders

Keith Hancock and Christine DeVita are partners and chief executives of DeVita and Hancock Hospitality, a full-service consulting and recruiting firm specializing in restaurant, QSR and retail consulting. Christine is the President and CEO with over 25 years of experience in business development and operations while Keith serves as the Vice President and COO with over 15 years in sales, mentorship, and restaurant management. Keith and Christine talk about “ghosting” in the hiring process, what candidates look for in a company (being the right company as well), and how Chipotle is now on TikTok too. [00:02:25] “Ghosting”: Changes and Challenges in Recruiting [00:09:22] Protecting the Brand, Client, and Our Candidates [00:11:23] Easing the Frustrations of Recruiting [00:15:22] Candidates Looking for The Right Fit and the Salary [00:18:29] Companies that Value their Employees and Those Who Don’t [00:21:20] Treating Your Staff with the Hospitality You Want Them to Treat Your Guests [00:26:39] Everybody’s on TikTok and so is Chipotle [00:29:28] Job-Hopping and Why Do Resumes Still Exist? [00:32:49] Staying Too Long and Hitting a Ceiling in a Company [00:35:22] “You’re Only as Good as Your Last Day” [00:38:24] Governor Cuomo Extending the Outdoor Dining Program in New York [00:41:37] Final Notes “Ghosting” in the Recruitment Process Ghosting in recruitment processes is a two-way street: sometimes interviewees get ghosted by hiring managers while applicants never get back to their applications. However, it is Christine and Keith’s goal for their company to avoid this altogether. They believe it’s recruiters’ jobs to communicate effectively to all their candidates on whether they’ll be moving forward with their applications or not, while also providing a Plan B for their applicants with their roster of clients. Finding People that Fit the Personality of the Company Christine takes pride in the recruitment process of DeVita and Hancock despite being a lengthy one. She sees how clients and restaurant owners pour their heart and soul into their businesses, therefore believing that recruiters taking out all the “white noise” in the recruitment stage helps her find the right fit for her clients’ needs. Chipotle Hiring New Employees through TikTok Resumes Christine’s on TikTok and so is Chipotle. She recently discovered how the restaurant chain has now branched out its hiring process through so-called “TikTok Resumes” where prospective applicants can “showcase their authenticity and true passions in unique ways outside of our traditional resumes and sit-down interviews”. The Relevance of Resumes and the Prevalence of Job-Hopping Keith is shocked that resumes still exist— he hardly goes through them and Christine looks at it for less than five minutes. Instead, they’re more focused on the backstory behind the employee and why job-hopping is prevalent with applicants jumping from 2-3 restaurants in a span of two years. Where to find them: Facebook - DeVita & Hancock Hospitality Group Inc. Instagram - @devita_hancock_hospitality Official Website - DeVita and Hancock Hospitality Group Christine DeVita on LinkedIn Keith Hancock on LinkedIn [email protected]