HVS International (India) managing director, Manav Thadani told The Financial Express that HVS Executive Search has been launched, keeping in mind the growing shortage of quality manpower in the service industry and its importance in the hospitality industry.

"We also plan to provide services in areas of HR consulting and compensation surveys and designs, exclusively for the hospitality industry, being the first retained search firm," he added. An upfront retainer fee would be charged to the hotel company, which engages HVS Executive Search for selecting candidates.

"We will enforce an off-limits policy, disallowing us to poach management from our client's company. This will benefit us in the long run to build the client's confidence in our services and ethics," he added. Mr Thadani said that the Indian operation of Executive Search would get a head-start, since the US office is currently working with major international groups, some of whom either have a presence in India or are expected to enter the Indian hospitality market. Besides, the company has already received an encouraging response from its existing clients in India for the service.

The company had, last year, launched a website hospitalitycareernet.com in the US and a few potential candidates from India have already posted their CV's on the site. The website is likely to cater to the mid-level and entry level positions within the industry.

Mr Thadani said that a good aspect of the website, is that it is free for the candidates and very cost effective for hotel companies. The website not only allows you to search for potential hotel employees, but also actually narrows your field of prospective candidates through its own unique 2020skills.com assessment screening process, which will prove to be an additional tool in the hiring process, he added.