Hospitality CV: key skills to include

If you’re looking for work in the hospitality sector, then you need to know that hospitality hiring managers across the UK review dozens of CVs for each role, so you need to stand out from the first glance. Employers look for specific skills that show you deliver excellent service, stay composed under pressure, and adapt to fast-paced environments. This guide explains the key skills UK hiring managers prioritise, how to present them with evidence, and practical ways to tailor your CV authentically without generic buzzwords.

Understanding what hospitality employers are really looking for

Hospitality CVs are often screened twice: first by ATS software that checks for keywords from the job post, then by a hiring manager who wants proof you can do the job. Speak to both. Use the employer’s language and back it up with short, specific examples.

What comes out on top? Practical experience plus transferable skills. If you’ve worked directly with guests, show the impact you had. If you’re coming from another sector, translate your skills into the day-to-day of hospitality — serving, handling queries, managing busy periods, or following hygiene standards.

Roles vary widely, so your focus should match the post:

• Front of house: service, communication, multi-tasking
• Back of house: food safety, teamwork, time management
• Events and hotels: organisation, systems, coordination
• Management: leadership, planning, operations

Hiring managers also care about authenticity. They prefer short, clear evidence over big claims. If you can, show outcomes — guest comments, manager praise, faster service times, cleaner audits, or training you’ve delivered. This aligns with the wider shift towards skills-based hiring, where what you can do matters as much as what you’ve done. 

Core soft skills that belong on every hospitality CV

Customer service excellence

Service sits at the heart of every hospitality job, from bar to housekeeping. Show how you greeted guests, handled complaints without fuss, and followed up to make sure people left happy. Where you have them, add results such as improved feedback, repeat bookings, or positive reviews. Short, impact-led lines work well, for example:

• Resolved a booking mix-up quickly and offered a fair alternative, leading to a positive review
• Took ownership of guest issues and followed through until resolved

Communication and interpersonal skills

Clear, friendly communication keeps teams aligned and guests confident. Highlight:

• Active listening to understand requests first time
• Speaking clearly and adapting your tone to suit guests, colleagues, and suppliers
• Language skills, especially helpful in hotels and busy restaurants

Examples:

• Liaised between front of house and kitchen to keep service smooth during peak hours
• Explained daily specials and dietary options clearly, helping guests choose with confidence

Teamwork and collaboration

Hospitality is a team game. Show how you support others, share knowledge, and stay positive when it’s busy.

• Helped onboard new colleagues and shared best practice
• Stepped in to support other stations during busy periods to keep service moving

Adaptability and flexibility

Shifts change, bookings spike, deliveries run late — staying calm and useful is a standout skill.

• Covered different roles across bar, floor, or reception when needed
• Picked up new safety protocols quickly and lived them at pace

Attention to detail

The little things matter: spotless rooms, accurate orders, correct bills, allergy awareness, and tidy stations.

• Kept cash handling accurate and paperwork in order
• Followed hygiene steps precisely to keep standards high

Essential hard skills for hospitality roles

Technical and operational skills

Name the tools you’ve used and any training you’ve completed. Tailor this to the job.

• Point-of-sale and booking systems (for example, Micros POS, Opera PMS, ResDiary)
• Food preparation and kitchen equipment
• Stock control, cellar management, and cashing up
• Safety training (for example, Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene, First Aid, Health and Safety)

Time management and multitasking

Demonstrate how you manage competing tasks without letting standards slip.

• Balanced taking orders, running food, and processing payments during busy service
• Managed check-ins whilst answering guest queries and phone bookings

Problem-solving and decision-making

Things go wrong. Show how you fix them quickly and fairly.

• Resolved a double booking by communicating options clearly and coordinating with a manager, leading to positive guest feedback
• Found substitutions when items ran out and informed guests promptly

How to structure and present skills on your hospitality CV

A tidy, focused structure makes your skills easy to see at a glance.

• Personal statement: three lines that summarise your experience, strongest skills, and the value you’ll add — tuned to the job.
• Work experience: list roles in reverse order. Use short bullet points focused on results and responsibilities that match the job post.
• Skills section: include both soft and hard skills. Use the exact words from the job description so applicant tracking software can find them.
• Evidence: add outcomes where you can — guest feedback, faster service, higher standards, training delivered, or process improvements.
• Presentation: stick to two pages, keep fonts consistent, and avoid graphics that can confuse screening software.
• Tailoring: adjust for every application. Generic CVs are easy to spot and easy to reject.

For extra, role-specific tips — especially if you work shifts or mix part-time roles — read this guide on how to write a standout hospitality CV as a temp worker, from Indeed Flex.

Common mistakes to avoid when writing your hospitality CV

• Empty buzzwords: ‘hardworking’ and ‘team player’ mean little without examples. Swap them for short, evidence-led lines.
• Irrelevant or outdated jobs: keep the focus on roles and tasks that transfer to hospitality.
• Exaggeration: claims are easy to check. In customer-facing work, trust matters.
• Typos: spelling and grammar errors distract and suggest poor attention to detail. Proofread, then ask someone else to check.
• Overcomplicated formatting: bright colours, unusual fonts, or dense blocks of text make your CV harder to scan and may confuse screening software.
• Negative explanations: avoid detailing why you left a role. Keep it forward-looking — what you learned and what you want next.

Tailoring your CV for different hospitality roles

Match your highlights to the role so the hiring manager sees a fit in seconds.

• Front of house (waitstaff, receptionists, bar): prioritise customer service, communication, upselling, order accuracy, cash handling, and multi-tasking.
• Kitchen (chefs, kitchen assistants): lead with food safety certifications, prep and station skills, cleanliness, teamwork, and calm under pressure.
• Management: showcase leadership, rota planning, cost control, staff development, health and safety oversight, and service recovery.
• Events and banqueting: focus on planning, logistics, supplier coordination, client communication, floor plans, and timing.

Study the job description and mirror the terms they use for systems, service style, or cuisine. If they mention a specific booking or POS system, call it out in your skills or experience section.

How to demonstrate skills if you’re new to hospitality

Plenty of people break into hospitality without direct experience. The key is to show what you can already do.

• Transferable skills: retail service, cash handling, sports teamwork, student society events, or volunteering all count. Translate them into hospitality terms.
• Skills-first format: if your experience is mixed, use a skills-based CV that groups evidence under headings like ‘Customer service’,’Teamwork’, and ‘Time management’.
• Personal statement: show genuine interest — why you like serving people, what you’re keen to learn, and the settings you prefer.
• Short courses: add quick wins like food hygiene certificates to show commitment.
• Temporary or flexible work: short-term shifts help you gain experience fast, test different roles, and collect references. Platforms like Indeed Flex connect people to a range of hospitality shifts across hotels, bars, venues, and restaurants — ideal for building skills and confidence quickly.

Final tips for creating an interview-winning hospitality CV

• Keep it current: add new achievements and certificates as you earn them.
• Get a second pair of eyes: ask a colleague or manager for straightforward feedback.
• Check your details: use a clear email, current phone number, and clean formatting.
• Pair it with a short cover letter: explain why this role, why this employer, and how your skills fit.
• Treat your CV as a living document: adjust it for each application and let your best, most relevant experience take centre stage.

Make your CV your strongest asset

A well-crafted hospitality CV highlights a blend of relevant soft and hard skills, backed by clear examples and measurable achievements tailored to each position. Employers consistently seek authenticity, concise evidence, and alignment with the role over broad statements or generic buzzwords. By focusing on what you can offer and presenting your experience with clarity, you give yourself the best chance to secure interviews and progress in the hospitality sector.

Find your next hospitality opportunity with Indeed Flex

Unlock a wide range of flexible hospitality shifts and fast-track your experience by joining Indeed Flex, where you can connect directly with top UK employers and build your CV with real, hands-on roles. Start your journey today by downloading the Indeed Flex app.