Hiring During Burrito Season

Burrito season is almost upon us.

Not familiar with burrito season? That’s because Chipotle just invented it as part of a new hiring initiative.

The fast-casual Mexican grill announced last week it is looking to hire 15,000 new employees in preparation for burrito season, the company’s busiest time from March to May each year.

The campaign will feature six Chipotle employees who have advanced to management roles during their time with the company.

It’s a smart move that takes a page from the content marketing playbook and applies it to recruiting.

By coining a framework for its hiring push, Chipotle signals to would-be applicants that there are plenty openings. Like tax season or holiday shopping season, burrito season shows people with a specific set of skills that they will be in high demand.

Chipotle then follows up with stats and personal stories about opportunities for advancement and the potential for a career beyond burrito season.

A Layered Hiring Story

Today’s labor market is tight, with layoffs in more and more industries making headlines. At the same time, the restaurant industry (and countless others) struggle to fill open positions.

All the more reason for Chipotle to spend time building the right story for its recruitment efforts.

It’s also been a major PR win. Chipotle’s push to hire 15,000 is a positive point among so much coverage about layoffs.

And the burrito season hook makes it that much easier to cover. Nearly every article mentions the phrase in the headline – a major win for Chipotle’s PR team.

Still, the primary audience for this campaign is potential Chipotle employees – many of whom are already preparing for burrito season.