About Ready2Recruit

Why we exist

Most agencies treat retail and hospitality as another vertical to staff. A brief comes in, a generic search runs against a CV database, and a stack of applicants who have never opened a till or run a shift lands in the operations director’s inbox by Friday. The peak season slips, the site opens without a manager, and the operator quietly picks up the phone to their competitor.

Ready2Recruit was set up to be sector-fluent. Every consultant on the team has worked in retail or hospitality themselves. We understand what a peak season demands, how a service temperament shows up in the interview, how mobility to the site matters more than the CV headline, and why the previous tenure question is the most important one to ask.

What we do, plainly

We place retail and hospitality talent for UK operators. Direct-hire placements across store operations, buying, merchandising, hotel management, food and beverage, restaurants, contract catering, event management, guest experience and retail HR. Single-site independent operators through multi-site groups and branded chains. One consultant accountable end to end, from the intake call through the 90-day check-in.

How we vet

Every applicant on a Ready2Recruit shortlist has been assessed against the same standard before an introduction:

• Right-to-work confirmed before introduction
• Service and operational experience validated against the brief, not just the CV
• Mobility to the store, hotel or venue confirmed, including realistic commute
• Seasonality experience (peak trade, tourist season, back-to-school, party season) noted where relevant
• Current comp package broken down: base, service charge share, tronc, bonus and benefits
• Notice period, contractual restrictions and start-date realism
• Previous tenure history and reasons for leaves noted honestly
• Reference readiness before we send

Who we work with

Our clients span independent retailers and boutique operators, multi-site groups from ten to five-hundred locations, branded hotel groups, contract caterers, quick-service restaurant chains, venues and events companies, and the private equity portfolios investing in all of the above. Operations directors, area managers, hotel general managers and heads of people who value a shortlist that arrives on service over a shortlist that arrives on paper.

How we think about a placement

A placement is not a signed offer letter. It is the moment 12 months later when the new hire is still there, delivering through their first peak season, integrated into the team, and the operator has stopped thinking about backup plans. That is what our published 88 percent 12-month retention rate is measured against.

Our standards

• Sector-fluent screening. Every consultant has run a shift, opened a store or managed a service.
• Tell the truth. If a comp band is light for the site, or the timeline is unrealistic for peak season, we say so before sourcing.
• One consultant, end to end. Same person from intake through 90-day check-in.
• Discretion by default. Every mandate is confidential until you say otherwise. Approaches to a candidate’s current employer are coordinated with you.
• Stand behind the work. Replacement guarantee on every direct-hire placement.

Want to talk?

Use the contact form and we will come back within one business day. We are available Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm.