Harlem hotel begins hiring - Crain's New York Business

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Harlem hotel begins hiring
Aloft, the first hotel to open in the neighborhood in 40 years, will conduct interviews on Wednesday at the legendary Apollo Theater.

By Lisa Fickenscher

Published: June 22, 2010 - 2:46 pm

Aloft Harlem, a stylish hotel expected to open on West 123rd Street in August, is courting local residents as it begins hiring employees this week.

The property, a Starwood Hotels brand, is likely to attract a lot of attention as it is Harlem’s first new hotel in at least 40 years.

In a departure from typical hotel hiring practices, Aloft management turned to a city agency based in Harlem, Workforce 1—part of the city’s Department of Small Business Services—to vet hundreds of local candidates.

“We need to work with the community,” said Daniel Fevre, general manager of Aloft Harlem. “We will be a big part of this neighborhood.”

On Wednesday, 75 pre-screened job applicants will be interviewed by the hotel’s executives at the Apollo Theater for jobs as housekeepers, receptionists, and bellhops. But only 30 people will be hired by the 124-room property.

Since June 1, Workforce 1 has screened some 500 job applicants for Aloft Harlem.

While the hotel describes the event at the Apollo as a “job fair” it is not open to the public.

Harlem hotel begins hiring - Crain's New York Business.