Waitress CV Example: In-Depth Guide with Tips

Key Sections to Include in CV

Waiting and server jobs are often junior positions. Employers don’t tend to need previous experience or certain qualifications. You may be applying for a waitress position as your first job, or you might be looking for a flexible, casual role to bring in some extra income. As such, your CV for waitress or waiter jobs can reflect this, placing greater emphasis on your skills than your previous experience. Whatever approach you take with your CV, though, there are some sections you’ll need to include. Take a look at the sections for your waitress CV below:

Header

In your header, include your full name in bold or a larger font, followed by your address or location, your email address and your phone number. You might wish to include a photo of yourself, but check the job advert first, as some companies prefer you not to include one. It’s also best to avoid adding any personal demographic information. This includes your age and gender, as these can risk creating unintended bias in the recruitment process.

CV objective or summary

Write two or three sentences outlining your skills, experience and qualities. Mention why you’re applying for the job, and how it fits with your plan for your career. Your CV objective is your chance to grab the attention of the employer and explain why you’re the ideal candidate. Use strong adjectives to describe your qualities, and keep it short and snappy to hook the reader in and make them want to read on.

Here’s an example CV objective you can use for inspiration:

A friendly, professional waitress with experience in various restaurant and hospitality settings. An energetic team player with excellent customer service skills and wide-ranging knowledge of food and wine. Seeking a flexible waiting role with the opportunity to gain more responsibility towards a career in hospitality management.

Work experience

List any relevant work experience in this section. As waiting jobs are generally entry-level positions, you might not have much relevant experience. If this is the case, you can place this section further down your CV, under your skills and education. For each job you list here, include your job title, the company name, its location and the dates you worked there. Add bullet points for each entry, explaining your duties and achievements in the role.

Look at this example of a work experience section for a waitressing job:

Part-time waitress, Olivia’s Bistro, Hemel Hempstead, January 2020 – Present

• Serving customers food and beverages at a busy local Italian restaurant, with up to 100 covers per service
• Providing recommendations on food and wine pairings, explaining ingredients and advising on specials and menu items
• Liaising with kitchen staff on order status and relaying dietary requirements and special requests to chefs
• Managing booking enquiries and customer complaints, contributing to a positive Tripadvisor rating of 4.6 out of 5

Education

While waitress and waiter jobs tend not to have a strict educational requirement, it’s still beneficial to add your qualifications to your CV. Start with your most recent or highest qualification, and work backwards in reverse-chronological order. If you’re a student who hasn’t yet graduated, you could list your course and expected grades. In this section, you may also wish to add certifications relevant to the role, such as food handling, health and safety or first aid. Otherwise, you could add these in a separate section.

Here’s an example education section for a hospitality position:

• BTEC Level 3 Hospitality, MidKent College, 2021
• Food Service Industry Health and Safety Certificate, Level 1, 2021
• 9 GCSEs (grades 9-5), The Victory Academy, Chatham, 2020

Skills

If you’re lacking real-world work experience, you might want to lead with your skills when writing your CV for waitress or waiter jobs. You could split your skills into specific hard skills for the job and softer, transferable skills, or you could present them in a single list. Read the job description to get an idea of the skills and qualities the employer is seeking, and make sure your skills section reflects these.

Here are some skills you might consider including in a CV for a waiting role:

Hard skills:

• Silver service/fine dining serving skills
• Operating computerised point-of-sale and booking systems
• Knowledge of food health and safety regulations
• Customer service skills

Soft skills:

• Teamwork
• Interpersonal skills
• Working under pressure
• Fast learner

Optional sections

There are several optional sections you can add to your CV to increase your chances of being selected for interview. These sections can help add weight and relevance to your CV, especially if you’re light on work experience. Consider adding certifications, training, languages, hobbies and interests or volunteer work. Only add information that’s relevant to the job, or matches requirements listed in the job description.

Tips for Writing the Role-Specific CV

Follow these CV writing tips for a waitress CV that makes an impact with hiring managers:

1. Pick a suitable CV format: The best CV format for your application depends on your experience. If you have relevant work experience, choose a traditional CV format with your work experience underneath your CV objective. Start with your most recent employment and work backwards in a reverse-chronological order. If you don’t have much work experience, you could use a skills-based format. This places your skills and education above your work history. 
2. Tailor your CV: Read the job description and tailor your CV for every application. Look out for particular skills, qualities and keywords in the job description and make sure the content of your CV reflects these. This can give you a greater chance of making it through to the interview stage.
3. Quantify your achievements: When listing your work responsibilities, quantify your achievements by adding figures and supporting evidence. For waiter or waitress roles, this could mean mentioning the number of customers you served, awards or customer ratings for the restaurant, or your work-related performance indicators.
4. Write a compelling cover letter: Your cover letter is just as important as your CV. It gives you the chance to expand on your skills and experience, and explain in more detail why you want the job. Take a look at this server cover letter example for inspiration.
5. Use a professional CV design: The layout and design of your CV can help it stand out in a competitive field of applicants. It can also help it to pass through automated applicant tracking systems. Choose subtle and professional design elements such as colour accents, columns and clear, readable fonts to boost your CV and grab the attention of the reader. Jobseeker has a wealth of beautiful CV templates to help you make the most of your document. You can also select from a range of cover letter templates to create consistent styling throughout your application.

Key Takeaways for a Perfect Waitress CV

A CV for waiter or waitress jobs is all about showing you have the right skills and qualities for the job. Make sure your skills reflect the job description and if you have any work experience, list any responsibilities that match the job requirements. The presentation of your CV is a crucial factor in your chances of success, so don’t neglect this step. Jobseeker provides a range of beautiful CV examples and designs, making it easy to create a CV that really hits the mark. Sign up today to get started, and take the first steps to winning your ideal waitress job.