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Waitress Resume Examples
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How to Write a Waitress Resume
Your waitress resume’s format is as important as how you write your resume. This sample resume demonstrates the best resume layout hacks to follow: 1-inch margins, bullet points and clear resume headings for each of the following sections.
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Professional header and contact info
- Include your name, contact information and a professional email address.
Compelling summary statement
- A brief resume summary or objective highlighting two or three food service-relevant skills, experience, or accomplishments.
Highlight your skills
- Create a dedicated section to showcase hard and soft skills specific to food service work, like communication, customer service and adaptability.
Emphasize your work history
- List your work experience in reverse-chronological order. Include job titles, company names, dates of employment, and key responsibilities and achievements for each role in a bullet list.
Supporting education section
- Detail your educational background, mentioning any relevant degrees, diplomas or certifications obtained.
Additional sections
- You can add resume sections for licenses, certifications, industry memberships or unions, awards, volunteer experience or spoken languages.
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How to Write a Waitress Resume Summary
The resume summary is critical to your waitress resume as it provides a concise overview of your skills, experience and qualifications. Follow these guidelines to write an effective resume summary:
Highlight relevant skills and experience
Tailor your resume summary to emphasize the key skills and experience directly related to the waitress role. Mention your proficiency in customer service, taking orders, handling payments, and maintaining a clean and organized dining area.
Quantify achievements
Make quantifiable achievements to demonstrate your impact whenever possible. For example, mention the number of tables you managed, customer satisfaction ratings, or any awards or recognition for exceptional service.
Keep it concise and focused
A resume summary should be brief and focused on the most relevant aspects of your experience. Use strong action words and industry-related buzzwords to grab the attention of hiring managers and highlight your suitability for the waitress position.
Good waitress resume example
“Dedicated and personable waitress with four years of experience delivering exceptional customer service in fast-paced restaurant environments. Proven ability to efficiently manage tables, accurately take orders and handle cash transactions. Recognized for maintaining a clean and inviting dining area, resulting in a high customer satisfaction rating. A reliable team player committed to ensuring a positive dining experience for all patrons.”
This well-written resume summary effectively highlights the candidate’s relevant experience and skills. It showcases their years of experience, customer service expertise, and ability to accurately manage tables, take orders, and handle cash transactions. Including specific achievements, such as maintaining a clean dining area and achieving high customer satisfaction ratings, adds credibility and demonstrates the applicant’s value as a waitress.
Poor waitress resume example
“Looking for a waitress job. I have some experience working in a restaurant. I am friendly and can handle busy shifts.”
This poorly-written resume summary must be more specific and highlight particular skills or achievements. It provides no measurable evidence of the candidate’s abilities or contributions as a waitress. The summary is vague and generic, providing little insight into the applicant’s qualifications or potential value as a waitress in a professional setting. Providing factual information in your resume summary is crucial to showcase your relevant experience and accomplishments.
PRO TIP:
For job seekers with little to no experience, writing a resume objective is another option.
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How to Add Your Waitress Work History
The work history section of your waitress resume provides essential details about your previous employment and showcases your relevant experience in the food service industry. Here’s how to effectively write this section:
Start with your most recent experience
Begin the work history section with your most recent waitress position, and then list your previous roles in reverse-chronological order. Include the job title, employment dates and the restaurant’s name and location.
Highlight responsibilities and achievements
Clearly outline your key responsibilities and notable achievements for each waitress role you held. Focus on customer service, order taking, food and drink preparation, cash handling, and maintaining a clean and organized dining area.
Quantify achievements and demonstrate impact
Quantify your accomplishments to provide tangible evidence of your performance. For example, mention the number of tables you served, sales targets you achieved, or any recognition received for excellent service.
Good waitress resume sample
The Cheery Diner, Cityville, USA Waitress | May 2018 – Present
- Provide exceptional customer service by warmly greeting and assisting patrons, ensuring a positive dining experience.
- Efficiently handle multiple tables, taking orders accurately and delivering food and beverages promptly.
- Consistently meet or exceed sales targets, resulting in recognition for highest sales among waitstaff for three consecutive quarters.
- Collaborate with kitchen staff to ensure timely and accurate delivery of food orders.
This persuasive work history example details the candidate’s experience as a waitress. It highlights their ability to provide exceptional customer service, handle multiple tables, and achieve sales targets. Specific achievements, such as recognition for highest sales, demonstrate their performance and dedication. Additionally, the mention of collaboration with the kitchen staff showcases their teamwork skills and commitment to a smooth dining experience.
Poor waitress resume sample
ABC Restaurant Waitress
This vague work history example needs to include essential details such as dates of employment, specific job responsibilities, or notable achievements. It provides little insight into the candidate’s experience or skills as a waitress. The absence of detailed information makes it difficult for potential employers to evaluate candidates’ qualifications and suitability for the role. Providing clear and concise information in your work history section is essential to showcase your relevant experience and accomplishments as a waitress.
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How to Write a Waitress Education Section
The education section of your waitress resume provides an opportunity to showcase any relevant educational background, training programs or certifications that add value to your qualifications as a waitress. Here’s how to effectively present your education in a waitress resume:
1List your highest level of education
Start with your highest completed degree or qualification, such as a high school diploma or relevant certifications. Include the name of the institution, the degree or certification earned, and the dates of attendance or completion.
2Highlight relevant coursework or training programs
If you have completed any training related to the hospitality industry, customer service, or food safety, mention them. This could include courses in restaurant management, food and beverage service, or responsible alcohol service.
Relevant coursework formatting example
Restaurant Management Coursework | ABC Hospitality Institute | 2018
- Completed coursework in restaurant operations, guest services, and dining room management.
3Include relevant certifications
If you hold any certifications valuable to the waitress role, such as food safety certifications, ServSafe certifications, or certifications in specific service techniques, be sure to include them. Certifications demonstrate your commitment to professionalism, customer satisfaction, and compliance with industry standards.
Certifications formatting example
Food Handler Certification | Local Health Department | 2020
- Completed comprehensive training on food safety and sanitation practices, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
Responsible Alcohol Service Certification | Beverage Control Board | 2019
- Received training in responsible alcohol service, including recognizing signs of intoxication, checking IDs, and enforcing legal drinking age requirements.
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15 Skills For Your Waitress Resume
The skills section of your waitress resume is a valuable opportunity to showcase your abilities and qualities that make you an exceptional candidate for the role. Here’s a list of five soft skills, five hard skills and five technical skills specific to waitress responsibilities.
Soft skills
- Communication
- Customer Service
- Adaptability
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving
Hard skills
- Order Taking
- Food and Beverage Knowledge
- Table Setting
- Cash Handling
- Menu Memorization
Technical skills
- POS Systems
- Reservation Software
- Food Safety and Hygiene
- Espresso Machine Operation
- POS Inventory Management
PRO TIP:
Focus on transferable skills to highlight your customer-facing strengths and experiences to make your resume stand out to potential employers.
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20 Waitress Action Verbs
Utilizing strong action verbs in your waitress resume can elevate the impact of your accomplishments and responsibilities. Here’s a list of 20 power words tailored explicitly for a waitress position:
- Adapt
- Anticipate
- Assist
- Clean
- Collaborate
- Communicate
- Coordinate
- Excell
- Expedite
- Follow
- Greet
- Handle
- Manage
- Multitask
- Organize
- Recommend
- Resolve
- Served
- Train
- Upsold
Incorporating these dynamic action verbs into your waitress resume will help showcase your skills, responsibilities and contributions. Select the most relevant verbs that align with your experience and accomplishments to make your resume more engaging and compelling to potential employers.
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Additional Resume Sections
Consider adding the following sections to your waitress resume based on your specific circumstances and to enhance your qualifications:
Use a Cover Letter to Express Yourself
A resume is a concise overview of your skills and experience — a cover letter expands on this foundation. Add a cover letter to share one or two examples of how you excelled in similar roles or how your skills match a company’s needs. Use this sample as a guide or visit our helpful resources to boost your application.
Waitress Resume FAQ
How should I format my waitress resume?
Opt for a clean, professional resume format with clear headings, bullet points, and an easy-to-read font. Organize sections such as contact information, summary, work history, skills and education.
What if I have yet to experience being a waitress?
Highlight transferable skills gained from other customer service roles, such as communication, problem-solving and multitasking. Emphasize relevant training or certifications and any volunteer work demonstrating your ability to work with the public.
Should I include references on my waitress resume?
It's best to have a separate document prepared with references available upon request. You can mention this at the bottom of your resume, stating that references are available.
How do I showcase my customer service skills on my resume?
Highlight specific examples of exceptional customer service in your work history section. Mention instances where you went above and beyond to satisfy customers or received positive feedback from patrons or supervisors.
Is tailoring my waitress resume for each job application essential?
Absolutely! Customize your resume to align with the job requirements and skills mentioned in the job description. Tailoring your resume shows employers that you understand their needs and makes you a stronger candidate.
These concise answers provide guidance, but it's important to expand on them and tailor your responses based on your experiences and qualifications as a waitress.