Recruiting & Executive Search

A hospitality recruiting firm helps restaurants, hospitality groups, hotels, and other hospitality businesses identify, attract, evaluate, and hire qualified talent. At Empowered Hospitality, our recruiting team supports searches ranging from hourly and management positions to executive and leadership roles, using a tailored approach based on your business, the position, and your hiring goals.

Hospitality executive search is a specialized recruiting process focused on identifying and attracting experienced leaders for critical or senior-level positions. Rather than relying solely on job postings, executive search involves proactive sourcing, industry relationships, targeted outreach, and a thorough evaluation of candidates based on experience, leadership capabilities, and alignment with your organization.

We recruit across a wide range of hospitality roles, including executive leadership, general managers, operations leaders, culinary leadership, corporate positions, and other management and specialized roles. We also support high-volume hiring initiatives, including new restaurant openings and team expansions.

We start by learning about your business, culture, hiring goals, the role, and your timeline. From there, we develop a recruiting strategy tailored to the search, identify and engage qualified candidates, screen and evaluate candidates, coordinate interviews, and support communication throughout the process. Our goal is to make the hiring process more efficient while helping you find candidates who are positioned for long-term success.

Yes. Many of the strongest hospitality candidates are passive candidates who are currently employed and not actively searching for a new opportunity. Our recruiters use industry relationships, professional networks, referrals, direct outreach, and proactive sourcing strategies to connect with experienced professionals who may be a strong fit for the right opportunity.

Hospitality recruiting requires an understanding of the industry's unique operating environment, talent market, leadership expectations, and culture. Our team specializes in hospitality and understands the roles, skills, and experience that contribute to success in restaurants and hospitality businesses. That industry expertise allows us to evaluate candidates based on more than a résumé and identify talent that aligns with both the role and your organization.

Yes. We can support high-volume recruiting initiatives such as open calls, including new restaurant openings, expansions, and other situations where you need to build a team quickly. We can tailor the recruiting strategy based on the number and types of roles, your timeline, and the market you're hiring in.

The timeline depends on the role, location, level of the position, availability of qualified candidates, and your hiring goals. Some searches can move quickly, while specialized or executive searches may require more time to identify and engage the right candidates. At the beginning of each search, we'll discuss your timeline and establish a recruiting approach designed to meet your needs.

We offer flexible recruiting options, including contingent, hourly, retainer, and flat-fee structures. The best approach depends on the type of search, number of positions, level of the role, and support you need. We'll recommend an engagement model based on your specific recruiting goals.

Yes. Recruiting is often about more than filling an immediate vacancy. We can help hospitality businesses develop talent acquisition strategies, strengthen recruiting processes, improve employer positioning, and build a more sustainable approach to attracting and hiring talent. This can be especially valuable for growing organizations, new market expansions, and businesses with ongoing hiring needs.