Whether you’re a high school student or retiree looking for a part-time job, filling out a Carl’s Jr application will put you closer to some extra cash. Most locations are always looking for new crew members (the company’s term for cashiers/food preparers), and even if they have no openings, most restaurants will accept applications.
Like all big companies, Carl’s Jr. hires managers for each location and executives for their corporate headquarters.
Preparing to Fill Out Carl’s Jr Application
Don’t be in a hurry to fill out a Carl’s Jr. application before you compile all your references and assorted information. Even if you are still in high school, remember that fast-food restaurants usually receive lots of applications, so you’ll have plenty of competition.
Make sure you have not only the correct phone numbers but also email addresses for previous employers. Also, personal references, emergency contact names, and other pertinent information.
Identify which locations are closest to you, and visit them to see what type of application they prefer – online or offline. Carl’s Jr, like other fast-food chains, have restaurants that are independently owned and operated by franchisees.
Other Stuff to Consider
Franchises follow operational procedures for Carl’s Jr., but the restaurants may have slightly different hiring procedures because they have different owners. You’ll need to fill out a separate application for each restaurant where you want to work.
Many people believe that filling out an application at the restaurant and talking with the manager will give you an edge when it comes to getting hired. This onsite approach may very well be true for fast-food jobs. Restaurant jobs receive a high number of applications, and if the hiring manager can put a face and voice with the name, you’ll have a better chance of being considered for the job.
Executive recruiters and online job sites for professionals often list managerial and executive jobs for Carl’s Jr. and other fast-food restaurants. You don’t necessarily need a restaurant background to be hired for one of these jobs, but it helps.
About the Company
Carl Karcher opened his first restaurant, Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue, in 1945 in Anaheim, California. In 1956, he opened two smaller versions of the restaurant and called them, Carl’s Jr., and the name stuck. Carl’s Jr. restaurants are primarily located on the West Coast and in the Southwestern U.S and Canada. The company, now known as CKE Enterprises, also has franchises in 38 foreign countries. Indeed, CKE corporate headquarters are in Franklin, Tennessee.
Cashier and Food Preparation Jobs
The company’s website offers an online Carl’s Jr application for restaurant positions. These jobs are the most plentiful, as the chain has 1,490 restaurants throughout the U.S. as of 2018. The Carl’s Jr. website has a career page, with separate links for the crew, managerial and executive jobs.
Surely, the company offers advancement from within, so if you’re interested in restaurant management, you can quickly move up the ranks if you work hard.
Before you can fill out an application, you need to know what is expected of the person hired, so you can accurately list your skills and experience concerning those requirements.
Crew Person
The number one most advertised position, according to the company’s website and other job posting sites, is crew person. A crew person does whatever the manager deems necessary at a given time, including, but not limited to, preparing food, cleaning the restaurant and food preparation equipment, and working the cash register.
You must be enrolled in high school or have a high school degree and have good communication skills. Certainly, proficiency in English is mandatory, Spanish is a plus. (The bilingual qualification is a plus at most, if not all, of the restaurants.)
There are several physical requirements for the crew person job which might disqualify some individuals, including the ability to lift 50 and 75 pounds, stand for long periods, bend and stoop, and be around heat and cleaning products for long periods.
Cook
You will occasionally see a job opening for cook instead of all-around crew person. A cook uses the fryer, broiler, or grill to prepare food and place it on the holding shelf. You must assemble sandwiches according to guests’ order requirements, wrap products, clean and slice foods, label products, restock and clean food preparation station s and discard expired products.
Restaurant Management Jobs
Shift Leader
The most openings are available for shift leader positions. A shift leader assigns and directs crew members and makes sure customers receive their orders on time and prepared to industry standards. They solve any customer service complaints and may give additional training to employees who need it.
A shift leader must have a high school diploma and be available to work any shift, such as nights and weekends. He or she must train employees, enforce quality and service standards.
General Manager
A Carl’s Jr. general manager oversees all aspects of a restaurant’s day to day operation. You will make decisions about staff, budgets, order supplies, and equipment, do basic bookkeeping, and pay local bills. You’ll need to help out in the restaurant when things are busy.
Also, a general manager should have previous experience as a shift leader, assistant general manager or GM. These positions are often given to employees who have worked their way up “through the ranks” at Carl’s Jr. Though others with previous restaurant management or general management experience may be chosen.
Assistant Manager
Assistant managers help the general manager with training and supervising staff. They also pitch into help with crew work during busy times. Previous restaurant and or management experience is desirable. But most of all customer service skills and a positive attitude are most important for this position.
District Manager
A district manager checks on the restaurant managers in a given area (a town, county, or city district, for example). This is to make sure all restaurant employees are working to their best ability. You’ll ensure all general managers are doing their jobs, and help train and recruit new managers.
Additionally, district managers should have between five and seven years of management experience. Including experience in managing multi-unit restaurants strongly preferred, a college degree in business, finance, or restaurant management.
Finance and Office Jobs
The IT Finance Manager or Business Analyst IT jobs are available at the CKE corporate offices in Franklin, TN. These positions require a bachelor’s degree in business or finance or equivalent experience. You apply for, and interview for, this job, like you would for any professional job. The jobs don’t require any restaurant management or crew experience, though that might be a plus if you also have the business and finance qualifications.
Other corporate jobs include:
- Director of Audit, who oversees internal and corporate audit teams
- Product Marketing Manager, who manages and improves products for Carl’s Jr. and affiliated companies,
- Telecommunications Manager, who is responsible for wireless, landline and hardware services for the company and its restaurant locations
- Quality Assurance Manager, who oversees compliance for food processing, restaurant operation, and distribution.
Company Culture
It’s also important to understand the company culture and what comes along with it.
Expectations
The company expects all employees in their restaurant to be smiling and upbeat and engage in eye contact with customers. Employees should also be cordial to one another and use teamwork to accomplish tasks.
The guest-focused environment is based on a formula called “QSC” – Quality Food, Six-Dollar Service, and Cleanliness.
If you are an extroverted person and like working with others, any restaurant-based position will work well for you. It will be harder for introverts to flourish in any onsite restaurant position, but it is possible. Likewise, introverts may fare better in finance or corporate positions with the company if they have the appropriate skills.
In addition, employees should be reliable and show up to work on time and go above and beyond posted duties. Workers who take on extra shifts may be more likely to get a promotion.
Benefits
Carl’s Jr. awards college scholarships each year to qualified students. Employees are not eligible for the award.
Crew people and shift leaders who meet minimum requirements receive holiday, vacation, sick pay, employee meal discounts, and education reimbursement. Employee payments are through direct deposit or a payment card, and the company offers medical insurance for part-time employees.
Usually, shift leaders and general Managers receive Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision Care Plans. General managers are eligible for flexible spending accounts, long and short-term disability insurance, and Life and AD & D insurance.
For instance, benefits may differ according to the franchise owner.
Online Applications – What You Should Know
Most companies look for certain keywords in online applications, and the applications with those keywords make it to the top of the list. If you’re applying for a job as a shift leader, and your last job was as a shift leader, assistant shift leader or manager, you’ll have a better chance for an interview that if your last job was as a cashier or sandwich maker.
It is always better to apply through the Carl’s Jr. website or in person at a restaurant than go through third-party online sites. Third-party sites may or may not deliver your application to the company in a timely fashion.
If you are applying for a corporate position, go to the company or a trusted management or restaurant business recruiter.
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