Interview – Insights into recruitment in the hospitality industry

Marie is working at LHC International for 4 years, and she is Managing Consultant Recruiting in a team of 6 people. 

In this interview about recruitment in the hospitality industry, we wanted to know more about her career path and to get her point of view on recruitment in the Hospitality industry.

MARIE

Can you tell me about your career path?

You recently were promoted, and take care of special projects. Can you explain what you do exactly?

Our Consultants and Recruiters are specialised in certain Industries (Hospitality, Real Estate, Finance, I.T., Sales & Marketing and Office & Management) or professional fields.

Whenever we have a request for a position that is not in their “Core Business” we can still offer clients to reach out to the market and actively search and approach candidates in these areas of expertise.

I am responsible for these special projects. I also help the hospitality team in their research when the amount of work is too high for them.

I am also in charge of Active Sourcing workshops that we offer to our clients. I teach them how they can find and approach candidates these days. These workshops are a new project we implemented a few months ago.

Can you explain your daily work?

After our daily morning meeting with the Hospitality team, I spend the day speaking and texting with candidates and clients. I interview new people or catch up with candidates to see how they are doing.

My main focus is on Active Sourcing: searching and identifying the right people.

CANDIDATES

Why is it complicated to find specialists nowadays?

It’s not easy to make a difference as a company.

I think there are many or even more specialists than a few years ago. However, candidates’ expectations about their employer and their job have changed.

Due to the numerous crises, people have an increased need for security in their jobs, which is why the willingness to move or sign a temporary contract is much lower for example.

On the other hand, they no longer organise their lives around their work, but they need a job that fits into their lives. They want flexibility, development opportunities, a good salary, and other benefits.

In certain industries, companies are overflowing with salaries and titles, and candidates are flooded with news and job offers on social media every day. It’s not easy to make a difference as a company.

How do you find candidates in a market where there is a shortage?

Did the expectations of candidates change? What is important for them nowadays?

Every generation has its own motivation and its own challenges in the current working world. Just as people’s life situations are very individual, and so are their needs. They all want to be heard.

Many people now ask about the financial situation of a company and how stable the company currently is. 90% of people want at least a home office option.

HOSPITALITY

What are the challenges in your industry and for your team?

During Covid, the Hospitality branch lost a lot of employees and specialists to other industries. Now tourism is coming back but the hotel employees have become accustomed to the benefits of other jobs and industries, like having flexible working hours or not working on weekends.

That is why we are currently dealing with a lack of candidates who are willing to stay or not to come back to the Hospitality industry.

Which jobs are the most demanded?

That is a tough question. At the moment, there is a lack of classic line staff: receptionists, cooks, and service staff. For some years now, there have been fewer and fewer apprentices and during the Corona crisis, many have left for other industries.

What solutions exist to fight the actual challenges in the industry?

Digitisation

Hoteliers are getting creative. Many digital solutions can make work easier and simplify processes.

Benefits

Hoteliers have also really stepped up their game when it comes to benefits.
There are hotel groups that introduced the 4-day week, enable employees to work abroad, offer flexible working hours or remote working and so much more.

Appreciation

Moreover, the employees are looking for appreciation. They no longer work for a big, anonymous brand, but for a purpose. They want to have a say in decisions, contribute with their ideas and be brought on board in strategy development.

How can LHC help hoteliers with these challenges?

In the best case, we find the right candidate for an open position.

If we can’t help with that, we still support our clients with advice and assistance. We talk to candidates every day, hear what they love about their job, what they don’t like and what is important to them in their future careers.

We are happy to share this market knowledge with our clients because it can help them improve their position in the war of talents.

The interview was conducted by Margaux Sauvage – Marketing Manager at LHC International.

Are you interested in a career in Hospitality, or are you looking for new opportunities in this industry? Are you interested in recruitment in the Hospitality industry? CONTACT US. Our consultant will call you back to advise you on your career possibilities.