The Best Guide to write a Waitress Resume
Want a quick way to get hired in the foodservice industry? Here’s the perfect resume template for you!
A waitress’s resume is all about highlighting your skills, qualifications, and experience. It should also include a brief description of the type of establishment where you work. But don’t worry – we’ve created this handy guide to help you write an effective waitressing CV quickly and easily.
First off, here’s what you should keep in mind when creating a resume for waitressing:
Your resume should be no longer than 2 pages in length. If you’re applying for a job as a waitress in a high-end restaurant, you may want to consider including your foodservice CV. This is not vital information and can be included on your main waitress CV if desired. Please include the date when you began working in the food service industry if possible. Include your employment details including the period of time you worked in this role and the location of where you worked. If you are applying for a job as a waitress in a restaurant that doesn’t serve alcohol, state this clearly on your resume. A good example is if your employer requires all their waitresses to wear dresses and high heels.
Use keywords like “waitress” or “waitstaff” throughout your waitress resume until you hear back from potential employers.
Break it down into the following categories:
- Education and previous work experience. Include your education, grades, and any experience you have gained in the field prior to starting a waitressing job. Highlight skills that will prove useful in the role you are applying for.
- Professional skills: include anything you know about customer service, customer relations, dealing with people, dealing with money or any other skills that may prove beneficial to your employer.
- Personal skills include any hobbies you have, volunteering, or anything that will also help the employer to see your personality and what kind of person you are. (Note that waitresses would be expected to have some skills in communication, organization, and serving food.)
- Company information. Include any other pieces of information which may prove useful should you wish to ask about future job opportunities at their restaurant or with other employers who have used them in the past.
- You can also include any information about your academic background here. If you are still studying, clearly state what part of the course you are in and how many years you’ve been in the field of study. Connecting your skills with your degree will show the employer that you genuinely enjoy being in school and have no wish to drop out.
- Whether or not you are applying for waitressing jobs in high-end restaurants, it’s vital that your resume is tailored to the job you’re applying for. The more detailed your resume is, the higher your chances are of getting an interview call.
- Remember to tailor the formatting of your resume to what the employer wants. For example, if you want a career that involves writing, then include the skills which prove useful in writing and any publications you may have written.
Waiter/Waitress Responsibilities Include:
- Presenting meals to customers according to their orders and preferences.
- Taking customer orders and ensuring the accuracy of the orders.
- Collecting payment and preparing payment slips or electronic bills.
- Preparing change for customers and maintaining an accurate cash drawer.
- Checking customers’ identification for age-restricted items, such as alcohol, cigarettes, or rent movies.
- Serving food from the kitchen to the tables in the restaurant, following specific rules for each food order.
- Clearing or removing dirty dishes from a table and replacing them with clean ones.
- Preparing the table for the next customer, including removing empty glasses, plates and other items used during service.
- Maintaining good hygiene standards. The job requires the employee to be neat in appearance, including wearing a clean uniform at all times, as well as following strict rules of personal hygiene and sanitation.
- Establishing and maintaining good customer relations, including answering any questions and assisting the customers in making their food and drink orders.
- Serving drinks to customers.
- Avoiding abuse from customers or employer’s staff, and dealing with difficult or complaint customers in a polite manner.
- Entertaining guests and making them feel welcome.
- Cooperating with other employees to ensure efficient service.
Top 12 Skills to Include on Waiter/Waitress Resume:
- Creating a good impression on customers.
- Excellent memory for the menu and special requests.
- Customer service skills.
- Fostering a positive, friendly atmosphere in the restaurant.
- Familiarity with food and drink orders.
- Quick learning through observation of others and practice at serving food to guests.
- Effective communication skills, such as speaking loudly or clearly, listening and encouraging questions from customers to make their experience pleasant.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Working under pressure and a strong sense of urgency, such as when customers need to leave the restaurant quickly or have limited time to finish their meals.
- Good communication skills, including listening to customers and helping them make their food and alcohol orders correctly.
- Ability to work in a team and take orders from the supervisor or manager of the restaurant.
- Basic math skills, including counting money and working with percentages.
A little-known fact about waiters and waitresses is that they are often in danger of being robbed by violent criminals who attack restaurants looking for a victim.
5 Must-Have Qualities to be a Perfect Waiter:
1. Must be able to handle people of any type, such as celebrities or rude customers.
2. Must be able to remain calm under pressure despite the numerous different problems they might face in the restaurant.
3. Must remain professional at all times and never let their personal feelings get in the way of doing their job well.
4. Must have very good memory skills and an excellent understanding of customer complaints and orders to provide a good service when dealing with difficult customers or those who don’t remember what they want from the menu..
What qualifications does a waitress need?
A typical job required for a waiter or waitress is to have at least a high school diploma, though some may need to have two years of college. Most employers require that the employee be at least 18 and they must be capable of handling the stress of the job.
They must also be able to lift at least 30 pounds and stand for long hours during their shift. Additionally, employees should have good communication skills, such as listening and speaking clearly.
Key takeaways:
1. Begin with an attention-grabbing title on your resume. If you’re a waiter, but something related to foodservice as the title.
2. Include info about your job experience, such as job duties and responsibilities. List any special certifications or licenses you have that will help your application stand out.
3. A resume also needs to include personal information like your contact information, education, and any special skills that are unique or hard to find for the position you’re applying for.
