While many people may focus on their experience in their hospitality job resume, your skills section may be one of the most critical parts of your resume. A well-developed skills section is crucial for allowing potential employers to see that you have the desired skills that can translate into the position that you are applying for. Your skills should be listed in its own section on your resume, and the skills should also be incorporated in the descriptions of your previous job experiences, showing the potential employer how you applied those skills in a workplace setting.
Hospitality Skills to Include on Your Resume
While almost any skills in your skill set can translate into valuable skills in the hospitality industry, there are a number of skills that should always be included in a hospitality resume to provide you with the best opportunity to obtain the job you are looking for. Ideal skills include both hard and soft skills, which can enable you to deal with customers, manage other staff members, and help you to better perform in maintenance, food and beverage, or hotel operations.
Job-Related Skills
You will want to focus on skills that are related to the specific industry or job type that you are applying for. These skills will provide your employee with information on what you bring to the table in terms of the specific job you are applying to. Showing an extensive skillset in one of these areas will allow the employer to feel confident that you can jump right into the position with less training than a novice. Some of the skill areas you may want to include on your resume are:
Hotel Management and Operations
There are a number of positions available in the hotel industry from the front desk staff, to housekeeping, to event planning, to restaurant management. Many of these positions will require skills such as attention to detail, the ability to work well both independently as well as with a team, customer service, problem-solving, and professionalism. If you have had previous experience in one of these areas, discuss the position and skills used during your employment in that position. Be sure to cite specific ways or situations in which those skills were used. For example, "exemplified teamwork during the course of event planning for conferences and weddings during my tenure."
Food Service and Management
Almost all types of hotels will offer positions in food service, whether they have full banquet halls, offer room service, or have a full-service restaurant on-site. Customer service skills and attention to detail are also crucial to these positions, but you will also want to have knowledge of food allergies, safe food handling and preparation, menu creation, knowledge of restaurant processes, ordering, and management skills, depending on the position you are applying for. You will also want to include any specific skills relevant to food preparation, such as machine and kitchen equipment operation. Since the food service positions can be fast-paced, it is also valuable to be able to handle and thrive in a high-stress environment.
Maintenance and Cleaning
All hotels and conference centers rely on maintenance and cleaning crews to keep everything operating properly and ensure that everything is kept clean and sanitary. Cleaning positions often include housekeeping staff and maintenance involves replacing and repairing items in the building as needed to ensure that everything is operating correctly. When applying for these positions, you will want to include any specific custodial and maintenance skills you have, such as knowledge and safety with cleaning chemicals, electrical repair experience, and HVAC knowledge. Other skills necessary for these types of positions are teamwork, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work independently.
Management
For those looking for a management position in the hospitality industry, the possibilities are endless. There are managers in the housekeeping staff, the reception staff, food and beverage, and a number of managers responsible for ensuring that the hotel operations run smoothly and the customers are happy with their stay and their experience at the hotel. Skills you will want to exemplify when applying for these types of positions include leadership skills, teamwork, problem-solving, strategic thinking, budgeting, customer service, and skills relating to the department for which you are applying. For example, if you are applying to be the food and beverage manager, you will want to include the skills you have obtained in your previous food service experience.
Learn more: The future is Affective Hospitality : Discover all the hospitality skills that will be needed in the future.
Additional Hospitality Skills
There are other skills you will want to include on your resume that may not be related to a specific job but are necessary to work in the hospitality environment. Some skills to include are:
- Communication Skills: The ability to communicate instructions, both verbally and written in a way that is clear to other staff and management is vital for a hospitality position.
- Computer Skills: All industries rely on computers and software programs. Knowledge of basic computer programs and those directly related to the hospitality industry can be a plus as it can reduce the amount of training needed if you are hired.
- Interpersonal Skills: Being able to work with a wide range of personality types can help make you a better team player and a more valuable staff member.
- Leadership Skills: Even if you are not applying for a management position, it is important to possess leadership skills that allow you to take the initiative and step up to the plate when called upon.
- Organizational Skills: Being able to work with team members and meet and exceed client wants and needs is a juggling act, and the more organized you are, the better able you will be to handle everything that is thrown your way.
- Accountability: An employer will want to look for someone who is confident enough in their decisions to own them. You should always be accountable for your decisions, both good and bad.
- Conflict Resolution: You should not only be able to handle conflicts that may arise but also be able to come up with solutions to manage and resolve those conflicts with both team members and management.
- Customer Service: No matter what position you are applying for, customer service skills are a must. The hospitality industry is all about providing service to and pleasing the client, so an employer will want to make sure you have the skill set to accomplish this goal.
- Detail Oriented: In the hospitality industry, the details are what separates an average establishment from a great one. You need to have the foresight and attention to make sure that every detail is explored and taken care of.
Follow the tips above to ensure that your skills are appropriately detailed on your resume to allow the employer to see you have what it takes to meet and exceed the requirements of the job. Always make sure to read the job description thoroughly and include information about how you exhibit the skills that they are looking for with that particular position.
