How to Write a Hospitality CV That Actually Gets You Shortlisted
Most hospitality CVs we see list job titles with no detail. Here's what actually catches a recruiter's eye, and the mistakes that get a CV skipped in 10 seconds.
Lead with what you actually did, not just where you worked
"Waiter, Golden Palace Restaurant, 2022 to 2024" tells a recruiter almost nothing. What did you actually do there? How many covers a night? Did you handle a section on your own? Did you train anyone?
Under every role, add 2 to 3 short bullet points with real detail: "Handled a 12-table section during weekend peak service," or "Trained 3 new servers on menu knowledge and POS use." Numbers and specifics are what separate a CV that gets a callback from one that doesn't.
Put your certifications where they can be seen
If you have a Food Safety & Hygiene Certificate from the Ghana Tourism Authority, an NVTI qualification, a HACCP certificate, or first aid training, don't bury it at the bottom in tiny text. Give it its own short section near the top: many hospitality employers will look for this specifically before reading anything else.
Match the job, don't send one generic CV everywhere
If the job is for a Front Office role, your CV should lead with front desk, guest relations, and booking-system experience, not your two months doing kitchen prep. You don't need to lie or leave things out, just reorder what's most relevant to the top.
Common mistakes that get a CV skipped
- No phone number or a number that doesn't work: this alone loses candidates interviews
- An objective statement that could apply to any job ("hardworking and dedicated individual seeking opportunities"); cut it, it says nothing
- One giant paragraph per job instead of short bullet points
- No location: employers filter by location first, especially for shift-based hospitality roles
- A CV longer than 2 pages for someone early in their career
If you don't have much experience yet
That's fine: lead with training, certifications, and any hands-on experience even if unpaid (helping out at a family restaurant, a short internship, NSS placement). Employers hiring for entry-level hospitality roles are often looking more for attitude and reliability than a long CV.
You can also build and keep your profile updated directly on your 1773 candidate dashboard; it doubles as a live CV that employers search when they're hiring for roles like yours.