Hospitality Recruiters

Our Approach to Hospitality Executive Search and Recruitment

Keller is widely recognized as one of the world’s best recruiting firms for our bespoke search services and ability to cater to clients in a range of industries, including the hospitality sector. We understand that each search is unique and, as such, take the time to get an in-depth understanding of our client’s company culture, job requirements, and business goals before commencing any search.

Once we gain more insight into our client’s organization, we mindfully tailor our executive recruitment strategy to meet their needs. Only then do our consultants start mapping the market for the best candidates the industry has to offer.

Our headhunters are committed to diversity and inclusion during the search. This means we adhere to a bias-free hiring process, focusing only on candidates’ merits, skills, and passion for the hospitality industry.

After identifying a pool of potential talent, we first contact each individual to gauge their interest in the role before we put their technical expertise to the test. We also assess cultural fit and perform rigorous background and reference checks to verify their level of compatibility with our client’s team. The result is a curated list of fully vetted professionals who are ready to lead our client’s hospitality firm to new heights.

The final choice of who to hire rests with the client, who may perform their own set of interviews and assessments before settling on a candidate.

Behind Our Recruitment Process

Keller’s stellar reputation for providing superior-quality, reliable recruitment services was born from our passion for hiring and the knowledge that no company is built the same. However, we didn’t always enjoy the same level of success as we do now. On the contrary, everyone has to start somewhere.

In our case, it was with a generic recruitment approach that was ideal for filling large volumes of roles because it only focused on common skills and did not consider more nuanced factors like personality, work ethic, and cultural fit.

However, this made it less suitable for recruiting senior to mid-level management positions since these typically require candidates to align culturally with their teams in order to lead them successfully. These roles also often demand specialized skills that are in short supply, leading to more competition and less room for mistakes.

The shortcomings of our one-size-fits-all approach were clearly demonstrated during one particular engagement, where we were tasked with filling a leadership role for a major client. Although we found a candidate who possessed all the necessary qualifications and skills, they clashed with the rest of our client’s leadership, which led to internal conflict.

This incident marked a turning point for our firm and prompted us to invest in a more customer-oriented approach. Our process now considers all the intricacies that influence the outcome of a placement, such as organizational culture, team dynamics, personality, and leadership style, through comprehensive assessments and analysis.

Implementing this approach has worked in both our and our clients’ favor, resulting in better performance outcomes and higher retention rates.

Keller offers invaluable guidance to firms seeking ways to improve employee engagement and retention through our exclusive Insights and Thought Leadership content below.

Areas We Specialize In

Keller delivers exceptional hospitality recruitment solutions to a wide range of businesses in the industry. Our clients include local and global hospitality organizations, including, but not limited to:

• Restaurants/Food Service Industry
• Hotels
• Resorts
• Fast Casual and Fine Dining Establishments
• Events & Venues
• Country Clubs
• Private Clubs
• Senior Living
• Cruise Lines
• Grocery & Convenience Stores
• Wineries, Distilleries, & Breweries
• Bars & Nightclubs
• Catering
• Casinos
• Corporate & Campus Dining
• Entertainment & Theaters

Positions We Fill

Our hospitality recruiters draw on decades of first-hand leadership experience in hotels, restaurants, private clubs, boutique hotels, theme parks, and entertainment venues worldwide. This experience allows our team to understand the traits and skills that truly separate a good manager from a great leader. That practical insight, paired with our proven track record of placing talented job seekers in the global hospitality industry, allows us to serve as a valuable resource to businesses and organizations that demand top hospitality talent.

Rather than confining our searches to a rigid list of job titles, we start by tailoring our approach to our clients’ business goals and building a candidate profile around what they want to achieve and the impact they want to see. For example, one client may require a Vice President who can unify multi-unit operations across global hospitality brands; another may need an HR Director who can seamlessly integrate best-practice people strategies throughout the entire team. In short, Keller assists in placing exceptional hospitality leadership and management talent across all spectrums in the industry.

Our collaborative approach is full-service by design. From executive-level succession planning to urgent middle-management vacancies, we mobilize our worldwide network to surface management talent that fits your culture and delivers measurable results. We move quickly to connect clients with the best talents – professionals equipped with vast knowledge of the sector, with expertise spanning operations, culinary innovations, revenue management, guest relations, facilities, and more.

Why Choose Keller as your Hospitality Recruitment Partner?

We believe success is only possible when we connect a client with the perfect candidate. Thus, we only supply clients with individuals who understand first-hand the challenges faced by companies in the hospitality sector and have experience forming solutions to attain business success. We achieve this as a result of our field experience and dedication to top-notch service, which empower us to make the right recommendations.

Partnering with Keller gives you access to unrivaled industry knowledge and a strong network that you can rely on for making better hiring decisions. We also offer you support throughout the entire process, from the very first conversation to onboarding and even beyond. Keller is your true ally in hospitality recruitment, ensuring your company reaches new heights under the right leadership.

Part and parcel of being the best in the business is engaging in continuous learning and keeping abreast of the latest trends in the hospitality industry. We, therefore, invest in developing our knowledge base, attend networking events to grow our connections, and regularly engage with industry experts. This ensures we are fully prepared to assist you in meeting your recruitment challenges head-on and delivering the best talent to your door without delay.

Our Promise – The Right Hire

When you partner with Keller, you are assured confidentiality and professionalism at all stages of the search process. We will never reveal any sensitive or potentially damaging information about our clients or our candidates, as our team adheres to strict NDAs and utilizes secure data storage systems. Thus, we are capable of finding the right talent to meet your needs without compromising quality or security.

A big part of the success of our placement services stems from our dedication to finding the perfect match for clients. We don’t rush to fill open positions. Instead, we diligently review all potential candidates to find the best fit.

However, we acknowledge that even a tried and tested approach like ours is still liable to make mistakes. As such, we offer a 210-day replacement program that offers to locate another suitable candidate for your role if our initial placement fails to integrate into your existing team.

Partner with Keller today to access a team of expert headhunters committed to delivering high-value executive search services. Contact us to find out more about how we can help your business achieve success.