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Hospitality CV: What to Improve | Student Resume Tips & Template

 You know that there are fewer jobs. More people are applying for jobs that are open these days. Unemployment is high and so is job competition. The hospitality industry is shaken to the core.

It doesn’t mean you should be just sitting and waiting for a miracle to happen.

As a student today, you need to start getting your experience now. So when you graduate you can use that experience to kickstart your professional career.

As a graduate today, you need to be proactive about your career and take steps towards it. Make good use of your existing experience as well as the opportunities you have today.

You need to level up your resume

You aren’t going to get the job if you can’t get to the interview. And you can’t get to the interview if your resume doesn’t get picked up and gets lost in 100s of applicants.

The thing that is going to help you get noticed is your resume. A good resume.

Get my free Resume Template in Resouces here.

If you are totally lost with your resume or you don’t have a lot of experience, my Resume Toolkit is the right thing for you. This is specially designed for hospitality management students & graduates. Learn to sell yourself and show your value on your resume.

A recruiter will not read the details of all resumes they get. Your resume needs to catch their attention in about 3-5 seconds. In that time, it needs to make them want to spend more time reading the details.

Take a good hard look at your resume and ask yourself these questions:

Can the reader tell what I do and why I am suitable for the job after a 3-5 second scan of my resume?

First impressions matter, A LOT. What does the 5-second resume scan say about you?

Are you professional? Are you interested in a certain area of the business? Are you performing well in your education? What experience do you have? What can you do for them?

Is the resume easy to scan for headlines and key information?

If it’s not easy to scan, it will not be read and will be discarded.

Look at it from afar and ask yourself: Is it easy to read? Is it full of text or does it have too much empty space? Can I distinguish headlines and text? Use this readability guide to help you out.

Does my resume showcase the thing that makes me different from all other candidates?

This doesn’t mean you need to make it pink and spray perfume on it like in Legally Blond. It does mean you may want to personalise it. For example, you can add colour to the headlines, use icons, or use a different layout.

Always make sure that the format and layout you use can be processed by the applicant tracking systems, this website has ATS proof resume templates, but I recommend that you keep it simple. Fancy design is not going to get you a job, the resume content is what matters.

Get my free Resume Template in Resouces here, and if you really want to level up, the Resume Toolkit explains how to make the most of every element of the resume!

Does my resume communicate the value I bring and the impact I make as an employee?

Or does it show my job description responsibilities?

You guessed it, it needs to show what value you bring to the company. This means talking about the impact your work has, not what you do on a daily basis, even if you are a waiter/waitress.

It is possible! I explain in detail in my Resume Toolkit with hospitality-specific examples.

Is my resume one page?

You are at the beginning of your career, it is likely that you don’t have much experience. It is best to stick to a concise one-page resume.

Don’t underestimate the page, there really is a lot of space there for you to show your value and potential. Using the space in a smart way is part of the challenge.

Does it link to my LinkedIn profile?

If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, go make one as soon as you finish reading this article. It is essential to building your network and your personal brand.

Then make sure you add the custom URL of your LinkedIn profile to your resume.

Did you customise your resume last time you applied for a job?

Every time you send off your resume to an open job posting, you need to customise it to that job and that company.

Yes, even if you are applying for the same kind of job in different companies. Because companies use different keywords and they are looking for them in your resume.


There is no sugarcoating it, standing out will be difficult and you will face a lot of rejection. Apply for jobs and keep networking, building connections and promoting your best professional self.

Hire me to get help with your resume. I will push and support you to level up your resume. Working with the detailed Resume Toolkit specifically designed for hospitality management students & graduates.

Don't wait for a miracle. Be a #savvyhotelier and make it happen. 

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