We sat down with our Internal Recruitment Manager, Sam Stacey, to discuss his position as a Recruiter within Elite Pubs and how to stand out for a new opportunity in the hospitality industry.

Hi Sam! Tell us about your role as Internal Recruitment Manager at Elite Pubs..

My job is to actively seek the best available talent for front of house, back of house and operational team members across the Elite Pub collection. My role involves coming up with innovative and creative ways to find staff, taking them through the interviewing process, arranging trials and hiring.

It isn’t necessarily a sales role, but it can be as there is a lot of competition out there. Thankfully, we at Elite Pubs have a lot of attraction to pull potential candidates in. I look to create the perfect match from candidate to pub. As each pub has its own characteristics, it is important that the candidate understands them and that we offer a positive candidate experience.

What is the best part about your role?

My favourite part about working internally is that I get to employ somebody and then see them grow through the ranks. There is a lot of pride in the work to employ somebody for a position and they are promoted, knowing they will grow further is a huge pat on the back. I train candidates and help them achieve exactly what they want to achieve. I have the ability not only to make peoples day, but actually change their lives.

What qualities are you looking to see during an interview?

Passion. It’s always nice to see and connect with a genuine personality as this is fundamental for successful service out on the floor. Passion is also very important in kitchen roles too, I look for passion for food, expanding their skill set, and passion for the company.

How important is a cover letter?

Not a lot of people do it, but it certainly makes the people who do, stand out. It is highly appreciated that somebody has tried to add some personality around an otherwise formal CV.

What is your favourite question to ask an applicant?

I like to ask the question; “why should we employ you?”. If somebody really wants the job, this will push to hear the passion in their voice. Questions around research are always a good idea as you can see how much a candidate cares and has investigated the company. Elite Pubs have quite a big fanbase, so it is good to find people who really see it as a dream to work with us.

What tip would you give someone that wants to apply for a role at Elite Pubs?

Always consider the relevance of your experience to the role you are looking for before you rush to send through a CV. A lot of the time we are looking for experience, but I will hire somebody without experience, if you can impress with their character and personality shining through. We want to see passion, reliability and time keeping. If you are new to the role, we will perhaps begin with a supporting role and then work with this person to develop their skills and progress.