Is a headhunter the same as a recruiter?

The labels overlap. Headhunter emphasizes direct outreach to employed candidates; a recruiter may use both direct outreach and applicants. Ask how the firm actually sources and screens people.

Do candidates pay a hospitality headhunter?

No, never with Hearthstone. Employers engage us to recruit managers, and candidates never pay a fee.

Are hospitality staffing firms cheaper?

They supply a different service, so an hourly assignment bill and a permanent-placement fee are not directly comparable. Compare the employment arrangement, duration and full contract cost.

Can a headhunter find a manager who isn't looking?

Yes. Direct outreach is intended to reach employed managers who are not actively applying. A recruiter still needs to establish whether the person has a real reason to move.

Hospitality Headhunter vs. Recruiter vs. Staffing Agency

A headhunter usually describes how candidates are found: direct approaches to employed people. A direct-hire recruiter describes the outcome: a permanent employee on your payroll. A temporary or hourly agency supplies labor under a different arrangement.

The short version

Service	What they fill	Who they approach	How they charge	Guarantee	Best for
Headhunter	Permanent roles within an agreed specialization	Employed candidates through direct outreach	Placement fee or retained engagement	Depends on the written agreement	A manager who may not be applying
Direct-hire recruiter	Permanent employees on the employer's payroll	Active and passive candidates, depending on the firm	Often a percentage of first-year pay	Depends on the written agreement	A permanent manager hire
Staffing agency	Temporary or hourly labor	Workers available for assignments	Assignment billing, often including a markup	Assignment terms vary	Temporary or hourly coverage

What a hospitality headhunter does

Hospitality headhunters approach people who are already employed, rather than waiting for applications. The recruiter starts with a defined brief, identifies comparable experience and establishes whether the person has a reason to consider a move.

What a hospitality recruiter does

A recruiter helps define the role, source candidates and screen them before interviews. Direct-hire recruiting ends with a permanent employee joining the client's payroll. Ask how much of the sourcing is direct outreach and how screening is done.

What a hospitality staffing agency does

Temporary and hourly agencies supply workers for assignments. The client is billed for labor under the agency's agreement, commonly with a markup that covers the employment arrangement and service. This is not the same purchase as a permanent manager placement; compare the actual contract, not just the hourly rate.

Which one to use for a manager hire

For a permanent department head or unit leader, choose a direct-hire service that understands the operation and screens managers for skill and motive. For temporary coverage, compare assignment providers. Hearthstone is not a temporary labor provider, and candidates never pay.

Hotel, restaurant, chef and food and beverage headhunters

Hotel headhunters need to match room count, service level and department scope. Our hotel recruiting covers GMs and department heads.

A restaurant manager headhunter should understand comparable sales volume, service style and P&L responsibility. See our restaurant general manager recruiting.

A chef headhunter should assess kitchen leadership and cost control alongside the food. Our executive chef recruiting focuses on executive sous chefs and above, not hourly kitchen staff.

A food and beverage headhunter should match outlet mix, events and revenue responsibility. See how we recruit food and beverage directors.

Hearthstone assigns one recruiter, approaches employed managers and screens finalists for skill and motive to move. See our direct-hire process.