Hotel General Manager Recruitment: Beyond Age and Appearance

I am deeply concerned about the trend I have observed in executive recruitment processes within our sector. Too often, superficial factors such as appearance and youth take precedence, while experience and wisdom are pushed into the background. Even more alarming is how online screening systems and a lack of rigorous judgement perpetuate this problem, consigning excellent candidates to oblivion with a simple click. In this article, we will explore this dilemma and its impact on the hospitality industry.

The Age of Superficiality

In the search for hotel directors, it is clear that appearance and youth often take the lead. Recruitment professionals seem obsessed with finding candidates who fit a preconceived image of youth and physical attractiveness. This can result in highly competent candidates being overlooked simply because they are over a certain age or do not fit the aesthetic preferences of the person responsible for recruitment. We cannot underestimate the importance of experience in hotel management. Experienced directors have accumulated extensive knowledge of how to handle difficult situations, solve problems and maintain operational excellence. Automatically dismissing candidates over the age of 50 is a mistake the hospitality industry cannot afford.

The Dangers of Automation

The problem is exacerbated by the growing reliance on online screening systems in recruitment processes. These systems, designed to save time and effort, often overlook outstanding candidates because of a set of keywords, superficial details or blind algorithms. Let us imagine an experienced hotel director who has devoted their life to honing their skills. Their CV reflects a wealth of experience and impressive achievements. Yet a simple discrepancy in keywords or a CV format that does not fit the automated system could result in their automatic exclusion from the recruitment process. This kind of swift disqualification can cost the industry valuable talent and ultimately affect the quality of service at our hotels.

The Search for a Solution

To address this worrying trend, it is essential for the hospitality industry to reassess its recruitment criteria. Here are some recommendations:

• Focus on Skills: Beyond age or appearance, assess candidates based on their skills and experience in hotel management.
• Conduct In-Depth Interviews: In-depth interviews can reveal a candidate’s true ability to meet challenges and lead teams.
• Training in Sound Judgement: Provide recruitment professionals with the training they need to identify suitable candidates without being swayed by bias.
• Reassess Screening Systems: Automated systems must be adjusted to recognise quality and experience, not just keywords.

The lack of sound judgement and rigour in the recruitment processes for directors in the hospitality industry is a problem that must be addressed urgently. We cannot allow superficial factors such as appearance and age to dictate who will lead our hotels and resorts. Experience and competence must prevail over youthful looks. I hope this reflection helps drive change in the way directors are selected in the hospitality industry. Quality and experience must be our primary criteria, and together we can raise the standards of our industry. Thank you for your time and consideration.