Top Restaurant Resume Examples & Pro Writing Tips

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When searching for a new job in the restaurant industry, you might face a lot of competition. Whether you apply for a food server, dishwasher, food and beverage manager, or other restaurant position, it is crucial to set yourself apart from other candidates to secure the job. How do you do that? The first step is to have a stellar restaurant resume.

One of the best ways to create an outstanding professional document for your industry is to compare it to relevant restaurant resume samples. We gathered some of our most popular examples to show you how to successfully write the important sections of your resume. Read on to learn which sample applies to you most and why you should use it as you build your own resume.

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Restaurant Resume Samples

Sales Professional Resume using Emphasis 3 template


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Finding a listing for an open dishwashing position is generally easy, but securing such a position is not always so simple. From first-time jobseekers to career-changers trying to get a foot in the door, a lot of applicants may compete for the job.

Having a strong resume is one of the best ways to shine in a vast hiring pool. Display your top qualifications and convince hiring managers of your enthusiasm for the dishwasher position with the help of these restaurant resume samples.

    For:
  • Young jobseekers looking for first official jobs or summer positions as dishwashers as well as anyone seeking full or part-time entry-level positions in a restaurant.
    • Restaurant Skills To Include:
  • Equipment operation
  • Physical fitness; able to lift up to 80 pounds
  • Knowledge of standard cleaning procedures
  • Strong communication
  • Multitasking

More Information:Look at our dishwasher resume sample for more information.

Sales Professional resume using Emphasis 3 template


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Restaurants often see a revolving door of servers, bussers, and kitchen staff every year. With so many employees coming and going, owners and head managers are usually very selective when hiring for a management position.

How do you prove you are an ideal candidate for the food and beverage manager position? Replicate one of our restaurant resume samples to present a strong resume that showcases your knowledge, skill sets, and experience.

    For:
  • Experienced restaurant professionals familiar with food and beverage laws, procedures, and management responsibilities.
    • Restaurant Skills To Include:
  • Thorough understanding of health and safety standards and sanitation laws
  • Budgeting and cost control
  • Supplier, vendor, and customer relations
  • Food and beverage preparation
  • Leadership and communication

More Information:Look at this food and beverage manager resume sample for more assistance.

Sales Professional Resume using Contemporary 4 template


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In a congested job market, hiring managers might receive dozens of applications and resumes for an open position. When you apply for a busser position, you compete with applicants of varying ages, backgrounds, and credentials.

That’s why it is essential to do everything possible to stand out from the rest. Before you can shine in an interview, you need to present a professional, well-written resume, similar to these restaurant resume samples, that emphasizes your top qualifications.

    For:
  • Jobseekers with limited experience looking for first jobs, part-time work, or an entry-level position to set the stage for advancement within the restaurant industry.
    • Restaurant Skills To Include:
  • Strong physical fitness; can lift up to 70 pounds
  • Cleaning and sanitation procedures
  • Customer service
  • Time management
  • Fast and diligent worker

More Information:Take a look at our busser resume sample for additional information.

Sales Professional Resume using Modern 2 template


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When you apply for a food runner position, you compete with candidates who usually have very similar skills and work experience. With so many comparable qualifications from one applicant to the next, your resume needs to offer a compelling argument for your candidacy to avoid getting lost in a pile of documents on the hiring manager’s desk. These restaurant resume samples can help you create a convincing document.

    For:
  • First-time jobseekers, students, or other professionals with limited experience in restaurant work.
    • Restaurant Skills To Include:
  • Food preparation and handling
  • Fast and friendly customer service
  • Menu, equipment, and computer knowledge
  • Attention to detail
  • Group collaboration and communication

More Information:Turn to our exceptional food runner resume sample to learn more.

Sales Professional resume using Executive 1 template


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In an industry that sees a lot of employee turnover, it is vital to show hiring managers you are eager and excited about a job as a server. One of the best ways to convey a passion for the position is through your resume. With the help of our restaurant resume samples, you can construct a standout resume that uses a professional format and industry keywords to enthusiastically market your top skills, experience, and accomplishments.

    For:
  • Seasoned food servers, restaurant employees seeking advancement in the field, or any jobseeker pursuing an entry-level position in the restaurant industry.
    • Restaurant Skills To Include:
  • Customer service
  • Food, beverage, and alcohol knowledge
  • Point of Sale software
  • Cash handling
  • Time management

More Information:Study our server resume sample for more information.

Popular Restaurant Resume Questions

1. Which skills are the best to list on a restaurant resume?

Hiring managers skim your skills to determine their pertinence to the job at hand. Create a skills section using bullet points that display about six, but no more than eight, important skill sets relevant to the restaurant industry.

Customer service, verbal communication, and knowledge of restaurant equipment, computers, and procedures are a few skills that employers often like to see on a restaurant resume. However, every job is different. To make your document stand out, study the open position’s job description for industry keywords. If you possess them, incorporate those specific skills in your resume.

2. How do I write a summary statement for a restaurant resume?

Following the examples set in our restaurant resume samples, construct your summary statement with about three succinct sentences using first-person without pronouns. Briefly emphasize accomplishments, work experience, and a few hard and soft skills that directly relate to the job to grab the attention of hiring managers.

Did you boost restaurant sales by suggesting special menu items? Do you have a proven track record of professional and efficient customer service or a history of working very similar jobs to the open position? Include these qualifications in your summary to convince employers to read the rest of your resume.

3. What’s the best way to show I work well in a team on a restaurant resume?

Teamwork is crucial to restaurant positions. Kitchen workers, dishwashers, food servers, and other employees must work together to succeed. However, hiring managers view phrases such as “team player” and “works well within a team” as overused, unoriginal filler words on a resume.

Illuminate communication, listening, multitasking, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills instead. Demonstrate your teamwork capabilities in your work experience section. Describe ways you helped coworkers during busy hours, helped fulfill customer and business needs during stressful situations, or stepped into another role when requested.

4. If I’ve never held a restaurant job before, how do I make a restaurant resume?

If you have no experience in the restaurant industry but experience elsewhere, try to relate your past positions to the job at hand. Find similarities in previous duties to the required responsibilities of the open position. Did you work in retail, warehouses, or landscaping? Illustrate customer service, organization, or working hard in stressful environments.

If you are pursuing a restaurant position as your first official job, emphasize academic and athletic responsibilities and achievements to show you work hard, lead and communicate with team members, and follow instructions well. Draw on unofficial jobs or volunteer positions, such as babysitting or doing yard work, to show responsibility, diligence, and a friendly and positive attitude.

5. What should go in the experience section of my restaurant resume?

Your experience section should describe the top duties and responsibilities of your prior positions. Emphasize relevant work history and demonstrate how work in different industries still pertains to the job at hand.

Point out special accomplishments and use metrics and action words to make this section stronger. Did you earn an Employee of the Quarter award for exceptional customer service? Did you sell the highest number of promotional menu items? Did you consistently lift and carry equipment weighing 50 pounds? Illuminate such information in this section.

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How to Stay Motivated When Looking for a Restaurant Job Whether youre looking for catering positions or account executive jobs, job hunting can be hard. And the hardest thing of all is staying motivated to keep job hunting when you havent heard back from the recruiter or, worse still, have just received a rejection letter. For any job seeker the biggest battle you face is the internal battle you fight with yourself: whilst youre telling yourself youre not good enough and youre never going to get a job you still have to put on a brave face and keep sending out those perfectly targeted CVs.

So how do you stay motivated when youre job hunting? Well we have some tips:

1. Get into a routine

Many unmotivated job seekers find they apply for roles as and when they feel like it, sleep until late, and find any excuse to leave their computers and sit and watch daytime TV instead of visiting recruitment websites. If youre this kind of jobseeker, youre only setting yourself up for more failure. Instead you need to treat job hunting like its a job, and your new 9-5 role is getting yourself employed! Set an alarm and get out of bed bright and early. Have a shower and get dressed: nothing was ever achieved by someone still sitting in their pyjamas at lunchtime! Write a motivational checklist of things you want to do each day, such as apply for five new roles or review your CV. Avoid checking Facebook constantly: nothing will have changed in the 30 minutes since you last checked it! Finally, pick up the phone. Proactively calling recruiters lets them know youre keen and eager to find a new role.

2. Dont let job hunting change your personality

Your friends, family, and everyone who loves you will understand that job hunting is a difficult time, and youre not going to be the best version of you right now. But dont use this as an excuse to take out your anger and frustrations on the people closest to you. Try to remember that your unemployment will be just as tough on those who love you as it is on you. It is painful for your parents to watch you struggle. Your partner might worry about how youre going to pay the bills. Dont forget that just because youre not working doesnt mean you cant still contribute something to your home. Spend your down time doing some chores around the house: this will be especially appreciated if you still live at home with your parents. Also remember to ask your partner or friends about their careers and working days. It might be painful to talk about the work place when youre out of work, but your friends and family will appreciate you showing an interest in that area of their lives.

3. Dont take it personally

When they see another rejection letter sitting on the door mat, or receive another email telling them they just werent right for the job, many job hunters find their motivation levels dip dramatically, and blame themselves for not getting the role. This is something every job hunter experiences at least once, and really shouldnt get you down. Acknowledge your feelings of disappointment, and then try to move on. Want to turn this rejection into something positive? Then ask for feedback from the interviewer. They might say something nice about your application, which will boost your self esteem. More helpfully, theyre also likely to give you feedback about what you can improve on that will help you get the next role! Finally, remember how many successful people have had to accept failure on their path to achieving what they wanted. Notch these first few failures up to experience, and know that the perfect job is out there for you somewhere.  

Restaurant Resume Samples