How to write a resume for your first hospitality job

If you know hospitality is the career path you want to follow, your first hospitality job is what will get your foot in the door, so getting your resume perfect is crucial.

Your resume will help you get you closer to that hospitality job, and it's also the first impression your employer will have before even meeting you in person.  

Remember working in the hospitality industry requires a certain type of person. You’ve got to have the skills and drive to work hard, get things done, be proactive and motivational and driven.

At the same time, you’ve also got to be calm, collected, put on a good appearance and be there to cater for a customer, regardless of what attitude they have or mood they’re in.

With this in mind, you need to show all these on your resume. Here’s how.

Start with contact information

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to begin writing a resume, so starting off with your contact details can be a good way to ease you into the whole process.

At the top of your resume, be sure to input your contact information, so the resume is identifiable, and the employer can easily get in touch with you. You’ll need to include your full name, your contact number and email address at the very least.

Social media profiles could also be useful, depending on the position you're applying for - your LinkedIn profile can be a good one to include. However you may want to clean up your profiles to ensure there is nothing inappropriate that will deter employers. 

Watch the Typsy course on Job finding skills for hospitality.

Define your skill set

Considering the hospitality workforce is fast-paced and hands-on, knowing your skill set is important. Before continuing with your resume, you will you need to brainstorm and define what kind of skills you have which show that you're the right person for the job.

There are three types of hospitality skills to choose from. This includes the training you’ve had, the personality you’ve got and any technical experience that you have. 

Think about the following, and be sure to list out everything that comes under these categories, so you’re prepared for later on.

• Training:
  
  Highlight any hospitality training you've had. Did you attend a hospitality school? Did you complete an apprenticeship? How can you apply your training to this job? List any certifications, relevant licenses or formal qualifications here. Your employer wants to see that you have the right knowledge, i.e. you understand the job and the industry. 
  
  
• Personality:
  
  For your first hospitality job, a can-do and positive attitude is what hospitality employers are really looking for. If you have limited job experience, use personality to your advantage.
  
  For example if you are a people person and don't sweat under pressure you're already a step ahead, particularly because working in hospitality is often stressful and customer focused.  A willingness to learn new skills is also a good look, it shows that you're keen to grow and keep up with the industry. 
  
  
• Technical experience:
  
  This one can be tricky if you haven't gained any real world hospitality experience. But it's still possible to get your first hospitality job, you may just need to think outside the box.
  
  Mention any related or similar working experiences, e.g. volunteer work, group assigmnents, internships and short courses. The skills and experience you gain here are still applicable to hospitality. If you gained specific technical skills during your studies (e.g. knife skills, table service, mise-en-place, POS training, food prep, food safety and hygiene, first-aid) list them as part of your technical experience.
  
  

Add your career objective

Now that you're aware of your skill set and some of your experience, it's time to sell yourself to your employer in the span of about two sentences. This section is there to explain what kind of person you are, a brief insight into your experience and will hook your reader to know more. Here it might be helpful to summarize your skills (as above) into key dot points and then work it into a punchy description of yourself and your career goals. 

Resume editor for Elite Assignment Help, Ryan Mason says, “You’re going to want to include information like how many years you’ve been in the industry, your highest form of education, why you’re a strong candidate and what position you’re applying. It gives your reader everything they need to know you’re right for the job,”

Go straight into experience

An employer is far more likely to employ you based on your experience rather than your education so jump straight in. Don’t worry about dating your work history or even going in date order. Simply put your highest recognized achievement and job role at first and then work down.

For example if you spent two years volunteering at a local soup kitchen, perhaps list that first before your experience at a two-week barista course. This experience comes across stronger and shows commitment. Likewise with any formal studies; a completed diploma or certificate from a recognized hospitality school is stronger than completing your general studies during college. 

This means your employer will see the best aspects of you first, ideal for forming the best first impression. Here, refer again to the skills and experience you defined earlier and identify which of these shows the best side of you. 

Use tools to perfect your resume

It’s important that you ensure your resume is free from errors, so you can stand out among the other applicants. Here are some tools to help you achieve this degree of quality.

• Resume Writing Service - An online resume builder is full of guides you can follow when writing your resume.
• Who Vs Whom - An online blog is full of posts on how to improve your grammar skills.
• Boom Essays - An online writing agency you can use to guide you through the resume writing process.
• State of Writing - An online blog that can answer all your writing-related questions.
• Assignment Help - An online site full of writing guides relating to resume writing, as featured by the Huffington Post.
• Cite It In - An online tool for adding quotes and testimonials to your resume.
• Essay Roo - An online writing agency that can write your resume for you on your behalf.
• Word Counter - A free online tool you can use for tracking your word count in real time.

Consider also asking a trusted friend or family member to read through your resume. If you know someone who works in hospitality, even better! Ask for their advice and feedback too.

No doubt your network will provide useful feedback about improving your resume and picking up any details or errors you might have missed. Once you've got their feedback, proof read and edit your resume accordingly. 

Close off your resume

Once you’ve explained your experience and skills, you’ll need to go through and close off your resume. Try not to introduce too much new information, you want the earlier part of your resume to highlight that. But add any other points you feel are relevant, e.g. your referees and appropriate extra cirriculars or interests which show that you're a diverse and well-rounded candidate. 

Otherwise, good luck for your next hospitality job! Go get 'em!

After some more resume writing tips? Check out this guide from ResumeGenius!

Need more job-ready tips? Start our lesson now on projecting confidence with Mark Bowden. 
 

Mary Walton is an editor at Academized, writing service for students. Also, Mary writes at her blog - Simple Grad (read her Best Essay Writing Services post). She has studied in Australia, since then she stays tuned with Aussie students tutoring them at Big Assignments, educational portal.

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