I'm in the process of expanding my home based business and am hiring two part time employees. I've never done this before, I have always been a one person shop, and done everything myself. I now have more work than I can handle and can actually pick up more accounts if I get help. Here's my dilema, the two woman that I am hiring have a passion for cake decorating, but no experience! However, I'm hoping that they will train to bake and prep cakes, plus clean the shop very quickly which is a huge part of my work load. They are both taking Wilton cake decorating courses at the moment and I figure they are getting some decorating training at no cost to me! Anyway, do any of you have experience training UNexperienced decorators and have any advice for me? TIA!

Actually, when I was the dept lead I had to train peeps on how to decorate cakes. I preferred having someone with little or no experience because I didn't have to "unteach" things that they already thought they knew. But getting someone you don't have to babysit is good too. Just make sure you don't get someone who "milks" the job.

I don't know the laws in Mass. But make sure you are a lic. home business. One lady did that here in CA, the woman didn't work out so she let her go. Then the fired lady turned her into the health dept.

Turned out for the better, she opened a lic shop.

Have a back-up plan for when they call in sick or are on vacation.

it's very hard to work with someone you don' t know, and then someone you don't know that wants to work with you is another ball of wax. I would love to "hire" someone but at the moment I don't have enough financial resources but do have the "leads" and work for another person to help out.

I'm debating on renting out my mornings, but then again, how would I get the help that I need? lol

I don't feel that I can charge them rental and then expect them to help out also...or can i? lol

The Wilton course is not really designed for a volume business, it is for the average home baker, who wants to dabble in decorating. You may have to teach a quicker way to decorate. You cannot afford for someone to take 4 or 5 hours to decorate a birthday cake or 8-10 hours to do a simple wedding cake. I would come up with a job description on what you expect out of them, like baking and cleaning etc.....Have them decorate a cake for you as a test, time them and look overall at their work for neatness, pressure control, icing the cake, without making them nervous observe how they achieve the end result. This will help you to steer them in a different direction if you need to. Let them know what you expect, and the importance of consistent good quality cakes and work. Check references. If you have very specific recipes, I would have them sign something to protect your recipes, also maybe a no compete clause within a certain mile radius.

you would be amazed at the people who claim they can decorate.

during my time at the in store bakeries i've worked at, i've seen some things.

i guess they didn't think the bakery manager would have them do a cake.

one time this gal came in saying she could do wedding cakes or whatever you want.

my boss said "do a cake...i'll be back in 15 minutes"

OMG... she couldn't even ice a cake...i got feeling sorry for her, and tried to help her, she didn't even know how to fold a parchment bag.

well it looked like a 5 year old did it.

after she left my boss had a good time with the ugly cake....calling everyone to see what the "new decorator" could do.

at my own place i've had em come back and make a cake....one lady said she had decorated 25 years....not only was she as slow as christmas...it was just awful looking.

on a good note, i have finally found someone who will actually keep moving and get some cleaning done.

i've gone thru 5 others till i found her...it sure makes my life easier.

Little cake, that could've been me! I went for a job interview and they had me ice a cake! it had been so long that I worked with AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM that I was all elbows!


I was so slow it was embarassing...plus I was really really nervous...I had gone after school and was in my student chef's uniform and they were all looking at me like I thought I was the bomb...( not...was just too embarassed..lol)

I did bring my resume and portfolio and was given a chance, but for some reason I just didn't do well!

It also had to do with using strange tools and thats no good reason...a good decorator should be able to work under any conditions..

but then again...why are Chef's allowed to bring their own Knife rolls when they go to a job "audition"...( as they are actually called!)

You get to "shadow" for a day or so before you get hired..

lol

and the thing is ...that I KNOW I can pump out 50 flat iced and simple decorated cakes in about 6 hours! lol

Cupcake, thank you for the imput. I have worked many years building up a reputation in this area. The function halls I do business with only associate my cakes with "me". I plan to be the one who delivers most of the cakes, although I know there will be acceptions to that rule. I also plan for now, being the only one to take orders and answer the phone. I really just need help with the "grunt" work, like baking, cleaning, prepping the cakes and making flowers. I just hope I have enough work to keep them busy. I will eventually give the decorating over to them. There is always the potential with problems and I really hope my instincts are right. I just have a gut feeling that it will work out, but it's going to cost me alot of profit in this first year I'm afraid. I'm not used to giving up my profit!!

Littlecake,
I PM'd you. I wasn't sure if you wanted to give the details I was asking you out in the open. I am very curious of your answers though!
Working with others as their "employer" is a totally new step for me!