Why Hospitality Recruiting is Broken, and How to Fix it

Most hospitality hiring is broken because it looks for the wrong thing. Nicole Antonio Gadsdon argues that the future belongs to leaders who hire for presence, empathy, creativity, and what she calls high hospitality quotient - not just a polished CV.Mauricio Schuler sits down with Nicole, founder of Banana Pepper HR and author of Help Wanted, to unpack how an unconventional career path through banking, recruitment marketing, and luxury resort openings led her to a radically better way to build teams. From a catamaran-based hiring day in Antigua to rebuilding people and culture through Hurricane Irma and COVID, Nicole shares the real-world lessons that changed how she sees talent, retention, and leadership.You'll discover:Why competency interviews and CVs often miss the best peopleHow to spot culture contribution instead of vague "fit"The 3-part Tuesday morning reset every leader can use to improve hiringHow to ask story-driven questions that reveal resilience, empathy, and characterWhy HR, marketing, and guest experience are really two sides of the same hospitality coin.Nicole also breaks down why hospitality has a PR problem, how AI and ATS tools should be used without outsourcing human discernment, and why independent and boutique properties are often best positioned to embrace more human hiring. Her belief is simple but powerful - if you practice hospitality in every interaction, you build teams that stay, grow, and deliver experiences people remember.Essential listening for hospitality leaders, recruiters, GMs, and anyone tired of hiring people who look great on paper but never truly thrive. If you want to build a team that feels as exceptional as the guest experience you promise, this conversation is your blueprint.-----Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleantoniogadsdon/Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Help-Wanted-rule-breaking-extraordinary-hospitality/dp/1781339554Find more information about Schulering on our website.Follow us on other social networks:Linkedin Youtube Instagram Schulering: Evolving Hospitality through Learning.