(VeteransFranchise.com) - By . Updated Aug 29, 2012
The Franchise Feeding Job Growth in the Restaurant Industry:
Patrice & Associates Projects Tripling Size of
Hospitality Recruiting Franchise in the Next Three Years
Resilient Restaurant Industry Offers Recession-Proof Business Opportunity
for Ambitious Professionals
DUNKIRK, Md. — America’s restaurant industry is serving up a heaping portion of management-level job opportunities…further proof that even one of the nation’s roughest economic stretches can do little to ruin its citizens’ appetite to eat out.
“It’s exciting to witness. Several dining categories are seeing meaningful gains,” said Patrice Rice, a published author, recognized job and employment expert, and experienced hospitality professional who became the first woman boat captain on the Chesapeake Bay. “We’re immersed in this industry and know firsthand that there are hundreds of management opportunities in great U.S. markets.”
To meet the growing demand from restaurant companies for top onsite management talent, Rice’s Patrice & Associates Hospitality Recruiting, the nation’s preeminent hospitality recruiting company, today announced an aggressive franchise growth plan to significantly increase the company’s number of regional recruiting offices nationwide. Patrice & Associates plans to triple its presence across the United States and add more than 100 regional offices during the next three years to its already expansive hospitality management recruiting services.
Rice has already guided more than 40 franchise office openings, which together with the home office are filling jobs at restaurants coast to coast. However, as demand increases Rice understands the importance of growing with offices that are closer in proximity to the restaurant job opportunities.
“Our competitive advantage lies in the vast knowledge we have in the hospitality industry coupled with a base of entrepreneurially spirited recruiters who know their local restaurant and hospitality market,” Rice said. “It’s a match that helps us continue to be the best at what we do both on the local and national levels.”
As franchisees open new regional offices and forge ahead on a proven path, Patrice & Associates has established national relationships with many of the strongest restaurant brands. The franchise includes opportunities to fulfill available jobs with these national accounts, and offers an immense database of qualified management candidates. Currently, Patrice & Associates has more than 600 management jobs to fill.
“We’re seeking to award franchises to go-getters. Individuals who will have our clients’ best intentions at heart, who will work hard to find the right candidates and who will be inspired to grow our existing client base,” said Rice. “Patrice & Associates is truly a turnkey opportunity. We provide a proven business model with complete access to all of our existing client relationships and our comprehensive database of management candidates.”
Rice began her hospitality management recruiting company more than twenty years ago out of her basement. The company has grown fast since those humble beginnings — it is now one of the largest privately held search firms in the country, helping thousands of candidates find new job opportunities and countless restaurant and hospitality clients fill management positions with individuals vetted for excellence. The $475 billion hospitality industry employing 12 million people in the United States has proven resistant to the recent forces of recession. Rice began franchising her hospitality industry recruiting business three years ago in the midst of the Great Recession. It has continued to grow rapidly ever since, into a business with more than 40 regional franchise offices spread across the entire nation.
While some of the franchisees currently operating a Patrice & Associates do have a restaurant or hospitality background, it is by no means necessary for success in the franchise.
“This business isn’t merely for individuals with a body of hospitality and restaurant experience,” Rice said. “What’s most important is that new franchise owners are great at sales, marketing and interacting with people. They need to be relational and social. Patrice & Associates is for people who love interacting with others and building strong relationships that extend far beyond your typical run-of-the-mill 9 to 5 job.”
The company is actively seeking to build on an already diverse franchisee pool. For example, Patrice & Associates has a relationship with a women’s shelter that allows women who may not be able to find work due to difficult circumstances serve on a team of recruiters. The job helps women get back on their feet and accomplish something they can feel proud about doing everyday. The company is also part of VetFran, the International Franchise Association’s initiative to help returning veterans access franchise opportunities through training, financial assistance and industry support.
“Owning a Patrice & Associates franchise office works well for men and women transitioning in life — personally or professionally. And, it’s a great fit for someone preferring to work from home,” Rice said. “It’s a business venture that rewards hard work.”
About Patrice & Associates
As the preeminent hospitality recruiting service in the U.S. since 1989, Patrice & Associates helps thousands of managerial candidates every year find rewarding jobs in the restaurant and hospitality industry. The company has exclusive recruiting partnerships with some the nation’s largest restaurant chains and hotels to ensure those hospitality venues recruit the top managers in their industry. Currently, there are more than 40 franchise units across dozens of states. Patrice & Associates is growing its franchise base dramatically in the next few years, expecting to add more than 100 franchisees to help fill 1,100 open territories nationwide. For more information about Patrice & Associates, visit www.patriceandassociates.com. To learn about available franchise opportunities, call (301) 327-5059 or email Patrice Rice at patricer@patriceandassociates.com.
