Starting a career in hospitality – 7 ways to boost your CV
Thinking of applying for a job in the hospitality sector? Then here’s some advice to help you get started:
7 ways to boost your CV when you’re applying for your first job in hospitality:
1. Write a great cover letter
Because hospitality is such a competitive industry, many employers will receive dozens, sometimes hundreds of CVs for one position. Therefore, a well-written cover letter – where you highlight your passion for hospitality and delivering great customer service – can help you stand out from the crowd.
2. Consider doing some voluntary work
Volunteering to do some work experience at a hotel or restaurant is another great way to boost your CV and show that you’re passionate about working in this sector and developing your skillset.
3. Create your own LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn is an excellent resource for building contacts and networking. Create a profile with your work experience, qualifications and a profile summary – and choose a professional profile picture so you make a good impression.
4. Get an industry-recognised qualification
If you’ve set your sights on becoming the manager of a hospitality business, you could get a qualification with the Institute of Hospitality, a professional body for managers and aspiring managers working or studying in hospitality, leisure or tourism. Run in partnership with the Confederation of Tourism of Hospitality, these qualifications include diplomas, certificates and awards for areas ranging from international hospitality and tourism to professional cookery in the health and social care sector
5. Showcase your skills
Make sure you mention any skills that will be relevant to your application. For example, if the job requires good IT skills, mention any common programmes (i.e. Excel, Publisher) that you have experience with. If you’ve been involved in any extra-curricular activities, list the skills that you’ve acquired (i.e. team-building, planning, delegating if you had any managerial responsibilities).
6. Practise your customer service skills
Do a role play interview where you play the part of a hotel or restaurant owner. Find a friend or family member to play the role of a customer – and ask them to give you constructive feedback on how you could improve your answers. Afterwards, switch the roles so you can get a better idea of the customer’s perspective. All this can help you improve your interpersonal skills and prepare for a role play interview.
7. Don’t forget to proofread your CV
Even highly experienced professionals can make embarrassing errors on their CVs.
When it comes to proofreading, a simple spellcheck on Word isn’t enough. Yes, the spellchecker will correct anything that doesn’t appear in Microsoft’s dictionary – but it won’t be so good at changing correctly spelled words that have been used by accident. For example, someone might inadvertently use the word ‘hospital’ instead of ‘hospitality’, or ‘professor’ instead of ‘profession’. Therefore, always proofread your CV, cover letter and any other text you’ve written (or, better still, ask someone else to proofread everything you’ve written).
Hopefully you’ll find all the above advice helpful! If you haven’t already, please remember to register your CV with our database so we can connect you with the best hospitality jobs from top employers.
Please register your details on our Talent Pool so we can match you with the perfect roles for your skillset.