Atrium Hospitality

Bryan Drackett

If you’ve spent time in hospitality Talent Acquisition over the past few years, you know the playbook has been rewritten twice. First by the pandemic, then by a workforce that redefined its expectations. What hasn’t changed is the heart of our work is finding the right people who will take care of our guests.

But how we get there has changed dramatically. The days of waiting for résumés to roll in are long gone. Today’s TA professionals are part recruiter, part marketer, part analyst and increasingly, part technologist. We’re solving new puzzles every week with tools I wish I’d had back when making 100 calls a day was the process.

Solving the Volume Puzzle in Hourly Hiring

One of the biggest challenges we face in hospitality is the sheer volume of hourly applications. Quick apply? More like “quick flood.” Thanks to Indeed and ZipRecruiter—we can now average 100 applicants in 24 hours, most of whom don’t remember clicking ‘submit’ when we call. But the best candidate isn’t always applicant #3 or even #30. Sometimes, they’re #75, buried in the ATS.

That’s where the use of AI tools can make a difference. Screening technology, when set up correctly, doesn’t just look for keywords—it identifies behavioral traits, patterns, and indicators of success based on real performance. Instead of our property HR teams spending hours clicking through applications, they can zero in on the most promising people faster and with more confidence.

AI interviews are now adding another layer of value—giving every applicant a fair shot to show us who they are without slowing the process. By allowing candidates to answer a few key questions on their own schedule, we can see beyond the résumé and give equal opportunity to all applicants, not just the first 10–15 our teams have time to call.

This doesn’t mean we remove the human from the process—it means we let them focus their energy where it matters most. Tools help us to identify; we still decide. The result? Better hires, a stronger candidate experience, and a move away from the “first-come, first-hired” trap— hiring for quality, not just speed.

Making Tech Work for People

We’ve come a long way from viewing the ATS as a storage closet for résumés. The systems we use now help us track what’s working, where candidates are falling off and how quickly we’re moving. But the biggest improvements come not from the system itself, but from how we tailor it.

“Every great guest experience starts with someone we chose to bring through the door. And that’s a responsibility worth getting right”

It’s not about having every bell and whistle. It’s about configuring it in a way that’s easy for both recruiters and hotel managers to use. Things like mobile-friendly approvals, interview guides and clear dashboards can make or break adoption. And when the tech works, everyone feels it—candidates included.

Keeping the Human in the Process

The rise of automation and AI has opened a world of possibilities, especially for repetitive tasks like scheduling or screening. But in hospitality, we’re hiring people to take care of people. That means we can’t lose our personal connection along the way.

We’ve learned to use automation as a time-saver, not a shortcut. When a system can identify top applicants or send reminders, it is great. That gives us more time to talk to candidates, understand their motivation and help them envision a future with us. That’s the part of the job that still matters most—and it’s where we make the biggest impact. We’re also upfront with candidates. If an AI tool is involved, we let them know. Transparency builds trust and trust is how you turn a curious applicant into a committed hire.

What Comes Next

Looking ahead, the most successful TA teams, no matter the industry, will be the ones who balance adaptability with empathy. It’s not just about filing roles faster—it’s about understanding the business, building the right systems, and never losing sight of the people behind the process.

Because at the end of the day, every great guest experience starts with someone we chose to bring through the door. And that’s a responsibility worth getting right.