Being out of work this time of year is, well, brutal: The holidays are in full swing, you need Christmas money, and the common belief is that nobody is really looking for new employees because they are so caught up in getting their property ready for the holidays or the decision-makers are on vacation.

I can tell you from experience, in the hotel industry, that is just flat-out wrong. BECAUSE of the holidays and the nature of the business, hotels are looking harder for employees.

Saving the Budget

One of the biggest drivers for this belief is that since the end of the year is coming, most managers would prefer to do without to get the added benefits to the bottom line for the end-of-year reports. There is also all the additional paperwork, benefits, and training that go with a new hire, adding even more costs to the overall operation. While you may be able to get away with that at Lowe’s or a corner store, those excuses won’t work when it comes to the hospitality industry.

I once had an inexperienced supervisor that suggested holding off on hiring workers to fill our void, even though we had significant business over the holiday season and a massive convention coming in right after the new year. I told him if he was willing to lower customer expectations and not hold me accountable for any functions that crashed and burned, I would be more than happy to hold off hiring until after the new year. Needless to say, I hired more staff.

Holiday Hours

The one roadblock for properties is ensuring all the decision-makers are in place to hire people during the holiday season. If the operation is up to snuff, however, alternatives are already in place. For instance, if the HR Director regularly takes his or her vacation during this time, someone else is more than likely in place to make those decisions, so do not be discouraged just because your targeted manager is not taking phone calls. Find out who the current decision maker is while he or she is away and talk to that individual.

As a job seeker, to be honest, this may be the best time of year for you to be out there looking. Far too many people that are out of work in this industry had the same mindset you did until you read this article. While they are out putting themselves deeper in debt with holiday shopping, tighten up that resume, get your suit dry cleaned, and hit the pavement!

Looking for opportunities but getting frustrated because your search keeps coming up empty? Did you know hotel management recruiters like JDI are tapped into opportunities and companies that are not even advertised? These companies rely on Joseph David International to find them the top talent in the industry rather than interviewing bad candidate after bad candidate. For more information about opportunities we currently have available or to find out how our team can help you find your dream job, click here.