Industry guide
Resumes for hospitality roles
Venue managers hire on availability, certificates and whether you have handled their kind of service before.
What employers in this field look for first
- RSA, RSG and food safety certificates with the issuing state
- Venue type: pub, café, fine dining, function centre, club, quick service
- Service size — covers per shift, bar volume, function capacity
- Availability across nights, weekends and public holidays
- Point of sale and coffee machine experience
Put these near the top of your resume
- Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate
- Food Safety Supervisor certificate where relevant
- Barista experience and the machines you have used
- Any supervisory or key-holder responsibility
- Visa or work rights if you are on a temporary visa
Only list tickets, licences and checks you actually hold, with their real expiry dates. An expired ticket listed as current is the fastest way to lose an employer's trust.
Wording that works
Numbers make hospitality experience real: "200-cover bistro, Friday and Saturday service" is worth a paragraph of adjectives.
Say which parts of the venue you worked: floor, bar, pass, functions. Managers hire for a gap, not for general experience.
List your actual availability. Being honest about school or study commitments saves everyone a wasted interview.