Hotel managers have the exciting job of interacting with guests and ensuring they get the best guest experience when visiting their establishment. The amazing thing about this job is that you never know who you’ll meet when you go to work.
Every person you meet impacts your life in one way or another, and some interactions may be life-changing. If you want to work in this position, you need to possess specific skills and have years of experience in the hotel industry to manage daily hotel operations. You can check out our resume examples to help you craft your professional resume.
What’s more, the U.S. Bureau of Statistics predicts a nine percent increase in lodging manager jobs from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations. If you want to get a position in this field, this is the best time to dust off your resume as more opportunities open up.
In this guide, we'll show you how to write your resume and also give you more information on the following:
- The best format and layout for your resume.
- How to structure your header section
- Tips on how to personalize your resume
- How to write your summary statement
Salary & Employment Rates for Hotel Managers
The industries with the highest levels of employment in Lodging Managers include:
- Traveler Accommodation
- Real Estate
- V. (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps
- Management of Companies and Enterprises
- Office Administrative Services
Hotel manager salaries per year vary depending on the years of experience, skills, and education as follows:
- 0-2 years $105,000
- 2-4 years $106,000
- 4-7 years $108,000
- 7+ years $110,000
How to Write the Best Resume for a Hotel Manager?
One question that many hotel managers have, like most job seekers, is what they should include in their resume to make it compelling and engaging. Another challenge is figuring out how to structure the resume. If this is a problem you have, we are here to help.
Hotel manager resume samples are a great guide and will give you information on what you need to have in your resume. Structuring your resume will be a walk in the park with our resume templates which will allow you to highlight all the essential sections of your resume without leaving any vital information out.
We also have a resume for hospitality for you to review if you need help with one.
There are three formats to choose from when writing your resume. The reverse-chronological resume focuses on experience, the functional resume focuses on skills, and the combination/hybrid resume blends the two.
The structure of your hotel manager resume should have the following sections:
- The header section
- Resume summary/resume objective
- Work experience
- Education section
- Skill section
- An additional section (volunteer work, awards/honors, interests, languages, and certifications)
Here are a few tips to help you personalize your resume
- Focus on adding the relevant skills and experience to your resume.
- Check the job description and add job-specific keywords and action verbs.
- Create a new resume for each job you apply for instead of using one resume.
- Personalize each job title to match the job you're applying to.
- Tailor your professional summary by mentioning the name of the company and the job title.
Begin Your Hotel Manager Resume with the Header
The header section is an integral part of your resume that has your full name, phone number, email address, and a link to your website or LinkedIn profile. It's the first section in your resume, and it should be accurate to ensure the recruiter can contact you to attend the interview.
A good header example
Hotel Manager
327-990-433
donalderickson@gmail.comMiami, FL
linkedin.com/in/donalderickson
A bad header example
Hotel Manager
327-990-433
donalderickson@gmail.com605 Marigold Lane
Miami, FL
House number 25
Date of birth 02/02/2001
linkedin.com/in/donalderickson
While some hiring managers will ask for a photo on your resume, the majority advise against it because it increases the chances of discrimination. If you need to add a photo to your resume, ensure that it's professional.
Include Your Experience as a Hotel Manager
Your work experience plays a significant role in getting you a position in hotel management. Most hotel owners require a candidate who has worked in a similar position, so you should add your relevant work experience. Highlighting your work experience gives the hiring manager an idea of what you can do before giving you the job.
When listing your work experience, you start with your most recent workplace and go backward. Add the name of the workplace, your job title, and the period worked at each place. Under each workplace, list some roles and responsibilities. Usually, three to five roles are enough. If you want your resume to stand out, you should add facts and figures to quantify your accomplishments. For example, if you manage a certain number of people, mention the exact figure.
Smitty's Hotel
Assistant Manager
August 2017-June 2019
- Resolved guest complaints effectively and arranged for complementary services for any case that incurred, increasing customer retention by 25%.
- Assessed guest rooms to ensure the necessary supplies were available, including glasses, toiletries, and paper products for the bathrooms.
- Collaborated with all six hotel department heads, including the front office manager and housekeeping manager, to create strong working relationships between staff members.
- Assisted the hotel manager conduct over 100 employee performance evaluations to ensure the hotel exceeded guest satisfaction scores.
Coconut's Eatery
Hotel Manager
October 2016-December 2018
- Assisted with front office operation.
- Ensured all guest amenities were available,
- Answered guest concerns on room rates and collected guest feedback.
- Oversaw all guest services operations.
Boost Your Hotel Manager Resume with Your Education
When you're starting your career in the hospitality industry, your educational qualifications may not be a determining factor for getting the job. However, most managerial positions will require some academic training. The job market is also very competitive, so adding your education to your resume can help you beat the competition.
The education section should have the name of the degree/course, the name of the school, and the year of completion. If you have a Master's degree in a hospitality-related course, you'll add it here and leave out your high school diploma.
Masters in Business Administration
Barry University
December 2017
Bachelor in Hospitality Management
University of Miami
November 2016
Reinforce Your Resume with Your Skills
Your hotel manager skills go a long way in boosting your resume and helping it stand out. Most recruiters use ATS systems to scan resumes for some of the essential skills for the job. The job description contains some of these skills, so it helps to check and add them to your resume. However, you shouldn't lie or exaggerate your skills because the hiring manager may ask you about what you've added to your resume when they call you for an interview.
The skills section should have both hard and soft skills. A hotel management position involves interacting with guests and offering them the best customer service, so you might want to highlight this in your soft skills section.
Candidates who don't have previous experience in the industry can use this section to highlight transferable skills that will be useful to the company.
Let's look at some of the skills you should have on your resume.
Hard skills- Strategic planning
- Revenue management
- Customer relations
- Computer Proficient
- Training and mentoring
- Budgeting
- Multi-line switchboards
- Reports and documentations
- Exceptional customer service
- Excellent guest relations
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Multi-tasking skills
- Organization skills
How to Introduce Your Summary
The summary statement introduces your resume to the hiring manager by summarizing your top accomplishments and qualifications. You only have two to three sentences to get the recruiter's attention and interest them in reading the rest of your resume, so you need to focus on your best achievements.
If possible, add some figures and facts to quantify your results and show your value to the company. This section comes after the header section on your resume.
Dedicated Hotel Manager with more than nine years of experience in hospitality and tourism. Guest-oriented and committed to providing exceptional service to clients and tourists to help improve the hotel rating. Self-motivated worker with excellent leadership skills managing a team of 10-20 employees. Seeking a position as Manager in a five-star hotel or resort.
Congenial Hospitality Professional with in-depth knowledge of local history. Provides the best guest services and good communication skills. Seeking a hotel manager position.
Professional Objective
A professional objective allows candidates to express their interest in the job and show the hiring manager how their career goals align with the company goals. If you're a recent graduate or career changer, you can add a resume objective to introduce your resume.
Hospitality management graduate with previous experience working at a local diner offering exceptional service to customers and resolving conflicts effectively. Reliable employee with excellent work ethic looking to pursue a career in the hospitality industry and seeking to secure a position in a hotel or resort.
Include Additional Sections on Your Hotel Manager Resume
Would your resume be complete without an additional section?
The answer is no!
The additional section is a perfect way to stand out and set yourself apart from the other candidates. This is where you'll include your extra qualifications that you don't want the recruiter to miss. Some of the sections you'll add here include:
Computing Skills & Certifications
Most candidates add the computer skills under the skills section in most resumes, but this makes it hard for the recruiter to see them if they only take a glance at your resume. Having a separate section for the computer skills makes them more visible, and this helps you stand out. A hotel manager should be proficient in Microsoft Office, and this qualification sets you apart from the other candidates, so you'll want to ensure it's visible.
Certifications show that you have additional training in your field and should have their section in your resume. You'll see this section under the education section in some resumes, but that only makes it hard for the recruiter to see them. Let's look at some of the certifications you can add to your hotel manager resume.
- Certified Hospitality Revenue Management Executive(CRME)
- Certified Association Executive(CAE)
- Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics(CHIA)
Languages
Language skills help you stand out because recruiters always look for bilingual candidates, especially in the hospitality industry. Hotel managers serve guests from all cultures; therefore, speaking multiple languages is a major plus. If you’re proficient in more than one language, you should create a language skills section and add the languages using the official reference as follows:
- IELTS or TOEFL for English
- SIELE for Spanish
- DELF for French
- Goethe Zertifikat or TestDaF for German
Awards/honors
Awards are recognition for your success and accomplishments in school or the workplace. If you've received an award or honor that will make you stand out as a candidate for the hotel management position, you should add it in this section. Examples of these awards include:
- The employee of the year award
- Dean's list or honor roll
- Leadership or mentorship award
Tips & Tricks to Enhance Your Resume
- Always use keywords and action verbs in your resume. However, ensure you choose the right ones which are natural and fit well in your resume.
- Pick the correct format and layout for your resume. This ensures that your qualifications are correctly presented and makes it easy for the recruiter to read and understand.
- Customize every job title. Always check the job ad and write the correct job title before sending your resume to the recruiter.
- Write a catchy and engaging resume summary. This interests the recruiter in reading your resume and seeing your other qualifications.
- Keep your resume short. Your resume should be one page long because anything more than that may not interest the recruiter.
Summary: Writing a Stand-Out Hotel Manager Resume
- Keep your header short and leave out any irrelevant details.
- A professional objective allows recent graduates and career changers to express their passion for a job and highlight their career goals.
- Add the relevant work experience and leave out any experience not related to the job.
- When adding your skills, don't lie or exaggerate them in case the recruiter asks you about them in an interview.
- Always include your educational qualifications, especially if you're applying for a hotel management position
- Proofread your hotel manager resume before sending it to the recruiter to ensure it is free of errors.
Back up Your Resume with a Cover Letter
A cover letter complements your hotel manager resume to make your application complete. Unless a recruiter asks you not to send a cover letter, always send one. You can consider using cover letter examples to help you write your letter if you find it challenging. Cover letters are great because they showcase your personality and writing skills, which are essential for any position as a content manager. They also give you a chance to add any other qualifications you left out of your resume.