Your resume is the first step to landing that next great job — take it from us. Here are our tips to help make your resume really stand out.
Don’t have restaurant experience? That’s okay! While some restaurant positions are definitely not entry-level, there are a ton that are, and because the hiring market is so competitive right now — there are a lot of restaurants willing to train the right person, making it a great time to get your foot in the door. The key to landing your first restaurant job is to focus your resume on transferable skills that are necessary for the job you are applying for.
There are certain characteristics that make someone a great candidate for restaurant work and more easily trainable. Some of these traits include being personable, punctual, team-oriented, organized, attentive, communicative, and having a general sense of speed while maintaining quality (hustle is important). Most job posts list traits like these in their descriptions, so make sure you take note of the ones you see. Then, think about your past experience in light of these transferable skills. Use these skills as a guide to how you describe yourself and your past experience. Don’t just say you have the skills, write a sentence demonstrating how you used “multi-tasking skills” to do something in your previous jobs, internship, or school.
If you are new to the industry, including a cover letter is essential. A cover letter gives you space to connect the dots on how your past experience has prepared you for the role you are applying for. You also get the opportunity to delve a little deeper into how your transferable skills relate to the job and show you have a general understanding of what is required.
