What Do Restaurant Recruiters Do?

Restaurant recruiters help hospitality workers find work. At the same time, a restaurant recruiter may also work with a restaurant or hotel in an attempt to find suitable staff persons for available positions. Restaurant recruiters may work individually or may be employed by a company that specializes in hospitality and restaurant recruiting.

Individuals who engage in a recruiting career must have dynamic interpersonal skills and be adept at building strong relationships. On a daily basis, people working as restaurant recruiters may have to meet with restaurant clients by phone or face to face, as well as be able to rigorously and effectively screen potential job candidates. It is, therefore, important for restaurant recruiters to be personable and in possession of great verbal and written communication skills.

Hotels and chain restaurants often contract restaurant recruiters to locate and screen professional chefs and individuals who have experience in restaurant management. People working in recruiting jobs are responsible for screening resumes, interviewing candidates and, in some instances, performing background checks on candidates before recommending them to a restaurant or hotel for an available position. Networking with other recruiters and key people in the hospitality industry is a large part of a recruiter’s job. Those with a reputation for selecting quality candidates according to an employer’s specifications can often expect to be used repeatedly to help restaurants fill vacant positions.

While a large part of a recruiter's job is to locate potential restaurant staff persons, another important duty which is often performed involves convincing candidates to consider such positions. Often, restaurant recruiters approach individuals currently working in positions at other restaurants and hotels. It is not uncommon for individuals to be satisfied with their current positions while restaurant recruiters attempt to persuade them to leave their position to accept a new one. In this role, a recruiter may have to speak with a chef or upper-management professional multiple times in an effort to coax one of these professionals to consider another job elsewhere despite their reservations or objections about doing so.

Restaurant recruiters often keep a database of professionals whom they believe to be exceptionally talented in their careers. As positions become available, a restaurant or hotel may contact a recruiter for assistance. Such is also very common when hospitality businesses are opening new venues or expanding to new territories. A recruiter then must work hard to help businesses find exceptional candidates willing to consider a new position and possibly relocate.