What is an all-rounder?
An all-rounder is an employee with a highly varied skill set who is capable of performing a wide range of tasks. They typically work in small businesses and are most commonly found in the hospitality sector. However, they often work in a range of other areas, including mining, administration and retail.
Why hire an all-rounder?
All-rounders have broad skill sets and can switch rapidly between various tasks as required, helping to keep the business running smoothly. For example, a restaurant all-rounder can transition between performing front-of-house duties, working the bar and assisting with food preparation as demand shifts. This helps to create a seamless customer experience.
An all-rounder can be great for a growing small business when resources are limited. It may be time to consider hiring an all-rounder when peak times seem chaotic, you’re constantly filling gaps and one employee’s absence seems to significantly affect a shift.
Key contributions of a great all-rounder:
- supports management by performing a range of tasks as needed, ensuring all processes run smoothly
- thrives under pressure in a busy environment and can manage multiple competing priorities
- enhances collaboration by acting as a bridge between different teams.
Defining your hiring needs for an all-rounder
The choice between a casual, part-time or full-time all-rounder will depend on the nature of your business. In a small hospitality business with fluctuating staffing needs, a casual all-rounder can provide operational flexibility. A part-time employee is a suitable option if your demand is more predictable but not enough to bring on a full-timer. However, if it’s important for your hire to help shape the workplace culture, it may make more sense to bring on a permanent employee.
Types of all-rounders
All-rounders work in all kinds of industries. While their duties and responsibilities vary greatly depending on their industry, they are always generalists rather than specialists. Most all-rounders work in the hospitality sector, in cafés, restaurants and other establishments, where they perform both front- and back-of-house duties.
Employers in the mining industry also commonly hire all-rounders to operate various types of machinery. All-rounders also work in professional services, such as administration and human resources. HR all-rounders generally handle the entire employment life cycle, from recruitment and onboarding to termination.
Here is a list of some main types of all-rounders:
- hospitality all-rounder
- mining all-rounder
- retail all-rounder
- warehouse all-rounder
- HR all-rounder
- administration all-rounder.
To increase the visibility of your job post, consider including top keywords that candidates are searching for. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on all-rounder jobs, according to Indeed data:
- hospitality
- FIFO
- all-rounder
- FIFO utility
- café
- restaurant
- café all-rounder
- FIFO mining
- bartender.
Want more hiring insights for your all-rounder? Sign in or create your free Indeed account.
Where to find an all-rounder
To find the right all-rounder for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Local universities and TAFEs: Careers hubs, job boards or international student noticeboards at local universities, TAFEs and other tertiary institutions can be helpful if you’re looking to fill casual positions, particularly in hospitality.
- Employee referrals: For a low-cost way to find quality candidates who typically stay for longer, consider offering your current employees incentives, such as a modest bonus or gift card, for referring potential candidates.
- Ex-defence employment programs: If you’re looking for a mining all-rounder, ex-defence personnel often have experience operating heavy machinery and a strong safety mindset. Consider connecting with employment programs such as the Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Employment Program.
- Hire internally: Perhaps one of your current employees already has a broader skill set that is not being fully used in their current role, or they could be trained to be a great all-rounder.
- Post your job online: Post your all-rounder job on Indeed to find and attract quality candidates.
Skills to look for in an all-rounder
A great all-rounder candidate will have many of the following skills, developed through a mix of professional experience, training or education:
- an ability to switch tasks rapidly and prioritise tasks according to urgency
- adaptability and flexibility
- an ability to remain calm under pressure in a busy environment
- communication and teamwork
- organisation and time management
- physical fitness, particularly for mining all-rounder jobs.
Writing an all-rounder job description
A well-crafted job description is where all these elements – skills, salary data and candidate search behaviour – come together.
A strong all-rounder job description typically includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position. You may also want to include information about your company culture, benefits and perks to attract top candidates.
Ready to get started? Check out our full guide for writing all-rounder job descriptions.
Interviewing all-rounder candidates
To get a better sense of a candidate’s skills and experience, be prepared to ask questions about the following topics:
- ability to remain calm under pressure in a busy environment
- behavioural questions about adaptability and flexibility
- time management and task prioritisation abilities
- maintaining accuracy while multitasking
- teamwork abilities.
