HOSPITALITY RESUME GUIDE

How to Write a Hospitality Resume with Tips and Examples

A properly written hospitality resume can make a big difference on a hiring manager or recruiter hiring hospitality staff. A resume that highlights your skills and experience can show your suitability for an open hospitality position at a restaurant or hotel. Here you will learn how to write a clear and persuasive resume to help you secure an interview and advance through the job placement process. Below you will understand what a hospitality resume is and how to write one, with an example and some helpful tips.

What is a hospitality resume?

A hospitality resume is your first chance to make a good impression. The hospitality resume should include your professional experience, skills and qualifications related to the restaurant or hotel job you are seeking in the hospitality industry. These jobs may include positions like servers, bartenders, cooks, chefs, baristas, bussers, housekeeping, hotel managers, kitchen managers, and more. Your hospitality resume should highlight your past hospitality experience and important industry skills, such as customer service and cash handling.

How to write a hospitality resume

Here are the common steps for writing a hospitality resume:

1. List your full name and personal details

Note your full name on the top line of your resume and your contact details on the second. You can include a landline or mobile phone number, your email address and your city and state or territory. You may like to create an email address using a combination of your first and surname to present a more professional image to hospitality businesses.

2. Write a powerful personal summary

Write two or three sentences that summarize who you are and why you're a good hospitality employee. For example, you might mention the number of years you've worked in hospitality, your certifications and the personality traits that help you succeed. Try to write a personal summary that convinces the employer you're the right person for the job.

3. Explain your professional experience

Create a list of your relevant current and past jobs in reverse-chronological order to show the employer how prepared you are for the role. Jobs with the same title as the open position are the most relevant, but any hospitality experience shows you have transferable skills. If you have limited hospitality experience, you could also mention jobs that use similar skills. For example, retail jobs are good preparation for hospitality roles as they also focus on customer experience. For each role, include the job title, period of employment, business name and location and a bullet point list of achievements and duties.

4. Promote your skills

A separate skills section that lists between five and 10 skills can highlight the abilities that make you an asset to a hospitality business. Many hospitality skills are soft skills, such as customer service, time management and communication. You could also mention technical skills such as making cocktails and operating a POS machine, depending on the open position.

5. Include your education

Qualifications are optional for many hospitality roles. Listing any qualifications you've obtained can give you an advantage over other candidates. Your education list can also show you have the minimum qualifications for management positions or you have the potential to advance to these roles. You may include a range of qualifications in this section, including degrees, vocational certificates, high school qualifications and hospitality certificates, depending on your achievements. If you have a degree or vocational certificate, you can omit your high school qualifications as these qualifications are prerequisites.

Tips for writing a resume for a hospitality job

Here are some tips that can help you develop a resume that impresses a hiring manager or recruiter hiring hospitality professionals:

Be concise

A concise resume helps your most important achievements and skills stand out. Many hospitality job resumes can be less than a page. While you may use up to two pages when applying for a management role, editing your resume can make it more persuasive. If you want to edit your resume, consider which information is relevant to the position. If you have held a variety of hospitality jobs, you may like to only include details of your most recent jobs or jobs similar to the one you're applying for.

Write a unique personal summary

Many hospitality workers emphasize similar qualities, such as their reliability and work ethic, in their personal summaries. Hospitality is an industry where personality matters, so do your best to make yourself seem more unique in your personal summary. Feel free to ask your colleagues or friends what makes you unique before writing this section.

Tailor your bullet points to the open position

Consider what experiences and achievements have helped you prepare for the open hospitality position. Then you can list bullet points that show you can excel in that role. For example, if the job listing states the business expects the successful candidate to lead a team, you might emphasize past managerial experience.

Proofread your resume

While you may feel excited to submit your resume, it's important to proofread your resume first. Proofreading your resume helps you identify any accidental errors, such as typographical errors or spelling mistakes. You can then correct them before your potential new boss sees them to appear more professional.