A hospitality CV is a short document, usually one to two pages, that summarises your contact details, work history, skills and qualifications for jobs in restaurants, bars, hotels, catering, events and airport food and drink outlets. It should be tailored to each role and focus on guest service, teamwork, speed and hygiene.
Unlike a general CV, it puts practical evidence first: the type of venue, covers served, tills or systems used and food safety training.
What hospitality employers look for
Before you write anything, read the job advert twice. Most hospitality adverts ask for some mix of the following, and your CV should show evidence of each one the employer mentions.
| What employers ask for | How to show it on your CV |
|---|---|
| Customer service | Venue type, number of covers or guests, positive feedback, repeat customers |
| Working under pressure | Busy periods handled, e.g. “Friday and Saturday services of 150+ covers” |
| Teamwork | Covering sections, training new starters, working with kitchen and bar |
| Reliability | Shift patterns worked, early starts, weekend availability |
| Food safety and hygiene | Food hygiene certificate level and year, allergen awareness |
| Cash and till handling | POS systems used, cashing up, card payments |
| Product knowledge | Wine, coffee, cocktails, menus, upselling |
Specific numbers and named tasks beat general claims like “hard-working team player”.
How to write a hospitality CV: step by step
1. Contact details
Put your name, mobile number, email address and town or city at the top. A LinkedIn link is optional.
The National Careers Service advises that you should not include your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality. A photo is not expected for UK applications.
If you are applying through an agency or for airport roles, you can add a short line such as “Available for early, late and weekend shifts” under your contact details.
2. Personal statement (profile)
Your personal statement is three or four lines under your contact details that say who you are, what you offer and what role you want. Write it fresh for each application, using words from the job advert.
Example — waiter or waitress: “Friendly and reliable waiter with two years’ experience in busy casual dining, serving up to 120 covers a shift. Confident with card machines, allergen questions and upselling desserts and drinks. Looking for a full-time front-of-house role with weekend availability.”
Example — chef: “Commis chef with 18 months’ experience on the wok and grill sections of a high-volume Asian kitchen. Level 2 food hygiene certified, fast, clean and organised during peak service. Seeking a chef de partie role in London.”
Example — no experience: “Motivated and well-organised student with customer-facing volunteering experience at community events. Comfortable talking to the public, quick to learn and available evenings and weekends. Looking for a first role in hospitality as a team member or runner.”
3. Work experience
List your jobs in reverse order, most recent first. For each one include:
- job title, employer and location
- start and end dates (month and year)
- two to four bullet points about what you did and achieved
The National Careers Service suggests using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to describe what you did.
Weak: “Served customers and cleaned tables.”
Strong: “Served a section of 8 tables during 150-cover weekend services, handled allergen queries with the kitchen and helped raise average spend by recommending wine pairings.”
Temporary and agency work: group short contracts under one heading so your CV stays readable, for example: “Event and Banqueting Staff (temporary assignments via agency), Jan 2025 – Present. Weddings, conferences and corporate events of 50–400 guests at hotels in West London.”
4. Skills
Add a short skills section with six to ten items, split into practical and people skills. Only include skills you can talk about at interview.
Practical skills examples:
- Table service, silver service or plate carrying (state how many plates)
- Barista coffee, cocktails or cask ale
- Wine service and basic wine knowledge
- POS systems and cashing up
- Food preparation, knife skills, wok or grill section
- Stock rotation and deliveries
- Age verification (e.g. Challenge 25)
People skills examples:
- Handling complaints calmly
- Communicating with the kitchen during busy service
- Training new team members
- Additional languages (state your level)
5. Qualifications and training
List anything relevant, with the year:
- food hygiene or food safety certificate (state the level)
- allergen awareness training
- first aid
- barista, wine or cocktail courses
- school, college or university qualifications
Is a food hygiene certificate a legal requirement? No. UK food law requires businesses to make sure food handlers are supervised and trained in food hygiene appropriate to their work, but a certificate itself is not a legal requirement. Many employers still prefer one, so it is worth listing if you have it.
6. References
You do not need to list referees’ contact details on your CV. The National Careers Service suggests writing “References available on request” and only naming someone once they have agreed to be your referee.
Hospitality CV layout tips
Keep the layout simple so both people and screening software can read it.
- Keep it to one page if you have less than three years’ experience, and no more than two pages otherwise.
- Use a clear font such as Arial or Calibri at size 11 or above, as the National Careers Service recommends.
- Use standard headings: Profile, Experience, Skills, Qualifications.
- Avoid tables, columns, graphics and text boxes; some applicant tracking systems struggle to read them.
- Save and send it as a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, and name the file clearly, e.g. “Priya-Shah-CV-Waiter.pdf”.
- Proofread, then ask someone else to read it.
How to write a hospitality CV with no experience
Everyone starts somewhere, and many hospitality employers hire entry-level team members, runners and kitchen porters with no previous hospitality job. Focus on transferable skills instead.
- Retail or customer service: dealing with the public, handling cash, working weekends.
- Volunteering: charity events, community kitchens, school or club events.
- Sport or clubs: teamwork, reliability, early starts, leadership if you were captain.
- Study or caring responsibilities: time management and staying calm under pressure.
Use a skills-first layout: personal statement, key skills with examples, then any experience and education. Adding a food hygiene course or a short barista course can also show commitment.
Tailoring your CV for different hospitality roles
| Role | Put these first |
|---|---|
| Waiter / waitress | Covers served, section size, upselling, allergen knowledge, card payments |
| Wine waiter / sommelier assistant | Wine knowledge or courses, wine service, food pairing, venue type |
| Bartender | Cocktails, speed during peak times, cashing up, age verification |
| Chef / commis chef | Sections worked (wok, grill, pastry), cuisine, volume, food hygiene level |
| Kitchen porter | Reliability, cleaning standards, safe use of chemicals, teamwork |
| Hotel or events staff | Event sizes, banqueting, set-up and break-down, early and late shifts |
| Airport food and drink | Early-morning availability, pace, queue management, clear employment history |
Extra tips for airport hospitality jobs
Airport bars, restaurants and lounges at sites such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted usually need staff to hold an airside ID pass. Getting one involves background checks on your recent employment and education history, so a CV with clear dates and explained gaps can help your application move faster. Be honest about any gaps and give a brief reason, such as study, travel or caring.
Common hospitality CV mistakes
- Sending the same CV to every job without tailoring it.
- Long paragraphs instead of short bullet points.
- Vague phrases like “hard-working” with no evidence.
- Missing dates or unexplained gaps.
- An unprofessional email address.
- Spelling mistakes in menu or drink terms.
- Listing skills you cannot talk about at interview.
Your right to work and your CV
UK employers must check that you have the right to work in the UK before you start a job. They do this by checking original documents, by using your online share code, or through a certified digital identity provider.
You do not need to put your nationality on your CV. Be ready to provide documents or a share code when an employer or agency asks.
Key takeaways
- A hospitality CV should be one to two pages, tailored to each role and easy to scan.
- Lead with a three-to-four-line personal statement using words from the job advert.
- Use numbers: covers, event sizes, sections, shifts.
- Group short temporary assignments to keep your CV clear.
- Leave out your age, date of birth, marital status, nationality and photo.
- With no experience, lead with transferable skills from retail, volunteering, sport or study.
Ready to put your CV to work?
At E-Global, we recruit for temporary and permanent hospitality roles, including wine waiters at airport locations and chefs in London. Once your CV is ready, register with E-Global so our team can match you with suitable roles, or browse the latest vacancies on our job board.
Before your first shift, read our guides to mastering the interview and your rights to tips and service charges.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a hospitality CV be?
A hospitality CV should usually be one page if you have less than three years’ experience and no more than two pages if you have more. Hiring managers often read CVs quickly, so short bullet points, clear headings and the most relevant roles at the top work best.
What should I put in a hospitality personal statement?
Write three or four lines saying who you are, your relevant experience or skills, and the role you want. Use words from the job advert, include a number where you can, such as covers served, and mention your availability if the role needs weekend or early shifts.
Can I write a hospitality CV with no experience?
Yes. Lead with transferable skills from retail, volunteering, sport, study or caring. Use a skills-first layout, give a short example for each skill and add any training such as a food hygiene course. Many employers hire runners, team members and kitchen porters without previous hospitality experience.
Do I need a food hygiene certificate to work in hospitality?
No, a certificate is not a legal requirement in the UK. The law requires food businesses to make sure food handlers are supervised and trained in food hygiene appropriate to their work. Many employers prefer candidates with a certificate, so list it with the level and year if you have one.
Should I put a photo on my hospitality CV?
No. A photo is not expected on UK CVs, and the National Careers Service advises leaving out personal details such as age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. Employers should judge your application on your skills and experience.
How do I list temporary or agency hospitality work on my CV?
Group short assignments under one heading, such as “Event Staff (temporary assignments)”, with the overall dates, then list the types of venues, event sizes and tasks in bullet points. This shows your range of experience without a long list of very short jobs.
What skills should I put on a hospitality CV?
Include practical skills such as table or bar service, POS systems, food preparation, wine or coffee knowledge and age verification, plus people skills like handling complaints and teamwork. Match them to the job advert and only list skills you can explain with an example at interview.
