Creating an effective hostess resume is like setting a dining table—each detail contributes to the overall appeal. As hospitality increasingly embraces technology, like online reservation systems, the essential role of a hostess in bridging the gap between restaurants and customers can be overlooked. You know a hostess does much more than answering phone calls and seating clients, and our guide gives tips on effectively expressing this on your resume.
We also address the challenges posed by the typically entry-level and seasonal nature of hostess jobs, which often lead to high turnover. Crafting your applicaition is not just about listing your past roles—it's about presenting a complete and enticing picture of your professional capabilities and how they meet the needs of modern eateries. Use our guide as your ticket to success!
Key takeaways
- Opt for the hybrid resume format to balance between your hospitality experience and relevant skills.
- Customize your experience section to match the hostess job description, detailing the establishments you've worked at, the specific food and ambiance there, and your tasks and challenges.
- Hostess positions are often entry-level friendly—emphasize your capabilities and any extra experience you might have, like volunteer roles or special projects, for example, organizing a charity bake sale at a local community center.
- List technical skills in a dedicated section and demonstrate interpersonal skills through specific examples in your resume.
- Include sections for personal projects or hobbies to show aspects of your personality that would be beneficial in a hospitality setting.
Let's dive into a specific hostess resume example.
Hostess resume sample
Emily’s resume sample can be a starting point for building yours. Or you can use our online builder—it’s got an ATS checker and an AI assistant that help you create a stellar application within minutes.
Emily Harris
hostess / Hospitality Professional
emily.harris@email.com | LinkedIn Profile | San Diego, CA
Summary
Enthusiastic and dedicated hospitality professional with extensive experience in managing front-of-house operations in fast-paced restaurant environments. Adept at enhancing guest interactions and ensuring a seamless dining experience through effective coordination and a commitment to excellent service.
Experience
Host
Olive Garden, San Diego, CA
January 2023 – Present
- Efficiently managed greeting and seating logistics, handling reservations for up to 150 guests nightly using OpenTable, demonstrating strong multitasking abilities.
- Facilitated smooth communication between servers, bartenders, and kitchen staff, enhancing team coordination and operational efficiency.
Wait Assistant
Cheesecake Factory, San Diego, CA
June 2021 - December 2022
- Improved seating efficiency by 20% through proactive management of waitlists and guest inquiries, showcasing adept conflict resolution skills.
- Maintained high standards of dining area readiness and cleanliness, contributing to an improved guest experience and supporting team efforts.
Education
Associate of Science in Hospitality Management
San Diego City College
Graduated: 2022
- Graduated with Honors, GPA: 3.8
- Relevant Coursework: Customer Service Management, Food and Beverage Operations
Certifications
- Certified Guest Service Professional (CGSP®), American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute
Skills
- Advanced Reservation Systems (OpenTable, Resy)
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
- Point of Sale (POS) Systems
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Data Entry and Management
Languages
- English (Native)
- Spanish (Conversational)
How to format a host resume
You know the saying, "you only get one chance to make a first impression"? Well, that's super important for a hostess and totally applies to your resume too. So, use your ability to impress within seconds and apply it to make your resume stand out.
Top sections on a resume
Include these resume sections in your document:
- Contact information
- Summary/Objective statement
- Work experience
- Skills and qualifications
- Education and training
- Additional section such as community projects or languages
We’ll review each of them below.
Resume format
For a hostess position, use the hybrid resume format to highlight both your experience and skills effectively. This versatile resume structure will show your ability to manage different hospitality scenarios, from a bustling dinner service to a private banquet event.
Resume designs
- Short and simple is best, so stick to a one-page resume to display your most prominent achievments so far.
- An elegant two-column format is industry-approved and easy for readers to navigate and engage with your content.
- Maintain clean margins between 0.5” and 1” on each side to ensure your layout is as tidy as your event setup.
- A hint of color conveys your sophistication. Complement it with a clear, inviting font like Lato, Bitter, or Rubik to keep your presentation as refined as your hosting style.
- Insert resume lines between sections to make your resume easily scannable.
Contact information
- Your resume header is the maitre d' of your professional presentation, guiding recruiters like hungry customers to your contact details with ease. Ensure your contact info, such as name, job title, email, and phone number are neatly displayed.
- Photos can cause bias, so generally omit them on your resume. Still, given this is a customer-facing position, a photo might actually be required, so check with the specific job posting requirements.
PRO TIP
You might wonder if ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) will be able to read your resume design. We've done some research and established that fonts, colors, column structure, and the length of your resume do not influence ATS performance.
That’s why, align your resume with the wording of the job description and pay attention to formatting aspects like date formats and bullet points, as these can impact ATS readability.
File formatting
- Use a clear title for your document, for example, Emily_Harris_hostess_Resume.pdf
- Keep all your resume layout in place with a PDF.
Test your existing resume against our AI-powered resume checker!
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Moving from formats, let’s discuss how to effectively detail your professional experience.
How to write your hostess resume experience
When crafting the experience section of a hostess resume, it's important to highlight the breadth of the role. Show potential employers you know you’re the face of their restaurant, and your responsibilities don't end with the seating of the guests. If a hostess sees something wrong at any point of the customer experience, they need to address it and solve any potential problems.
Here are some tips that work with great success:
- Describe the ambiance and style of the restaurants you've worked at, whether you worked as a fine dining hostess or at more casual, family-friendly venues serving comfort food.
- Detail your role in organizing theme nights and holiday events, specifying your tasks in setup, coordination, and guest management.
- Mention your experience with reservation systems to point out your ability to manage guest data and dining flow.
Let’s review a real hostess job description:
Host/hostess
Position overview
Whether you’re looking for a change or starting a career from scratch, North is the perfect place for you. From our Prosciutto pizza to the house specialty Bolognese, we take great pride in serving exceptional handmade Italian dishes. We’re also committed to supporting our employees with advancement opportunities, perks, and a positive environment. North is more than an Italian restaurant—it’s a family of servers, hosts, managers, and chefs dedicated to crafting the perfect Italian meal for our guests. If that sounds like you, there’s a place for you here.
Responsibilities
- Greet guests and warmly welcome to the restaurant upon arrival
- Make all of our guests feel comfortable and let them know you are there to personally take care of them
- Know regular guests by name; know their preferences and needs
- When on a wait, record guest’s name and number of people in party, provide guests with estimated waiting time, and seat them as soon as a table becomes available
- Seat guests based on their preferences while also balancing customer flow
- Present guests with a menu when they are seated; ensure the table looks clean, tidy, and up to our standards
- Thank guests as they leave and invite them to return soon
Qualifications
You need to be a people person who loves creating a welcoming atmosphere and giving great service. You should have experience working with customers or restaurant guests. Excellent English speaking and writing skills are important and you should be comfortable working with computers. In our busy environment, it is important that you are able to stand for periods of time and, if needed, can lift up to 25 pounds.
Create a targeted resume
Any job you got your mind set on is best approached with the powerful strategy of tailoring your resume to the specific job posting. Do that by:
- Using specific keywords from the job description throughout your resume.
- Starting sentences with action verbs to keep readers engaged.
This will help recruiters see how good of a fit you are for the position they’re offering.
We’ve tailored the experience entry below to the job posting we just reviewed:
01/2019 - 12/2023 
- •Welcomed and seated an average of 80 guests per shift, ensuring a personalized greeting and efficient seating during peak hours.
- •Managed guest reservations and waiting lists using digital systems, reducing wait times by approximately 20% through effective queue management.
- •Recognized for memorably interacting with regular visitors, remembering personal preferences and details, which enhanced guest satisfaction and repeat business.
- •Coordinated with kitchen and management to optimize service flow and guest experience, adapting seating arrangements based on guest needs and restaurant capacity.
- •Handled menu presentations and made recommendations based on guest preferences, contributing to a 25% increase in sales of featured items.
- •Provided exemplary guest service that led to a 15% increase in positive online reviews and repeat customer visits.
Here’s why it’s effective:
- Highlights welcoming and seating a large number of guests, directly aligning with the job requirement to greet and make guests feel comfortable upon arrival.
- Emphasizes recognizing and remembering regular guests by name and preferences, meeting the criteria for personalizing guest experiences.
- Details about reducing wait times and optimizing seating arrangements cater to the job's need for managing guest flow and seating preferences effectively.
Another great strategy to present your impact is to quantify your accomplishments.
How to quantify your experience on resume
Because hostesses are often praised for their exceptional people skills, they might forget how important it is to quantify their achievements. It's important to illustrate these achievements with concrete examples, such as customer satisfaction scores or the number of return guests attributed to hostess interactions. Take a look at these ideas:
- Mention the number of customers you’ve managed during peak hours, clarifying your ability to work under high pressure.
- Indicate the percentage by which customer satisfaction or tipping improved due to your service, showing your efficiency and effectiveness.
- If you've helped reduce wait time, share this metric, showing your organizational and management skills.
- Discuss the number of customer complaints you've resolved, demonstrating your problem-solving skills and commitment to providing a good customer experience.
- If you've trained other hostesses, note how many, indicating leadership skills and your ability to share knowledge with others.
For those new to the workforce, we’ll discuss how to leverage any form of experience.
How do I write a hostess resume with no experience
You can still make the most of your resume if you’re a newbie. Your starting point should be the functional format as it emphasizes skills over experience.
In it, underline your strengths, such as transferable skills, volunteer experience, or relevant projects that can shine a light on your ability to communicate and be organized.
Remember, lack of experience means you’re more flexible and will be able to quickly learn the methods of the specific restaurant job you’re applying for.
Here’s the step-by-step guide to nailing that entry-level resume:
- Put your education, such as a high school diploma or a higher degree, at the top of your resume, below the header.
- Mention skills that could be relevant to any position, such as teamwork and creative thinking. Explain how you’ve developed them, for instance, by participating in community or academic projects.
- Organized a fundraiser at your high school, or hosted a school concert? Put this on your resume to ensure recruiters you’re comfortable with being the face of an event.
- Use additional sections, like language skills, personal projects, and certifications, to show you’re proactive.
PRO TIP
Study the menu of the restaurant you’re applying to. It’ll sit well with potential employers by targeting the specific workplace.
Finally, impress recruiters with a well-written resume objective. It’s perfect for entry-level candidates as it emphasizes your eagerness and intent to grow in the field. Keep it up to 3 sentences, and avoid using the I-narrative to sound professional. Like this:
It points out the candidate’s interpersonal skills and enthusiasm for hospitality. The commitment to teamwork and personal growth signal a proactive attitude that can contribute significantly to customer satisfaction and workplace harmony.
Understanding both hard and soft skills is essential—let's pinpoint how to show them on your resume.
Hostess skills on your resume
In hostess roles, your ability to charm guests and handle surprises shines—even if you’re new to the game. Underline your knack for managing reservation systems like OpenTable and using POS systems effectively in your resume’s skills section.
PRO TIP
Always keep it real about your skill level. Honesty enhances your credibility.
With these hard skills up front, you’ll show potential employers you’re ready to deliver top-notch service from day one:
Best hard skills for your hostess resume
- Cash handling
- Reservation management software
- Multi-line phone operation
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software
- Point of Sale (POS) systems
- Professional serving protocol
- Food safety regulations
- Event planning
- Menu knowledge
- Basic accounting
- Inventory management
- MS Office Suite
- Knowledge of health and safety regulations
- Basic first aid
- Knowledge of wine pairing
- Restaurant equipment operation
- Time management tools
- Basic math skills for bill calculations
Sprinkle your resume with stories of your soft skills in action—like resolving guest conflicts with grace or syncing perfectly with your team during the busiest shifts. Include these in your experience and summary sections. Make sure you emphasize your ability to maintain good relations with staff, as well as with clients. Try incorporating some of these people skills:
Best soft skills for your hostess resume
- Excellent communication
- Customer service orientation
- Multitasking
- Teamwork
- Patience
- Friendly demeanor
- Cultural sensitivity
- Conflict resolution skills
- Flexibility
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Ability to work under pressure
- Professionalism
- Empathy
- Strong organizational skills
- Listening skills
- Quick decision-making
- Positive attitude
- Initiative
- Diplomacy
Next, we’ll bridge these skills with your education and certifications to strengthen your qualifications.
How to list your certifications and education on your resume
A degree in hospitality management, communication, tourism, or event planning could be highly appreciated and useful in your host job. Even if your degree is in a different field entirely, listing it on your resume shows recruiters you’re someone who’s dedicated time and effort to a difficult task. When you create your education section, mention:
- Your degree and major. You can list a minor, too, if it’s relevant to the job.
- Where you studied—this enhances your degree’s credibility, especially if it’s a high-rated institution.
- Your graduation year. An incomplete degree can also be listed, adding your expected graduation date.
- A bullet or two on relevant courses or academic achievements.
This example entry targets the job posting above:
08/2021 - 05/2023 - •Focused on customer service and restaurant management skills.
- •Completed courses in Food Service Operations and Event Management.
- •Participated in a collaborative project to design a pop-up restaurant, which entailed menu planning, marketing, and customer service training.
- •Engaged in hands-on learning experiences including internships at local restaurants to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings.
This example is effective as it features a strong GPA in Hospitality Management and relevant projects like a pop-up restaurant design, aligning with industry standards. It also emphasizes practical internship experiences, showcasing real-world application of academic knowledge.
Don’t put your resume on the backburner by not listing relevant certifications. Here are the ones that make you most successful:
Best certifications for your hostess resume
After aligning your skills and education, let's concentrate on crafting a compelling resume summary.
How to write your hostess resume summary
Grab the hiring manager's attention by concisely listing your relevant experience in a resume summary of 3-4 sentences. Use an active voice to describe your skills, particularly those in customer service and hospitality, and highlight how you can enhance the dining experience at the restaurant you're applying to.
Here’s a resume summary targeting the job posting above:
It works because it emphasizes the applicant's commitment to customer service and their ability to thrive in a fast-paced restaurant environment, making them a strong candidate for the role.
We'll now explore additional sections that can provide further insight into your capabilities.
Additional sections for a hostess resume
Specialized sections in a hostess resume serve like unique flavors to a dish, enhancing its appeal by spotlighting skills valuable in the hospitality industry. Here are our suggestions:
By the way, why not include a custom Recommended pairings section for best food and wine combinations? Use Enhancv’s custom sections, like so:
In conclusion
The article serves as a guide to crafting your host or hostess resume, providing seasoning tips on formatting and plating your education, experience, and skills sections. We hope we’ve left you with an appetite for creating a well-done resume that stands out in the hospitality industry!
Hostess resume examples
Explore additional hostess resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
By Role
Bottle Service Waitress
As a Bottle Service Waitress, you're more than just a drinks server- you enhance the patrons' experience, often in posh settings. When crafting your resume, emphasize your knowledge of assorted beverages, including wines, champagnes, spirits, and signature cocktails. Highlight your strong traits such as reliability, multitasking ability, and exceptional customer service skills.
Rather than just noting your past roles and experiences, showcase how these helped your previous employers succeed. You can do this by stating how your service increased sales or brought regular customers. Finally, use the impact-result method to describe past experiences, like enhancing guest experiences leading to an increase in repeat VIP clients or up-selling premium bottles to boost sales.
Head Waitress
If you're applying for a Head Waitress role, highlight your ability to oversee and manage a team of waitstaff, ensuring smooth shift operations and a good working atmosphere. Don't leave out relevant education in areas like culinary services or restaurant management such as food safety certificates or culinary arts diplomas which bolsters your application. Show your knack for customer service as this is crucial in any restaurant setting. Rather than listing skills, focus on how they improved service or productivity, such as decreasing staff scheduling issues by 20% or boosting customer satisfaction by timely service. Frame your experiences in a way that shows your potential value to the restaurant by the positive outcomes they produced.
