The Hospitality Flood Gates are Opening!

As the owner of Patrice & Associates Hospitality Recruitment, I use my own business as a yardstick measuring the health of the hospitality industry.  In 2020, our clients were being forced to close, job seekers weren’t looking for jobs as they were on unemployment – and there were no jobs to be found.

As more states gave the green light for restaurants to open, they have been in a frenzy.  Many only got a 24 – 48-hour notice that they could open.  They didn’t have the food ordered, they didn’t have any prepping options and they didn’t have the staff.

Restaurant owners started calling former employees to come back to work.  They found that some were going to continue to stay on unemployment until it ended, and others had found a job elsewhere.

If this wasn’t enough to worry about, they knew their customers would be flooding in once the doors opened.  Loyal customers who had been cooped up at home for a year were anxious to head to their favorite establishment.   Restaurant owners everywhere wanted to make sure their guests had a great experience.

The next thing they needed, in addition to staff, was managers.  Where could they find managers on such short notice that didn’t need a lot of training.  This was where Patrice & Associates Hospitality Recruitment immediately acted as their trusted staffing partner.  We were able to quickly source managers for them to interview and hire.

An interesting development I learned when restaurants were advertising for staff, they were mostly getting resumes of high school kids who wanted a job.  My hunch is that some people are still on unemployment and if they were a good manager, they already had a job.

Our phone keeps ringing with restaurants that want our help finding them managers.  They want managers who could “walk into the job” and didn’t need a lot of training.  We have been very successful in quickly finding top talent for our clients.

Another development affecting the staffing business, is the Baby Boomers effect on the job market.  Baby Boomers are retiring at a rate of 1 per every 6 seconds.   This trend is projected to dramatically jump in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2021 and into 2022.

These Baby Boomers are the managers of companies.  There seems to be no succession plan and companies won’t have the hiring options of the past.

Who are the replacement options for Baby Boomers?  The Millennials.  Millennials don’t care about long term jobs, stability or career.  They Work to Live.  They will have had 5 jobs by the time they are 35 and changed careers 3 times.  The job stability and career motivation is not there, which makes it even more difficult to replace the Baby Boomers.

As I continue to watch the trends in the hospitality industry, which affects how we can match top people with great job opportunities,  I remember what hospitality recruitment was like 30 years ago.  What a “ride” it has been.

If you don’t change to keep up with the times, you get left behind.

 

Back

Duke Witte absolutely was amazing! 

I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to Duke Witte for his assistance in finding me a new job in the hospitality industry. I was disgruntled with my previous job, and I was feeling very discouraged about my prospects. I had been working in the restaurant industry for many years, and I had a lot of experience and skills, but I was having a hard time finding a better opportunity.

I was contacted via LinkedIn by Duke, and thank goodness I was.  Mr. Witte was incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. He took the time to understand my skills and experience, and worked tirelessly to find me a job that was a good fit.

Duke was also very honest and upfront with me about the job market. He didn't sugarcoat things, but also didn't give up on me. He kept me motivated and encouraged, and never gave up on finding me a job that I would love.

I am so grateful to Duke Witte and his team for their help. I am now happily employed, and I am so happy that I was able to find a job that I love. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for a job in the restaurant industry. He is a true professional, and is dedicated to helping his clients find the perfect job!

Thank you again for everything!

Nick Grubbs

Working with Chris Bovio made job searching so much easier! 

Not only was he available and involved in my search, but also knowledgeable regarding the position. Chris used his industry experience and recruiting network to find the best position for me and my skill set. My only regret is that my new job is so perfect for me that I won’t need to use Chris or Patrice & Associates later.

Thanks,

Nick Guarino

Michael Greig was absolutely fantastic in every way! 

He gave me options and suggestions & eventually found a great for me. Communication was easy and he went above & beyond. Also, he seems like an all around good dude. Thanks again Michael. Solid work out there. You’re hired :)

Nic Callahan

Bryan Curtis was fantastic to work with!

Bryan was very on top of things throughout my recruiting process to the engineering firm I accepted my position with.  I responded to his LinkedIn posting and heard back from him within 24 hours. He continually spoke with me throughout the process checking in regularly and answering all my questions. Bryan was instrumental in helping me find a great job.

Thanks!

Austin

Frank Rondeau was a really big help! 

When it came to helping me find my new job, he knocked it out of the park!  He was very honest and thorough throughout the entire process. We had multiple conversations along the way and he always checked in after interviews. Frank was amazing to work with, and I'm super excited to start my new journey thanks to him.       

Many Thanks,

Chyanne

Read More Testimonials