Highlight Your People Skills
The hospitality industry is a people-oriented industry. Employers looking to hire servers look for individuals with excellent people skills. In each previous role you have worked, highlight the most important skills you applied. For example, if you excelled in customer service skills or you were an excellent communicator, list that in the resume. You can also describe how these skills helped the previous employer, such as how the business could attract more customers or how your skills helped the restaurant win an award.
Understanding The Server Hiring Process
While many other industries use applicant tracking systems, most restaurants still hire servers the old-fashioned way: a hiring manager reviewing paper resumes tries to determine who can handle the job best. To succeed, its crucial that your server resume shows quickly and concisely that you have accumulated the industry knowledge others lack.
A top-notch restaurant server resume also increases your chances of working in a more respected restaurant, which translates to more customers and better tips. If youve worked in the industry for any length of time, you know one problem all kitchen staff management suffer from is a high turnover rate sometimes up to 75%. It seems restaurant workers are quitting the job almost as soon as they get hired.
That means two things:
When servers quit and leave a restaurant, theyre taking with them hours of training and time invested by the employer. No managers want to spend what can amount to thousands of dollars on a server who will ditch them for the next best opportunity. So make sure your server resume highlights your ability to keep jobs and be a team player in the long term.
Server Skills And Qualifications
- Customer service – servers have strong customer service skills to address customer complaints and provide them with a professional, caring dining experience
- Salesmanship – because servers make menu suggestions, sales skills are essential and highly desired by employers
- Math skills – servers present and collect payment for bills from customers, which requires basic math skills
- Problem-solving skills – servers use problem-solving skills to address customer problems when meal items are not satisfactory
- Multitasking – servers are able to juggle several tasks and wait on many tables at once, which requires solid multitasking abilities
- Physical stamina – as servers stand and walk during the entirety of their shifts and carry many items at once, they need the physical ability to perform these tasks
- Communicationskills – servers need excellent communication skills to effectively speak with customers and other restaurant staff
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Server Job Description And Duty Examples
Whether you are just starting your restaurant food server career, or are a seasoned veteran, employers are expecting you to be familiar with the basics. To make sure your resume is what employers are looking for, try incorporating these things:
General Food Server duties & responsibilities
Experienced server duties
- Memorizing customers orders instead of writing them down
- Making knowledgeable suggestions on food and wine pairings
- Assisting management with food and supply inventory
- Training new servers and facilitating shadow days
- Making suggestions on food and wine pairings, trying to upsell when appropriate
- Assisting management with duty coverage and supervision
How To Write A Resume For A Cocktail Server
Hospitality and food service business all over the country rely on the technical and interpersonal skills of their servers to maintain and grow customer satisfaction. Getting a job as a cocktail server requires an impressive resume that displays those crucial skills on paper. If you are thinking of applying for a job in the service industry, you can benefit from creating a specialized resume to highlight your personality and skills. In this article, we explain the steps for how to create an impressive cocktail server resume and offer a template and comprehensive example for your reference.
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Writing Your Work Experience
Often when people begin to think about writing their resume, their mind first goes to what they are going to include as their work experience.
The answer to that question varies from person to person, depending on how much relevant work experience they have previously gained.
As a general rule of thumb, you will want to list your work history in reverse chronological order.
However, make sure that you include the jobs that you feel are most applicable to serving.
So, even if you have been working as an Uber driver more recently, but used to be a host/hostess, perhaps list that instead.
Once you have identified what jobs you are going to include on your server resume, describe them in about three to five bullet points for each one.
As you come up with descriptions make sure that you are including details that apply to the position you are trying to land.
Also, try to describe each job by focusing on your accomplishments and impressive attributes to reinforce what you wrote in your summary and skills sections.
Yes!
Pisa Lisa | Sedona, AZ | Server | Feb 2016 Present
No!
Pisa Lisa | Sedona, AZ | Server | Feb 2016 Present
- Input orders, deliver food/beverages and remove dishes
- Ask about guest needs and service preferences
- Memorize food and drink menu
- Train new staff
The first example uses persuasive and varied speech to describe the job tasks the candidate completed while providing impressive quantifiable results.
What Is A Banquet Server Resume
A banquet server resume is a document used when applying to a server position for dinners and events. Banquet servers greet and accommodate guests during banquets. Their resume usually includes the following duties:
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Leading customers to the table
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Checking table decoration
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Setting buffet areas for service
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Replenishing buffet food
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Removing dirty dishes from tables
-
Facilitating a smooth service
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How To Write A Server Resume
Heres how to write a server resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
The bullet points are where you can really shine in your resume. Theyre the first thing recruiters and hiring managers will read, so its important to use them to your advantage.
The best way to do this is to use specific, descriptive language. Rather than saying you assisted customers, you could say you provided customer service for 20+ customers daily, resolving issues and answering questions to ensure satisfaction.
The second bullet point is much more specific and provides more detail about what exactly you did and the results of your work.
As you draft your resume, youll want to keep a few basic guidelines in mind.
Create Easy-to Scan Sections
There are a few things you can do to make your resume easier to read, such as left aligning your text, using a standard font type and size, and using bullets instead of paragraphs to list your experiences. You should also use all-caps and bold sparingly, and keep your bullets under two lines. Additionally, you can include some white space on the page to make the document easier to scan.
Be Concise
Ideally, a resume should only be one page long. However, if you have a lot of experience to include, then a two-page resume is an acceptable length. When trimming down your resume, remove any irrelevant information, such as personal details or hobbies. You also want to be succinct, so brevity is key.
Check Your Work
Use a Summary
Related Resume Examples
Server Duties And Responsibilities
Job duties for servers vary depending on the type of dining establishment where they work and the menu items available. However, there are several universal core duties that all servers perform:
Greet Guests Servers greet and welcome guests as soon as they are seated.
Take Orders Servers accurately record customer orders and make menu suggestions when customers are unsure about what they want. Servers also tell customers about available specials or particular menu items of interest, such as award-winning dishes. Servers relay these orders to the kitchen.
Serve Customers Servers serve customers food and beverages after orders have been completed by the kitchen. They also frequently check on customers while they are dining to see if they are happy with their food and if they need anything else.
Clean Servers clean tables and dining areas during meal service, removing plates and silverware that customers have finished with and wiping down tables and chairs.
Collect Payment Servers enter customer orders into the point of sale system, deliver the bill to customers, and collect payment on the bill.
Follow State Alcohol Laws In eating establishments that serve alcoholic beverages, servers check customer ID before serving alcohol. They stop serving customers if they become belligerent or otherwise too impaired by drink. Cutting off alcohol service is a law in many states that servers and bartenders must observe.
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Sections Of A Server Resume
Aspects that should appear on a server resume must demonstrate how well you are equipped to take on the role being offered. Sections that commonly appear in effective server resumes include:
- Contact information
- Skills
- Education
These are just the core sections. You may decide to include additional sections such as volunteer experience and/or honors and awards to give you an advantage over other candidates. Depending on the level of experience that each candidate has, they may need to create other sections within their server resume in order to offer all the relevant information for their professional profile.
Server Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Server resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
If youre looking for a job that allows you to work with people in a fast-paced environment while providing excellent customer service, then server might be the perfect job for you. Servers are the backbone of any restaurant or bar, providing attentive, friendly service to customers as they eat, drink, and have fun.
Here are some tips and an example to help you write a standout server resume that hiring managers will love.
Industry Knowledge: Food and Beverage Handling, Banquet and Catering, Customer Service, Quality Assurance, Inventory ManagementTechnical Skills: Microsoft Office Suite, OpenTable, Yelp, Zupps, SquareSoft Skills: Communication, Teamwork, Empathy, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making
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A Good Server Resume Example Of A Duties And Responsibilities Section
- Worked as a customer service representative and took care of all customer complaints, increasing sales by 20% and gaining customer service experience.
Received commendations for exceptional service provided at Dennys restaurant while serving a daily average of 45 patrons.
Worked as a banquet server and increased the daily wine sales by 10%, upselling to customers.
Assisted other staff members with preparing cold dishes, salads, and desserts as required.
Resume Header: First Impressions
For the kind of favorable first impression you want to last when hiring managers see your resume, don’t overlook the importance of an eye-pleasing header design. Besides creating a personal brand that visually distinguishes your job application from the rest, the header serves a vitally important practical purpose. It clearly identifies who your resume belongs to and how you can be reached for an interview.
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List Your Professional Certifications
Create a section for professional certifications if you possess any relevant credentials. Besides certifications related to restaurant work or customer service, you may consider including any first aid credentials you possess. Certifications can further demonstrate your qualifications for the position to the hiring manager overseeing the new employee search.
Server Resume Education Section
The education section contains all the details related to your qualification, like the courses you did, the name of the institutions, their locations, dates of enrollment and graduation and the CGPA acquired.
Use the below given format to write this section:
| | |
All the information in this section needs to be true as the recruiter decides on the basis of this section whether you are qualified for the position you’ve applied for or not.
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Restaurant Server Resume Skills & Examples
When it comes to being a restaurant server, soft skills are more important than practical skills. When customers are coming to a restaurant, they are looking for a comfortable and inviting atmosphere. If they dont feel welcomed, it doesnt matter how good the food is. To show employers that you have the soft skills they are looking for, try to incorporate these into your profile, key skills, and cover letter sections:
- Friendly
Tip : Showcase Your Server Skills
Did you know that its not uncommon for a single job posting to get 200+ applicants? Unfortunately, the sheer number of applications often leaves hiring managers overwhelmed and unable to spend significant time reviewing each candidate. As a result, companies turn to recruiters and applicant tracking system software to do some of the initial work.
Recruiters and ATS often work hand-in-hand. Recruiters are human resources workers skilled at attracting applicants, screening resumes and conducting interviews alongside hiring managers. Recruiters configure ATS software to scan for select keywords in your resume. If there arent enough keyword matches, ATS will automatically remove the resume from the pool of applicants, thus reducing the overall workload for the hiring team.
The downside to ATS is that it can overlook even the best applicants if they dont have enough matching keywords in their resumes. Fortunately, once you know how to beat the ATS, you can rest assured that a person will review your application.
How do you do this?
The number one way to make it through ATS screening is to include a resume skills section. The keywords that recruiters program ATS to recognize are the most relevant skills for that specific server job. ATS scans your resume to determine whether your skillset is a match, so carefully curated skills sections help you ensure you have enough matching skills.
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Tips For Taking Your Server Resume To The Next Level
While there are many available server jobs, you still need to work on your server resume and ensure it stands out, especially if you want high-level server jobs. One way to take your server resume to the next level is by adding additional sections such as volunteer experiences, languages, awards, and certifications. Lets look at these sections in detail.
Tip : Ensure Your Server Resume Format Is Correct
Not to be dramatic, but resume format is everything. If your resume isnt formatted well, employers will have a difficult time reading it, and ATS wont be able to properly scan your resume .
The best resume format is one thats easy to read, flows logically, and is ATS-friendly. We recommend you format your server resume in reverse-chronological order with your most recent job experience listed toward the top of the page. This way, recruiters will notice your most recent, most relevant, and likely most impressive job title first.
Here are some other essential formatting tips for making sure your resume passes ATS software and is easy to read:
Notice in the resume image below that the title the candidate is seeking is listed directly below her name.
Server resume objective
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Third Provide Clear Examples
For each work experience description you list in your resume, you should provide clear examples of how you succeeded in your role. For example, maybe you were voted server of the month for your exceptional ability to create customer relationships. Or maybe you increased your past companys customer base by succeeding as a brand ambassador. If you have an example of how you can benefit the employer youre applying to, consider including it in your job description.
Sixth Describe Your Hard Skills
You might also consider including your hard skills like handling money transactions, running a cash register or using point-of-service order input software to take and communicate customer orders. You might also include how you keep your serving sections organized or other examples of your hard skills.
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Server Skills To Put On A Resume
This is the fourth section of the server resume but it is the second last section to be written.
Writing it at this stage will give you more skills to include in your restaurant server resume key skills section than writing it at the starting of server resume making stages.
Here is a list of skills you can add to your server resume:
- Customer Servicing
Server Resume Free Template
Skills:
Business Name / Job TitleMonth 20XX – Present, Location
Business Name / Job TitleMonth 20XX – Month 20XX, Location
Business Name / Job TitleMonth 20XX – Month 20XX, Location
Education:
School Name / QualificationMonth 20XX – Month 20XX, Location
School Name / QualificationMonth 20XX – Month 20XX, Location
Certificates:
Institution Name / Certificate / Month 20XX / Location
Achievements:
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Create A Career Objective Statement
A career objective is a one to two-sentence statement that shows your restaurant experience, food service skills and professional goals. As a server, include the amount of experience that you have in the foodservice industry, then include one to two skills that you use as a server. Here are some examples of career objective statements for servers:
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Customer-oriented server with five years of experience in food service, seeking to use excellent customer service skills to give patrons a valuable dining experience.
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Organized fine dining server with three years of experience in the foodservice industry, seeking to provide exceptional customer service to patrons and assist kitchen staff with creating a welcoming and clean dining environment.