Letter From the CEO


To my fellow Hospitality Professionals,

Just three months ago, the unemployment rate was at an all-time low of 3.5%, and it was a candidate’s market. Now, as I write this, the unemployment rate is hovering around 20%, and the hospitality industry is feeling it the most. We are watching our industry and its needs change right before our eyes, and the team at Horizon Hospitality is doing everything possible to remain a meaningful resource to both hospitality companies and job seekers as the rebuilding of our businesses begins.

In the past week, we have seen clients restart paused searches and begin new searches to avoid the rush in hiring top talent once the hospitality industry picks back up. Even though it may feel like finding a job right now is impossible, we are seeing proactive and forward-thinking hospitality employers beginning to hire; Keep yourself professionally active and fresh so you are in the best position possible when an opportunity is presented.

Communication has always been a key focus for us. Continuing to stay engaged with companies across the country is imperative to strengthen our relationships while providing valuable resources and expertise. Through phone and video conferencing, automatic scheduling, texting, and emailing, we have been able to remain agile and effective during social distancing. To further enhance our engagement, we recently conducted a series of four webinars to help hospitality professionals as they re-engage in the workforce. Over 700 individuals registered and attended these webinars (you can still watch them on our website).

I am eternally grateful and proud of the collaboration, flexibility, and resilience of the entire Horizon Hospitality team. Fortunately, as a result of our deep client relationships and our position in the hospitality recruiting marketplace, we have been able to maintain the vast majority of our recruiting team. Everyone has gone above and beyond to take on new roles and responsibilities to meet the changing needs of our industry. We have diversified and expanded our services to even more segments within the hospitality industry, giving clients access to a wider talent pool, and creating more opportunities for candidates to explore new career paths.

The hospitality industry employs over 15 million people, making it the fifth-largest industry in the country. Although we have some significant challenges to overcome through the remainder of 2020, I expect a strong bounce back in the fourth quarter leading to an even stronger 2021, thanks to the resiliency of our industry and the unparalleled passion of the hospitality professionals within it.

Optimistically yours,

Scott Samuels
CEO | Horizon Hospitality

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