Applying for restaurant manager positions can mean that you are facing a lot of competition. Hundreds of people are vying for the same position using only one piece of paper, your resume. While creating the perfect resume is no easy task with the right tips and tricks, you should be able to create a well-crafted resume that will positively grab the attention of any future employer. Whether the position you are looking at is in a fast-food chain, coffee shop, or fine dining establishment you will need to showcase strong organizational and leadership skills to stand out and compel the hiring team to consider you for the position.
To help you with this process we have created a full guide on how to write a compelling restaurant manager resume, including key insights, examples, and tricks you can use to highlight your unique qualifications.
Restaurant Manager Job Description
As a restaurant manager, your responsibilities go beyond simply managing day-to-day operations. Your tasks include managing a team, location, profitability, and stock. Your resume should showcase that you have all the relevant skills for these positions.
Hiring managers are looking for candidates who can manage staff and inventory, and increase sales and customer satisfaction. While this might seem like a tall bill with the right restaurant general manager’s resume you can convince them that you are the right person for the job.
Key Elements of a Restaurant General Manager Resume
When starting to write your restaurant manager’s resume there are some key sections and elements that you need to include in your resume. These essential elements include:
Contact Information
Your contact information, including your first and last name, should be included in the resume header. Apart from your name, you should include your email address, phone number, and location as well. This information is essential for the manager to be able to contact you for the following stages of your application.
Professional Summary
As part of your resume, you should include a brief professional summary that includes all of your relevant qualifications. This summary should be no more than three sentences and should highlight your work history, strongest skills, and career achievements. When choosing what to include in this section you should also include the unique characteristics that separate you from other candidates.
Tip: Many hiring managers prefer to see the summary section include specific keywords in bold as this can help draw their attention to the key aspects of your profile that make you the most suitable candidate.
Example:
“Dynamic and results-oriented Restaurant Manager with 10+ years of experience in fast-paced dining environments. Proven track record in improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and managing teams of 15+ people. Strong team leadership, capable of implementing effective staff training programs and managing stock.”
Read More :- Resume Summary Examples For Multiple Jobs
Professional Work Experience
When writing down your professional experience make sure to differentiate yourself by including relevant bullet points about your unique experience. To make yourself stand out you should also include numbers and stats where possible, as these can positively draw the attention of the hiring manager.
Tip: Always use strong action verbs when listing your achievements and work history.
Example: Restaurant Manager, Urban Eats Bistro
April 2019 – Present
- Led a team of 15 staff members, resulting in a 30% increase in customer satisfaction.
- Developed a new inventory tracking system reducing waste by 20% and lowering costs by $5,000 annually.
- Developed a customer loyalty program boosting repeat business by 15%.
- Oversaw daily operations, including staff scheduling, budgeting, and vendor negotiations.
Education
When presenting your education on your resume, make sure to relate it to your profile and work experience. If during your degree you did projects relating to restaurant management or project management, you should include them.
Tip: Hiring managers want to see not just that you have learned something but that you can connect what you have learned and transform it into real-life experience. Implementing the things you have learned is the key to being a successful manager.
Skills
Over your years in service, you will most likely have acquired a wide array of skills that can help you become an effective restaurant manager. Presenting those skills in your resume not only shows self-awareness but also makes it easier for a hiring manager to know what your strong points are.
Always ensure that whatever skills you are choosing to showcase are aligned with the restaurant’s needs and the positions you are applying for.
When listing your skills, also try to separate them into hard skills and soft skills. While your hard skills are going to be essential for the day-to-day management of the restaurant, your soft skills are what will allow you to manage the people who are working at the restaurant in the best possible way.
Tip: Make sure to customize your resume based on the job listing you are responding to. This way you can ensure that all of the keywords and skills that you need for the job will be covered on your resume.
Examples of skills to include:
Customer service
Leadership
Organizational Skills
Scheduling
Conflict management and resolution
Inventory and Stock management
Essential Skills for a Restaurant Manager Resume
If you are not certain which skills are crucial for a restaurant manager, then the list below is going to help you gain some insight and some inspiration into which of your skills you should include. These are not only common skills that hiring managers expect to see on your resume, but more importantly, they are skills that if you are lacking you should reconsider applying for these types of positions.
Leadership and Team Management
If you want to manage a diverse team you will need to highlight your previous experience in training, supervising, and managing large teams in stressful situations. When discussing your leadership skills make sure to include specific examples in which you have shown these skills, including previous positions and projects you were involved in.
Example:
“Trained and supervised a team of 20 servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff to maintain high standards of service and professionalism, reducing turnover by 15%.”
Customer Service
Customer satisfaction is key to the hospitality industry so showing any initiative that you have made to increase the customer experience and customer loyalty should be showcased in your profile. Where possible do include numbers as these can help further highlight your experience.
Example:
“Implemented a guest feedback system that increased customer satisfaction ratings by 25% within the first six months.”
Financial and Inventory Management
Cost control and efficient inventory management are important skills for a restaurant manager. Specify all the previous occasions when you have helped reduce costs or managed budgets, including these achievements.
Example:
“Reduced food waste by 20% by implementing a first-in, first-out inventory method, and training staff on best practices for stock management.”
Sales and Marketing
Boosting sales and promoting the restaurant is often part of a restaurant manager’s role. If you have any previous projects, you run for running promotions and marketing strategies you should include them. Where possible include enough details to truly make an impact and portray yourself in the best possible way.
Example:
“Introduced a weekend brunch special that increased weekend sales by 40% within three months.”
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Showcase specific examples in which you have had to make very serious decisions in a quick timeframe. If you’ve resolved issues or handled emergencies, mention these experiences.
Example:
“Resolved on-the-spot customer complaints effectively, resulting in positive reviews and repeat business.”
Examples of Restaurant Manager Resume
John Smith
123 Main St., City, State, Zip | Phone: (123) 456-7890 | Email: johnsmith@email.comProfessional Summary
Dynamic and results-oriented Restaurant Manager with 10+ years of experience in fast-paced dining environments. Proven track record in improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and managing teams of 15+ people. Strong team leadership, capable of implementing effective staff training programs and managing stock.Core Skills
- Team Leadership
- Customer Service
- Budgeting & Forecasting
- Staff Scheduling
- Conflict Resolution
Professional Experience
General Manager, Coastal Diner
January 2015 – Present
- Increased annual revenue by 20% through targeted marketing initiatives.
- Reduced operational costs by 15% by optimizing staffing levels and renegotiating vendor contracts.
- Trained staff on new service protocols, resulting in a 25% improvement in customer satisfaction ratings.
Example 2: Assistant Restaurant Manager Resume
Maria Lopez
456 Oak St., City, State, Zip | Phone: (123) 456-7890 | Email: maria.lopez@email.comProfessional Summary
Assistant Restaurant Manager with a background in casual and fine dining environments. Recognized for strong leadership abilities and a commitment to quality service.Core Skills
- Customer Relations
- Inventory Management
- Training & Development
- Food Safety Standards
- Problem-Solving
Professional Experience
Assistant Manager, Bistro 101
March 2018 – Present
- Assisted in the implementation of a new ordering system that reduced wait times by 10%.
- Managed daily operations in the absence of the general manager, ensuring smooth and efficient service.
- Collaborated with the kitchen team to develop a seasonal menu that increased customer engagement by 15%.
Additional Tips for Creating the Perfect Restaurant Manager Resume
- Tailor Each Resume for the Role: Your resume and summary should always be customized to the specific position that you are applying for. Make sure to carefully look at the job description and emphasize whatever skills and experience are relevant to the industry you are applying for.
- Use Quantifiable Metrics: Where possible do include statistics and numbers to highlight your skills. This can include percentages, the number of people you have managed as well as the number of initiatives you have managed previously.
- Proofread Carefully: The worst thing you can do is not format your resume properly and double-check for typos. Any mistakes show that you have not proofread your resume, and more importantly that you do not pay enough attention to detail. This is a big problem for someone who is applying for a management position, as management requires complete control of the situation and attention to every small detail.
- Include Relevant Certifications: Any relevant certifications should be included under your education and skills. These can include certificates in food safety, hospitality management, or similar areas. These certificates can often be essential for being allowed to work in certain positions in hospitality so make sure to include them where possible.
- Bold your text: The keywords key elements and statistics should be easy to notice briefly. To do that you might need to highlight them or even better, actually make the text bold in order to ensure that the hiring manager is going to notice all of the details you want them to.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to making the perfect restaurant, managers resume the most important thing to remember is that you need to showcase balance. This includes highlighting all your educational background, work background as well as your skills and expertise. Make sure to pair your hard and soft skills to have the best possible balance and presentation of all necessary skills for your position.
Do not make one uniform resume for every position you apply for. Always tailor every second of your resume to the job that you are applying for. Using quantifiable achievements, you can showcase your skills and everything that you have achieved in previous positions. This makes it easy for hiring managers to understand exactly what you can bring to the position that you are applying for.
Additional Read :- Product Manager Resume