Did you know that waitressing is one of the fastest-growing jobs, with employment expected to grow by 19 percent through 2024? In this fast-paced environment, being a server requires quick thinking, an excellent memory for details, and the ability to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. In addition, working as a waitress requires being friendly, organized, and ready to multitask under pressure. If you’re looking to land a job as a waitress and have experience in food service or hospitality, read on for tips on writing an effective resume and cover letter. With so many different responsibilities in becoming a successful waitress, it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to start. However, if you have previous experience in food services or hospitality (or even some general work experience), focusing your resume on those things will make it easier for you when applying.
Waitress Resume Example and Writing Guide
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Put your customer service skills first
The first thing you’ll want to include on your resume is a section highlighting your customer service skills. Waitressing is all about customer service, so it’s important to emphasize how experienced you are in that area. In addition, waitresses regularly interact with a large and diverse range of people, so you must have the social and communication skills to deal with all kinds of people. Customer service skills to highlight on your resume should include: Customers will judge your entire restaurant based on how you treat them, so it’s essential that you have a pleasant, friendly demeanor and can maintain a good rapport with them throughout their entire visit.
List any relevant experience first
If you have a lot of experience as a waitress, you may want to lead with that on your resume. However, if this is your first job in this industry, start with your most recent employment and then move back to list any experience you have. For each job, start with a solid introductory sentence that clearly states the job title, the company name, and the dates of employment. Next, list the duties and responsibilities of the job in bullet points. For example, suppose you worked as a hostess at a restaurant. In that case, you might say something like, “Assisted customers with seating and taking orders” or “Greeted customers and provided menus, specials, and drink menus.”
Don’t forget to include teamwork and communication skills
Waitressing involves a lot of teamwork, so list teamwork skills on your resume. Be sure to include any experience you might have had working on a team, even if it was not in the food service industry. Perhaps you had a leadership role in your sorority or were a team captain for a sports team or club. Remember to emphasize how your experience working in a team environment helped you become a better leader. Waitresses also regularly communicate with other staff members, customers, and management, so include teamwork skills on your resume. If you have experience participating in sports, clubs, or other activities that have involved a lot of communication, make sure to highlight that on your resume.
Don’t lie, but highlight the best of your experiences
It’s tempting to inflate your waitressing experience on your resume if you have never worked as a waiter before, especially if you’re applying for an entry-level position at a high-volume restaurant. However, if you get caught falsifying your experience, you will be fired and have a tough time finding another job in the industry. So instead, focus on the best things you’ve done in previous waitressing jobs. Try to find a different way to stand out in the application process on the rare occasion that you aren’t selected because of a lack of experience. For example, if you worked at a fast-paced restaurant that required a lot of multitasking, focus on the best ways you juggled multiple tasks. Perhaps you worked at a high-volume pizza place that required you to prep dough, make pizzas, take orders, bring food, and clean tables. In this case, you could write that you were able to consistently handle all of these tasks while maintaining excellent customer service.
Conclusion
Whether you’re just entering the workforce or have been working in the food service or hospitality industry for years, being a waitress requires many skills. Make sure to put those skills front and center on your resume to land your dream job. It’s also essential to ensure your resume is tailored to the job you’re applying for. Make sure your summary is concise, clear, and easy to read and that it highlights your most vital skills and experience. Finally, follow up with employers as soon as you apply for a job. And don’t forget to ask for feedback!