What does a franchisor’s recruitment process typically involve?

Every franchisor has their own process, some more detailed than others, but hopefully nobody relies on the old-fashioned selection process that often boiled down to ‘if they have a pulse and a cheque book, we’ll take them’.Good practice dictates that the franchisor develops a franchisee profile before they launch the franchise, which will list the attributes needed by a suitable franchisee for that system. Sometimes the criteria will be designated ‘must have’, ‘nice to have’ or ‘not relevant’, and there may even be some ‘must not haves’, such as unsatisfactory Criminal Records Bureau checks.The most obvious requirement is access to enough capital to finance the business, but after that it may or may not include previous experience in the sector, management experience, technical skills, driving licence, sales skills and all-round attitude. These requirements will be tested in a number of ways, including application forms, references, credit checks, telephone and personal interviews, psychometric testing, working in an existing outlet, meeting existing franchisees, visits to your home and meeting your partner.Don’t worry if the process seems to be too detailed or intrusive, as that will demonstrate the franchisor is at great pains to be sure you will fit into their system. Be more concerned if there are few hurdles to jump - and from your own point of view, talk to as you can.