Lisa Crawford

𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗜𝗙𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗽 (2026), 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘄𝗹 𝗟𝗫𝗜 (2027), 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗔28 𝗢𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸-𝘁𝗼-𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for SoCal hospitality. Or a once-in-a-generation staffing headache waiting to happen... Many operators want to wait and see how things develop. From what I’m seeing, starting to hire just six months before kickoff won’t cut it. And hiring is generally taking more time than it used to. The competition isn’t just the restaurant down the street. Hotels, event venues, and global brands will all be going after the same talent pool. The time to start building your leadership team is NOW. Here are a few reasons why: 1️⃣ 𝗔-𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆. While some operators hold off, the ones who move fast are already locking in solid GMs and Chefs before the market heats up. Wait too long, and you're stuck with what’s left. 2️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘆. Someone hired today has time to learn your systems, shape your culture, and actually lead. Waiting until the frenzy hits means hiring warm bodies just trying to stay afloat. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. Your top leaders will be targeted hard. Competitors will throw serious money at them. Retention plans aren’t optional anymore. They’re basic survival. 4️⃣ 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲. Even one open seat during peak times causes burnout, bad guest experiences, and lost sales. Those guests won’t come back, and they’ll tell others why. This isn’t just about filling roles. It’s about having a plan to protect your business. We’ve already started helping partners shore up their teams with the coming events top of mind. 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢, 𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚? 🔔 Tap the bell to get notified of future posts.   𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 / 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 to join my network. EHS Recruiting Company - Southern California

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Recruiting Top Development Officers Isn’t Easy… Even with AI, sourcing top talent for hard-to-fill, high-impact roles isn’t easy. Here’s a look at how we make it happen as an embedded sourcing partner. Spotlight: Development Officers Development Officers are mission-critical—they drive fundraising, cultivate donor relationships, and advance strategic initiatives. Yet top talent often has deep, established networks, making them hard to reach. Internal recruiters are stretched thin, leaving little time for strategic sourcing. That’s where dedicated sourcers comes in: by embedding sourcers into your TA team, you can build pipelines, engage passive candidates, and target the right people for these high-impact roles. Here’s how we approach sourcing for Development Officers: ➡ Define the role clearly - Understand, in detail, which programs, campaigns, or donor portfolios the officer will manage. - Identify essential skills and experience versus what can be developed on the job. Get specific! ➡ Map the talent market - Research peer universities, hospitals, and nonprofits. - Focus on passive candidates with proven experience in fundraising, campaigns, or alumni engagement. ➡ Craft personalized messages - Highlight achievements and the specific impact the candidate could make. - Show alignment with the organization’s mission and priorities. ➡ Leverage internal networks - Engage board members, faculty, alumni, and leadership. - Use warm introductions to strengthen pipelines and trust. ➡ Build candidate networks - Ask passive candidates who they know in the development field. - Nurture these connections for a long-term pipeline of future talent. Each Development Officer we source becomes a catalyst—building major donor relationships, driving critical campaigns, and making measurable contributions to the organization’s fundraising strategy from day one. Thoughtful, proactive sourcing makes this possible by identifying the right candidates and engaging them before they even consider a move. Dedicated sourcing ensures your team can tackle challenging searches efficiently and effectively. Include your sourcers from the outset for optimal outcomes—and if you don’t have dedicated sourcers, consider an embedded model. Learn more about embedded sourcing: ⬇️ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eHPeG6ez #DevelopmentOfficer, #Fundraising, #TalentAcquisition, #EmbeddedSourcing, #MajorGifts, #HigherEdRecruiting, #NonprofitLeadership, #Endowment

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HIRING If this role resonates, take initiative. Connect with the people involved, communicate your expertise and impact, and share why your background and experience are the solution to what they need. Give yourself the chance to be seen, start a conversation.

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As President of California Staffing and Recruiting Professionals Association, I’ve had countless conversations with leaders across the California staffing & recruiting industry and one thing is clear: This market is not getting easier. It’s getting sharper. Let’s look at what we’re navigating right here in California: * California had 588,000 open jobs as of late 2025 but demand is inconsistent and shifting fast * The state took 64 months just to recover jobs post-pandemic slower than most of the country * Talent is leaving California has seen a net loss of professionals to other states due to cost pressures And on the ground, we all feel it: 👉 Fewer qualified candidates despite open roles 👉 Clients more cautious, budgets tighter 👉 Longer hiring cycles and more competition per req 👉 Burnout across sales + recruiting teams This is the California reality. And it’s exactly why investing in ourselves and our people is no longer optional. If we want to: ✔️ Grow revenue in a tightening market ✔️ Win new business when clients are more selective ✔️ Help our recruiters stand out in a crowded field ✔️ Build teams that can actually sustain performance We have to get better. Period. That’s why California Staffing and Recruiting Professionals Association exists. June 3–5 | Rancho Mirage, CA This is not just another event. It’s where California staffing leaders come together to: * Share what’s actually working in this market * Level up sales and recruiting performance * Build real relationships that turn into real growth * And invest in the one thing that drives everything our people If you’ve been before… you already know. You know the conversations. The energy. The community. If you haven’t 👉 This is your chance to step into a community that genuinely cares about your well-being and success in the California staffing industry. In a state this competitive, you don’t win alone. You win with the right people and in the right room. And this is that room. #CSP #Staffing #Recruiting #California #Leadership #Sales #Growth #RanchoMirage #Community #TeamDevelopment

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