Shang Skipper is running out of time to solve a problem he never expected. In a few weeks, Skipper plans to open Del Frisco’s Grille in Chestnut Hill, and despite the state’s relatively high unemployment rate, he can’t find enough workers to fill well-paying jobs with benefits at the chain restaurant.
Over the past month, Skipper has scoured college campuses, hosted a booth at a Cambridge job fair, and slipped into after-hours hangouts popular with bar and restaurant workers to woo prospective hires. Despite those recruiting efforts, he said, 30 positions remain open.
“It’s surprising that we see these unemployment numbers and still aren’t getting enough applicants,” he said.