Hostess Resume Example

The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your hostess applications. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Continue reading to find the best hostess resume tips from careers experts at Jobseeker.

What to include in a hostess resume

A successful hostess resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections. A resume for candidates with little or no work experience may focus less on the work experience section, and bring sections to the fore that emphasize their skills, such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, education, projects and skills lists.

Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:

Resume Header with Contact Details

Your hostess resume header should contain your name and contact details. These include your email address and phone number. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also add that, to give employers the chance to learn more about your skills and experience. It's not necessary to include a photo or any other personal information. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.

Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.

Resume Objective

Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in hostess roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for hostess roles.

Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why hostess roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.

A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for hostess roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for hostess jobs below.

Conversely, an ineffective resume summary would include generic, unspecific information on your skills and experience, while failing to provide any useful information on what makes you a unique and interesting candidate. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.

Hard and Soft Skills

Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for hostess jobs. These could be table setting techniques, POS system familiarity or various other relevant skills. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as a hostess.

How to include hard skills on your hostess resume

Hard skills are specific skills related to the job you're applying for. They include particular abilities, technical skills and industry knowledge that relate directly to jobs as a hostess. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in a hostess resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. Aim to include four or five key hard skills. If you have space, explain how and where you've used that skill to create successful outcomes in your career. These skills will demonstrate your credentials and show how you meet the job description.

Your resume hard skills list should reflect your unique and specific industry expertise and experience, while also fulfilling the requirements listed in the job description. See the examples below for an idea of what an effective hostess resume hard skills list looks like.

Soft skills on your hostess resume

Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for a hostess position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.

A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a hostess resume, see below.

Education and Qualifications

The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as a hostess.

Candidates aren't usually required to have a degree for hostess positions, but it's still worth listing your highest or most relevant qualifications. If you have a recognized certification or qualification, such as Customer Service Excellence, be sure to include this. You might also want to include any educational achievements that showcase customer service skills or reservation management systems.

List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.

If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.

Relevant Certifications and Licenses

Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional hostess certifications, licenses or qualifications. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a hostess. Therefore, make sure you list the dates of your certifications and licenses so employers can see they're up-to-date and valid.

Read on to see some relevant example certifications for a host resume:

Work History

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a hostess. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.

Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to hostess roles.

A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.

See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.

Additional Information

There are several additional sections you could add to a host resume, to improve your chances of success. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for hostess jobs.

Hobbies and Interests

Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. Consider listing hobbies and interests to help your resume stand out, or to provide the employer with some insight into your personality and wider interests. They're perfect for candidates who might lack genuine work experience as a hostess. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.

Voluntary Work

Adding voluntary roles can be a useful way of showing relevant experience and skills for hostess roles beyond your main employment history. Write your volunteer section in a similar format to your work experience, including your role, the organization name, relevant dates and the details of your contribution.

References

It's not typical to include references in a hostess resume, but some employers might ask for them. Don't add references unless requested by the employer. Include a maximum of three professional references, being sure to check with your referees before including them in your resume.

Best action words for your hostess resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.

If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.

Example of a hostess resume

Now we've covered the main sections to include in your hostess resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:

Guide to making your resume ATS-friendly

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. When drafting your hostess resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.

Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:

• Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
• Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
• Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
• Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
• Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.

Key takeaways for your hostess resume

The key to a strong resume is to showcase your relevant skills and achievements through your work experience and other activities. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.

Jobseeker has a wealth of resume tools, including resume templates and examples, to help you create a winning job application. Sign up today to get started. Whatever job you're applying for, a professional cover letter can make all the difference to your chances. Use Jobseeker's HR-approved tools and cover letter examples to inspire your applications.

Sources:

(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx

(2) Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications, New York State Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/resumes-cover-letters-and-job-applications