The hospitality industry is vast with opportunities in travel and tourism, food and drink service, lodging, and recreation. The industry is competitive but has fantastic opportunities that can be very rewarding and fulfilling.
Kat Edison Hotel Manager 654-987-231 katedison@gmail.com San Francisco, California linkedin.com/in/katedison
Driven Hotel Manager with eight years of experience in the hospitality industry. A motivated and conscientious manager with extensive experience in team development, highly capable of assessing business needs, creating cost-effective solutions, increasing sales, and satisfying customers.
Work experience Hotel manager Plaza Maiden Hotel November 2018-Date
Provided guests with suggestions for top dining restaurants and available entertainment venues. Welcomed guests to the facility, answered customer inquiries and catered to their needs. Stayed current on new policy requirements and procedures by taking customer service, conflict resolution, and safety training courses.
Front Office Manager The Vedic Village Resort and Spa January 2016-October 2018
Welcomed guests, helped them check-in at the front desk, and engaged in friendly conversations with them. Ensured the resort was staffed according to workload and prepared schedules based on the availability of staff. Arranged patron payments accurately by providing accurate fees and costs, confirming their account name, and processing their payments.
Education Bachelor of Hospitality Management San Francisco State University, San Francisco December 2015
Skills Client relations Customer service Communication Time management Teamwork Ms word
Activities Member American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA)
If you want to get a hospitality job, you need a hospitality resume that shows off your skills and experience and sets you apart from the other applicants. Hospitality jobs are required all around the globe and allow you to meet all kinds of people. So, if you are a social butterfly and love to entertain guests, all while maintaining professionalism, you will thrive in this career.
Whether you want to work as a hotel front desk clerk or a hotel manager, the perfect hospitality resume template or resume builder will help you write a resume that stands out. A template is great if you struggle with writing a resume as it enables you to organize your thoughts and ensures you put everything in the appropriate place.
We know that there is so much that goes into writing a resume, so let’s look at some more tips to help you create a resume that gets you your dream job.
According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, the industries with the highest level of employment in food preparation and serving related occupations include restaurants and other eating places, special food services, food and beverage stores, traveler accommodation, elementary and secondary schools.
The average yearly salaries for a hospitality manager, including bonus, tips, and overtime pay, are as follows:
Entry-level $46,781
Early-career $46.348
Mid-career $53.982
Late-career $54,286
Experienced $57,104
Hospitality Managers earn an average salary of $50,548.
Example of a Resume
How to make a Hospitality Resume?
Writing a resume can be a challenging task. However, there are many resume examples and resume writing tips you can check out on the internet that help guide you as you create your resume. Check out our resume examples.
One of the most important things to note is that each resume should be personalized and tailored to the job you are applying for. Some of the ways you can personalize your hospitality resume include:
Use the right format for your format, considering your experience level and skills.
Your hospitality resume should also have all the necessary keywords and action verbs if you want it to stand out. Some of these are always in the job description, so it’s essential to go through the job ad carefully and add them to your resume.
Expert tip
Most hiring managers use applicant tracking systems to filter out resumes that do not meet the job requirements. If you fail to add these keywords and action verbs, you increase your chances of having your resume filtered out.
The layout of the Hospitality resume
The layout of your resume is essential because it allows you to showcase your qualifications professionally. The best format for your hospitality resume is the reverse-chronological format. This format will enable you to focus on your experience and is a favorite for many hiring managers since it is easy to scan on ATS systems.
The structure of the Hospitality resume
The two other formats you can consider for your hospitality resume include the functional resume and combination resume formats. The functional resume format allows you to focus on your skills and education, especially if you do not have much experience. The combination resume blends the best features of the reverse-chronological and functional resume formats.
The structure of your hospitality resume should have the following sections:
The header section
The resume summary/resume objective
Work experience
Education section
Skills section
Additional sections (Languages, volunteer experiences, honors/awards, and certifications)
Start with the header of the Hospitality Resume.
The header section of your resume contains your full name, job title, contact information, and a link to your Linkedin profile or career blog. This section has to be accurate because if the hiring manager cannot reach you, you’ll miss the opportunity.
Example of a header
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James Henderson
Hospitality Manager
653-754-986
jameshenderson@gmail.com
San Francisco, California
linkedin.com/in/jameshenderson
Example of a bad header
INCORRECT
James Henderson
Hospitality Manager
653-754-986
jameshenderson@gmail.com
Date of birth 12/04/1991
212, Kilian road
House number 54
San Francisco, California
linkedin.com/in/jameshenderson
It’s advisable to avoid putting too much information in your header section.
Is a photo required in the Hospitality Resume?
It is better to leave a photo out of your resume because some hiring managers toss out any resume with photos. They may also cause discrimination against a candidate. Career experts say that most recruiters Google a candidate or check their social media, so it’s unnecessary to have the photo. However, if a potential employer requires a resume with a photo, ensure that it is professional.
Choosing your Hospitality resume Title
The title on your hospitality resume depends on the job you are applying for. Therefore, it is vital to personalize job titles to the job or company because one title does not work for all your hospitality resumes.
Professional summary/profile
A professional summary statement allows you to summarize your key achievements and experience. It is usually a short paragraph that should be well-written to compel the hiring manager to read the rest of your resume.
CORRECT EXAMPLE
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Hospitality Management professional with over six years of experience in the hospitality business. An inspiring and motivated leader committed to providing exceptional service to clients and tourists visiting the hotel. Self-motivated worker needing no supervision with a great track record of driving customer satisfaction and developing cost-saving solutions
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Dedicated and customer-focused hotel manager with the ability to resolve conflicts, create reports, and complete tasks accurately. I am looking for a job in a five-star resort.
A resume summary is perfect if you have some experience, but you can use a hospitality resume objective if you don't. It allows you to summarize your skills and career goals and talk about the value you will bring to the company. It is great for recent graduates and anyone changing careers and doesn't have much relevant experience.
Work Experience in the Hospitality Resume
The work experience section captures your career trajectory and allows the hiring manager to see what you can do based on your previous work history. This section is essential, and hiring managers tend to spend a little more time here, so you want to make sure your professional experience is communicated properly.
It is essential to note that most hospitality jobs require practical experience, so to showcase your experience, the reverse-chronological resume format would be the best to use.
Describe your professional Experiences on your Hospitality Resume
Under this section, you will start with your job title, the name, and location of the workplace, and the dates worked. After listing these, you will describe at least three to five job responsibilities and achievements using bullet points.
It is always best to quantify your achievements using figures to show the hiring manager the potential value you could bring to the company. Don’t also shy away from using action verbs such as maintained, assisted, managed, trained, and delivered, as they make your hospitality resume stand out.
If you want the hiring manager to consider you for a hospitality position, you need to add the relevant experience under this section. It is better to leave out any experience that is not relevant to the position. However, if you do not have relevant experience, you can add any other experience and talk about the transferable skills you gained helpful in the new position. Check out these examples below.
Examples of professional Experiences for Hospitality resume Beginner/junior
Receptionist
FOUND Hotel, San Francisco
June 2018-December 2020
Provided guests with professional assistance and immediate response to requests and complaints, with a track record of increasing customer loyalty by 20%.
Responsible for all front desk duties for busy nights and processed an average of 15 guests per night shift.
Resolved telephone inquiries and directed calls to the correct departmental employees authorized to resolve their concerns.
Welcomed guests, helped them check in at the front desk, and engaged in friendly conversations with them.
Examples of work experience for Senior Hospitality Resume
Hotel Manager
The Clancy Hotel
March 2015-December 2019
Trained entry-level employees who were coming in as front desk clerks on various company policies, including how to safeguard guests’ personal data, how to greet guests, resolve conflicts, and different ways of providing excellent customer service.
Charged the guests for services such as accommodation, food, drinking, and phone use. Calculated and processed payments.
Supervised and monitored activities of the front desk clerk to ensure they were providing excellent customer service.
Liaised with suppliers and other third-party affiliates to ensure the smooth running of the hotel.
Education in the Hospitality resume
As we mentioned, the hospitality industry is vast, so the educational qualifications will vary according to the job. You can learn the majority of the skills on the job, but some positions require specific qualifications. This section is essential to have in your hospitality resume as it helps set you apart from other applicants and can help you land more interviews.
If you have a bachelor’s degree or a high school diploma, you will list them under this education section. Hiring managers have different requirements for this section, so it’s essential to check the job ad and include all the required qualifications. The high school diploma doesn't need to be provided if you have a Master's degree.
Should you start with education or work experience?
You can start with education or experience in your hospitality resume. The hospitality resume format you choose determines which section you will start with.
If you choose the reverse-chronological format, which focuses on experience, you start with experience, but you start with the education and skills if you choose the functional resume.
How to properly list your education in a Hospitality resume?
It is crucial to list your education correctly to allow the hiring manager to see it properly. You will start with the name of the school, location, degree earned, and the years spent in school. It is not necessary to mention the grade, but if you have exceptional results and believe they will help your hospitality CV stand out, you can add them.
Example of the Education section of a Hospitality resume.
Bachelor of Hospitality Management
University of San Francisco
September 2015
Skills to put in the resume for a Hospitality resume
Every hospitality resume sample will have a skills section. It is essential because each job requires the candidates to have certain skills that help them perform their duties effectively. A great resume should have hospitality skills that help you stand out but do not lie and include skills you do not have. Some hiring managers will ask you about the skills you have on your hospitality resume and probably even test you on them.
While there are still a few jobs that will accept your physical resume, most hospitality jobs ask you to send your application online. Once you send your application, the hiring manager uses an ATS system to filter out the resumes that do not meet the requirements. One of the best ways to outsmart the ATS system is to add the required skills to your hospitality resume.
You are probably wondering where you will find the required skills. Some of the skills you need to have in your hospitality resume are in the job description. This is why you should always review the job description to pick out the skills you need to add to your resume.
What are the main skills sought for a Hospitality resume?
A hospitality professional needs to have the right blend of hard skills and soft skills. You can list them on your hospitality resume using bullet points, leaving some white space as we see in multiple hospitality resume examples.
Hard skills
Accounting
Computer skills
CRM systems
Project management
Conflict management
Sales and marketing
Food and beverage management
POS knowledge
Payroll operations
Group reservations
Soft skills
Communication skills
Organization skills
Interpersonal skills
Attention to detail
Time management
Problem-solving skills
Teamwork
Customer service skills
Multitasking skills
What skills for a junior
Emotional intelligence
Listening skills
Adaptability
Conflict resolution
Patience
Initiative
Positive attitude
Accountability
Ms word
Flexibility
What skills for a qualified senior
Guest services
Leadership skills
Business acumen
Industry awareness
Hospitality business
Budgeting
Excellent customer service
Financial management
Team building
Risk management
Write the ideal resume hook for a Hospitality Resume.
The average hiring manager spends less than ten seconds on a resume, so you want to do all it takes to grab their attention in these few seconds. One way of doing this is by using a resume hook. The resume hook can also help your resume stand out and beat the other candidates.
A resume hook is a set of words that summarizes your accomplishments and value proposition. You can write it as a quote, testimonial, achievement, or personal description.
Example of a tagline for a junior employee
“Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.”- James Cash Penney.
Sample tagline for a senior level
“The key is to set realistic customer expectations and then not to just meet them, but to exceed them preferably in unexpected and helpful ways.”- Sir Richard Branson
Additional headings for your Hospitality resume.
The job market in the general hospitality industry is a competitive one, and without the best resume, you will have a hard time getting a job. Whether you are looking for your first job or looking to get a promotion, you need a hospitality resume that sets you apart from other job seekers.
One way to get your hospitality resume in the hiring manager’s strong candidate pile of resumes is by having an additional section. This section gives you a chance to showcase the other qualifications that make you unique. If you’ve reviewed some resume samples, you’ve seen the various sections you can add here. Some of them include certifications, honors/awards, volunteer experiences, interests, and languages.
If you prefer to use a resume template to save time, you can check out our resume templates which allow you to add your additional sections without any problem.
Let’s look at some of the additional headings you should consider including in your own resume.
Computer skills and certifications
While it is okay to mention your computer skills in the skills section, you can list the specific skills you possess in this separate section to ensure the hiring manager sees them. If you are good at programming, list the programming languages you are excellent at using bullet points.
Your certifications should also have a separate section. Instead of mentioning them in the education section, you can list them under this section to make them stand out. Here are a couple of certifications that will help your hospitality resume stand out.
Certified Hotel Administrator(CHA)
Certified Hospitality Supervisor(CHS)
Certificate in Hospitality Revenue Management(CHRM)
Certified Food and Beverage Executive(CFBE)
Interests
The interests or hobbies on your hospitality resume should fit the profile of the job. It’s probably better to leave out hobbies such as watching tv and listening to music on your resume. Interests such as traveling and organizing events look better on your hospitality resume because they build on skills that will be useful in your hospitality career.
Languages
The language skills should have their section in your hospitality resume. Whether you are submitting a front desk resume or a hotel manager resume, it should be on your hospitality resume if you speak more than one language. Some hiring managers immediately consider a bilingual candidate or offer them a higher salary, especially in the hospitality industry.
When listing the languages on your resume, use the official language reference and the score as stated below,
If you need English skills, take the IELTS or TOEFL (with a 30-point or higher score).
Obtain a Goethe Zertifikat for German (65 or above)
DELF for French (with a score of 70% and above)
Summary: Key points for writing a perfect Hospitality Resume.
This article will leave you with several main takeaways:
Using the right format is vital because it’s the first thing the hiring manager notices on your hospitality resume. You can always review a resume example if you are not sure about the format you should use.
If you want to beat the ATS systems, use the necessary keywords and action verbs in your resume, which you will easily find in the job description.
Constantly tailor your resume to each job you are applying for in the hospitality industry because one generic resume will cause you to lose out on many job opportunities.
Take your time on your resume summary because if it does not grab the attention of the hiring manager, they will probably not read the rest of your resume.
Write a cover letter that goes with your Hospitality resume.
Hiring managers do not always ask for cover letters, but it is important to send one anyway to help your application stand out. A cover letter allows you to talk about some of your achievements, express your passion for the job and talk about the value you will bring to the company. It should be short and precise because the hiring manager already has your hospitality resume, which has your qualifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I put on my resume for Hospitality?
Your hospitality resume should have a header, professional summary/objective, work experience, education, and skills section. If you want your resume to stand out, you can include an additional section that has your certifications, awards/honors, languages, and interests/hobbies.
What are your top five skills in Hospitality?
Communication skills
Multitasking skills
Customer service skills
Industry awareness
Attention to detail
How do I write my resume for the hotel industry?
Your hotel industry resume should showcase your knowledge of the industry. Your resume should have all the necessary sections, including the header, resume summary/objective, work experience, education, skills, and additional sections (volunteer experiences, interests, awards, and certifications). The correct format is also essential as it helps you professionally present this information and compels the hiring manager to read the rest of your resume.
What is a hospitality job description?
The job description gives you an overview of the duties and responsibilities you will fulfill once you get the job in the hospitality industry. Since this industry covers many fields, the job description will vary, which is why it is important to read through the job description of each job before you write your resume. This helps you tailor the resume to each position, increasing your chances of landing an interview.
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