A thriving hotel depends on skilled, happy employees who deliver great customer service. Hospitality is, after all, a people business. However, recruiting and maintaining hospitality workers remains a struggle with over 75 percent of American hotels short staffed as of summer 2024.

The good news is that there are multiple ways to recruit quality staff, regardless of the headwinds. 

Referral Programs

An employee referral program is one of the best ways to find long-term staff. Forty-five percent of referred staff continue with a company for more than four years, compared with 25 percent of staff recruited through job boards. 

A referral program prevents mismatches and misunderstandings on both sides by leaning on the experience and knowledge of your existing employees to recruit other suitable candidates and explain the intricacies of the job. Your employees also have a vested interest in recommending someone appropriate as their own reputation is on the line. Offer a referral bonus to your team for recruiting new people, or other incentives such as paid days off. Incentives should depend on whether or not the new hire passes their probationary period. 

However, it’s important to give candidates from other hiring avenues serious consideration as well. Not doing so can reduce diversity at your property and lead to an insular culture (if you’re always hiring the same type of person from the same background). The most qualified candidate may be completely new… and bring new ideas. 

Job Boards

Job boards are a staple for a reason: People seeking employment look there! Apart from well-known giants like Indeed, there are niche job boards, such as Hcareers or Hosco, that are specific to the hospitality industry. 

When it comes to your job postings, clarity is key. The position title, salary, and location should be at the forefront, followed by the requirements, duties, and benefits. Don’t get creative with the position title. “Housekeeper” is easier to search than “Cleaning Guru.” Bullet points are your friend as they’re easy to scan and communicate information clearly. Hint: Write the posting as though you’re addressing a single individual, even if you have more than one opening. 

Focus on quantifiable job requirements, i.e., X years’ experience in XYZ, and don’t advertise for personality traits. You may think that your staff should be “fun” and “outgoing,” but that quietly competent clerk with five years’ experience could skip over your listing if it’s written that way.

Lastly, make sure that your ad looks good on a mobile device. Even a decade ago in 2015, more than a quarter of American job seekers used their smartphones to search for employment opportunities.

Student Workers

Advertise at school campuses and not only at hospitality schools. Student workers generally have their breaks when the busy season rolls around, during summer and over the holidays, and are therefore a good choice for temporary workers. They may also be looking for non-traditional hours. If they have classes during the day, and you need someone for the night shift, it’s a perfect match. 

Discover where local campuses post job listings and when their career fair is happening. Most have a career center you can reach out to, and certain student organizations may be able to help as well. 

Gig Workers

Gig workers are another group of people looking for temporary employment that you can hire during busy times. Try jobs boards designed for this such as GigSmart (specializes in both shift workers and part/full-time workers) or InstaWork (has options for short-term, long-term, and full-time workers).

Social Media

Eighty-six percent of those looking for jobs apply social media to their efforts. Social media is a significant part of daily life, where people are comfortable, and thereby a relevant channel to let them know about your openings. 

Don’t confine yourself to LinkedIn. Spread yourself across social channels: Facebook, Instagram, etc. Even Reddit can be worthwhile. Look for specific groups or forums that have to  do with hospitality. If nothing else, they’ll provide an education on what employees want… and what’s driving them to quit. 

Clarity matters here too, as do bullet points. Complete sentences seem cramped in a social media graphic! Choose an eye-catching image along with a header that instantly tells the viewer what the post is about. Include a call to action.

This is also the place for video ads. Just remember to keep them short. Most viewers (66 percent) will watch an entire video on social media if it’s under 60 seconds. 

Community Engagement

Keep in touch with your community so that you know who is looking for jobs and where they’re looking. What demographics are you dealing with, and how can you tailor your advertisement to appeal to those demographics?

This strategy—like social media—works better when you don’t only engage when you want something. Think about what you can do for your community as well as what your community can do for you. For example, you can purchase supplies from nearby vendors, participate in charitable initiatives, and join local organizations for businesses, like a chamber of commerce. If there is an organization you can connect with that focuses on hospitality, all the better. A good local reputation never hurts with job seekers. 

Stay abreast of any community events where you can have a branded presence, such as a booth. Your community isn’t only where you live; it’s the hospitality industry. Attend industry conferences, workshops, and events. (Remember that these events aren’t always in person; they can be virtual—you don’t necessarily need to take an expensive plane trip!) 

Physical Ads

Just because it isn’t online doesn’t mean it’s obsolete. Put up a hiring sign at the front desk or elsewhere on your property—especially if you offer facilities that are frequented by locals, such as your restaurant. 

Outside your property, you can place advertisements on community notice boards, in industry and community publications, on flyers (how about putting these up at your local bus stop or shopping center?), and even on your company vehicle. This last one works better if you park in easy-to-spot places and are looking to fill positions on a consistent basis. You don’t want to redo your car every time you hire someone! 

AI Tools

If you receive a plethora of resumes and need to save time (always a good problem to have), you can use an AI tool like ChatGPT to screen them and select the most qualified. It can dig through a vast amount of data much faster than you can, leaving you with more space in your schedule for building relationships with preferred candidates.

Staffing can be a challenge, but trying new ways to recruit employees can help you find and attract competent, happy staff who will make the guest experience—and your business—the best it can be.