Utilizing the right resources for different levels of talent.

As the New Year is upon us, hospitality companies are finalizing budgets and defining their goals. Typically, human resource departments aren't flush with funds so recruitment dollars must be carefully spent. While it can be difficult to predict the exact turnover for the year, knowing which recruitment strategies to use for varying positions can help companies see the greatest return on their investment. In fact, the savvy recruiter will be taking advantage of the many free resources that are available. Let us examine the different methods that can be used for recruiting line-level and mid-management talent.

Line-level recruitment is in many ways the most difficult level for which to recruit. These jobs in the hospitality industry can include server, bellman, and housekeeper. This is the area where the largest amount of turnover typically exists. This may be due to the seasonality of some properties, lower wages (paid hourly), and the lesser skill-set required to perform these duties. Not having a strong team can be detrimental to the level of guest service at your property as these employees work the most closely with the guest. The best practice companies will implement significant training, mentoring and development programs targeting their line-level employees. Offering long-term career growth with your property/company is critical for the retention for these workers.

Since relocation is not warranted at the line-level, local newspaper ads are an effective tool. You are guaranteeing that you are targeting people within a commutable distance. If your market has a high density of hotels/restaurants you will likely find someone with the requisite experience. Tracking your success rate with different newspapers is key, as well as understanding the demographics (volume of readership and market reach) that each paper offers. The downside can include a high number of unqualified applications, individuals with no industry experience, and depending on the high paper costs, you also have a finite amount of space to sell your opportunity. Internet recruiting is a strategy that is becoming increasingly effective for line-level recruitment. This is due to more of the population having internet access and the knowledge how to create and post their resumes online.

For mid-management positions, online recruitment sites should be considered. It offers human resource professionals instant access to a wealth of talent. Important questions to ask your provider include: "How many active candidates do you have in your database?" and "What are you doing to attract new talent to your site?" If you are subscribing to a site for one year, you don't want to see the exact same candidates in December that you saw in January. More detailed questions should be asked if you are using a generalist job board as opposed to an industry specific one. The two main functions of a recruitment site are job postings and resume searches. Individuals who apply to job postings are considered "active candidates." These are people who are actively searching for jobs. They are clearly looking to make a move, since they either are not satisfied with their current situation or they may not be currently employed. Searching a resume database allows the employer to attract a passive candidate. Most likely this candidate is currently employed. He/She might be quite happy in his/her current position but is willing to hear about potential opportunities. The higher performers will typically fall under the passive candidate category. However, it is important to note that "A" players can and do apply for jobs.

For critical or difficult to fill mid-level positions, consider using an E-Search service. This new model is a hybrid of traditional recruiting strategies and internet technologies. You have the benefits of a retained search professional (typically only available for senior level executive searches) with decreased cycle time and costs.

While these are the primary recruitment methods for recruiting talent, there are other good and even free resources available. Maintaining relationships with your local colleges and hospitality programs allows you access to high quality candidates at the beginning of their careers. International hotel schools such as Lausanne offer exchange programs to help their students get hands-on experience. Lastly, managing and growing your database of contacts are essential. Having a referral network and knowing the "word on the street" is priceless.


Doug Rosen is Vice President of hospitalitycareernet.com, the online recruiting division of HVS Executive Search. Hospitalitycareernet.com is an internet recruiting solution, designed to help companies within the hospitality industry find talent. Hospitalitycareernet.com also powers the job boards of organizations such as The Leading Hotels of the World. Mr. Rosen has written several articles about online recruitment, and also runs HVS's leadership and employment assessment, 2020skills.com.