Tobias Reed

Line Cook, Brunch. $21 to $24 an hour plus tips, about $4 an hour more on weekends.

Wednesday to Sunday, 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Every weekend. No nights, ever.

THE JOB

You'll run the egg station or the griddle on a brunch line that does 300 to 400 plates on a Saturday. Small team: 4 cooks, 1 dishwasher, the chef on the pass.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Prep your station from 6 to 7:30 a.m.
• Cook eggs, pancakes and sandwiches to order, fast and the same every time.
• Clean and close your station by 2:30.

THE HARD PARTS

• Every weekend. If you need Saturdays off, this isn't it.
• 6 a.m. means 6 a.m. Late twice and we'll talk.
• The kitchen is small and hot. In July it's over 95 degrees by 11.
• Saturday from 10 to 1 is non-stop. No phone, no breaks during the rush.
• Our last three hires left within two months. They said it was the pace. We'd rather tell you now.

WHAT'S GOOD

• Done by 2:30. You get your afternoons and every evening.
• Tips are split evenly with the kitchen. Last year that averaged $4.10 an hour.
• Free staff meal every shift. Paid sick days from day one.
• A chef who teaches. Two of our cooks became sous chefs.

YOU'LL FIT IF

• You've worked at least 1 year on a busy line, any cuisine.
• You can be up and working by 6.
• You'd rather be busy than bored.

SCREENING QUESTIONS (5 MINUTES ON THE PHONE)

1. "This job is every weekend, 6 a.m. Does that work for the next year?" (If not, thank them and stop.)
2. "What's the busiest shift you've worked? How many covers?"
3. "Tell me about a rush that went badly. What did you do?"
4. "How do you get here, and how long does it take at 5:30 in the morning?"
5. "What made you leave your last kitchen?"

TRYOUT

A paid 4-hour shift on a Thursday. $96. Watch how they set up, not just how they cook.

— Tobias

Every message leads with pay and schedule. Techs get 20 recruiter messages a week that say "exciting opportunity." Yours says the number.

MESSAGE 1 (MIKE, 8 YEARS, CURRENTLY AT A BIG CHAIN)

"Mike, $38 to $44 an hour, 4 days a week, 10-hour shifts, plus a paid on-call week every 6 weeks.

I'm hiring two senior techs for a 12-truck company in Columbus. You've been at [current company] for 8 years, so you know what it's like to run 7 calls a day. Ours average 4. Truck goes home with you. Want the details? 10 minutes on the phone, whenever works."

MESSAGE 2 (ANGELA, 5 YEARS, COMMERCIAL)

"Angela, $36 to $42 an hour, Monday to Thursday, 7 to 5:30.

Your profile says you've done commercial rooftop units for 5 years. We're adding commercial work next year and need someone who knows it. You'd lead it. Worth a call?"

MESSAGE 3 (DEV, 3 YEARS, RECENTLY CERTIFIED)

"Dev, $30 to $34 an hour to start, with a raise to $36 when you pass your next certification, which we pay for.

4 days, 10-hour shifts. You'd ride with a senior tech for your first month. If you're looking to move up faster, let's talk."

THE HARD PARTS (SAME LINE IN EVERY MESSAGE, IF THEY REPLY)

• On-call one week in six, including nights.
• Summer means 6-day weeks in July. Overtime is paid.
• Our trucks are older. Two are getting replaced next year.

THE OTHER 7

All in the doc, each with a reason picked from their profile.

FOLLOW-UP

One follow-up after 5 days, one line: "Still hiring. Still $38 to $44. Still 4 days a week." Then stop.

— Tobias

Office Manager. $58,000 to $66,000 a year, plus health insurance and 3 weeks off.

Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5. In the office. No weekends.

THE JOB (WHAT IT REALLY IS)

I asked the partners to list everything they do that isn't law. The list took 20 minutes. That's the job:

1. Billing: send invoices, chase late payers, track trust accounts with your bookkeeper.
2. Scheduling: court dates, client meetings, the shared calendar.
3. Front office: phones, mail, new client intake forms.
4. Vendors: IT, the copier, office supplies, the landlord.

THE HARD PARTS

• Family law clients are often upset. Some will cry on the phone. Some will yell.
• Six people, six ways of doing things. They'll need to change some habits for this person.
• No one has done this job before, so there's no manual.

PAY

$58,000 to $66,000 is the typical range for office managers at small law firms in your area. Under $55,000, you'll get people who leave in a year.

TIMELINE (6 WEEKS)

WHERE TO POST

Your local bar association job board, Indeed and LinkedIn. Ask your bookkeeper and court clerks who they'd recommend. That's often where the best ones come from.

HOW TO CHOOSE

The work sample decides it. Give them a messy week: 3 overdue invoices, a double-booked calendar and an upset client voicemail. See what they do first.

THE FIRST 30 DAYS

Write down how each partner does billing now, before the new hire starts. They'll need it.

— Tobias