Career switch success stories: from hospitality to recruitment

In today’s fast-changing job market, career paths rarely follow a straight line. Luis’ story is a great example of how shifting circumstances can lead to finding new passions. Raised in a family restaurant business, it seemed natural for Luis to follow in his parents’ footsteps. However, his ambitions soon went beyond food and drinks, leading him toward a career in recruitment. His journey shows how transferable skills and trusting your intuition can lead to a fulfilling career change.

Finding a new passion

At 16, Luis left school to work in his parents’ restaurant, where his future seemed set. But everything changed when he stumbled upon recruitment. “While working as a bartender in England, I often received CVs from job seekers,” he remembers. “I found that reviewing CVs and identifying suitable candidates was more interesting than serving drinks.” This discovery sparked a new passion and led him to return to university to study Human Resource Management.

Embracing change

After graduating, Luis went on to complete a Master’s in International Journalism, while balancing freelance hospitality consulting by night with radio production by day. However, the lack of a stable 9-to-5 job began to weigh on him. Just as he was considering his next steps, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. This forced him to rethink his career as the hospitality industry completely collapsed.

Adapting to a new routine

Returning to England, Luis landed a role as a recruiter for IT positions. “The biggest challenge was adjusting to a regular office job for the first time,” he says. Starting remotely during the pandemic with limited training required discipline, but Luis quickly adapted. “To my surprise, recruitment felt natural to me,” he recalls.

Transferable skills from hospitality to recruitment

Luis found that many of his hospitality skills transferred seamlessly to recruitment. “In a way, recruitment is similar to bartending,” he explains. “On your first day as a bartender, it seems impossible to learn how to make all 90 cocktails on the menu. But as you get to know the ingredients and customer preferences, it becomes a second nature. Similarly, in recruitment, once you learn to understand your clients and candidates, it becomes easier to find the right fit.’’

Luis also points out that working in the hospitality industry taught him how to deal with people from different backgrounds and to have difficult conversations. These skills made cold calling and client interactions less intimidating for him as a new recruiter. “Hospitality taught me to treat everyone with respect because I never knew who was sitting in front of me. This professionalism has served me well in recruitment.’’

Relocating to the Netherlands

After three years of working in recruitment in the UK, Luis found an opportunity with IQ Staffing through LinkedIn. He didn’t overthink it—he followed his instincts and took the leap. “I decided to just go for it and see where it would lead me.”

The relocation process to the Netherlands was smooth. “Being from Europe, the paperwork wasn’t much of a hassle. The relocation agent at IQ Staffing helped me find a place, and I’m still living there.”

The Netherlands’ competitive landscape

Recruitment is known for its competitiveness, but Luis found the Dutch IT market particularly challenging. “The IT talent pool is very small and relocation is often necessary to attract the right candidates,” he explains. ‘’However, the pandemic has made relocation more difficult, as many professionals from southern Europe are used to working remotely. Dutch employers, on the other hand, often expect their employees to come into the office at least once or twice a week.’’

To overcome this challenge, Luis focuses on attracting candidates who are driven by a sense of adventure rather than money. “I find that professionals who are looking for new experiences are more open to relocation,” he says.

Considering a career switch?

Reflecting on his career change, Luis is pretty sure that his hospitality days are over for good. For others considering a move into recruitment, he has some advice: “If you’re looking for a stable, easy job, recruitment may not be for you. But if you want a challenge and are willing to put in the effort to develop both personally and professionally, then trust your intuition and go for it.’’

Luis also encourages those curious about recruitment to get in touch with someone in the industry. “If you’re thinking about making the move, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or any of my colleagues. Whether you are driven by passion, circumstance, or a desire for something new, a career change can be the start of an exciting new chapter.’’

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