Writing a Hotel Receptionist CV is much more manageable when you know what it is you want to write:
1. First, start with a strong personal statement that outlines why you want to work in this profession.
2. Follow with your work experience, listing previous roles in reverse chronological order.
3. Next, you will need to separate your education, qualifications, skills and work experience so that your CV is easy to read and important information can be found quickly.
4. You can also boost your CV with hobbies, interests, and references.
Our writing tips will give you some insight into the best way to structure your CV.
How to Write a Personal Statement for a Hotel Receptionist
When writing your personal statement, focus on talking about your experience and skills. Keep your statement to a maximum of 150 words to keep an employer engaged, as too much text can be overwhelming, and the important points you’re trying to make might get lost.
Make sure you only mention skills and qualifications relevant to the job you’re applying for, and omit any unnecessary information.
Hotel Receptionist Personal Statement Example
“I recently stepped away from my job as a Bartender to pursue new avenues of hospitality. During my three years as a Bartender, I learned the value of speaking with different types of customers, and how to address them appropriately so that all conversations remained civil and relaxed. I was also asked to work front-of-house, admitting customers with reservations and taking bookings via phone and email.
I enjoyed my job, but I am ready to take on a new role where I can engage more with customers, as this is what I enjoyed most about my job. I believe your company is the best place for me to develop my skills, and the experience I have will suit the job you’re offering.”
Ideal Work Experience for a Hotel Receptionist CV
It’s best to talk about your most relevant work experience by listing your employment and what skills you gained through each job. When in doubt about how much work experience to include it’s best to mention 5-6 relevant jobs or your past 10 years of experience.
Which Jobs to Include
Hospitality jobs are ideal work experience for a Hotel Receptionist CV, as they often have the transferable skills an employer is looking for. Hospitality can include Waiter/Waitressing, Bartending, or experience as a Travel Agent. Security and entertainment staff will also have some skills similar to a Hotel Receptionist, especially if it requires speaking with customers or clients.
Hotel Receptionist CV Work Experience Example
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Front-of-house at [company name] from [start date] to [end date]
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Being front-of-house staff helped me to develop my communication skills with customers. I would always greet people with a smile and address them politely.
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I am capable of taking phone bookings and multitask by speaking with customers while writing down details for reservations which I could then add to a digital calendar.
Key Skills & Qualifications for a Hotel Receptionist CV
An employer might ask for certain skills and qualifications from a candidate, and if your abilities match what they’re looking for, then writing about them will give you a boost over other candidates who are less qualified.
Important Skills for a Hotel Receptionist
A Hotel Receptionist should have strong communication skills for speaking to clients both in person and on the phone. They will also need to be able to multitask and be familiar with basic administration work.
Other important skills can include stress management to be able to remain calm under pressure, and professionalism to be friendly and approachable.
Qualifications Needed to Be a Hotel Receptionist
Employers prefer candidates with at least GCSE level qualifications in Maths and English. Some may look for relevant qualifications such as BTEC Level 2 or 3 in Hospitality, but these will be mentioned in the job description.
Qualifications in travel or tourism can also be beneficial when trying to become a Hotel Receptionist, as well as the ability to speak additional languages.
Additional Content to Boost Your Hotel Receptionist CV
You might want to talk about any hobbies and interests you have that helped you develop some soft skills. This is also a good time to mention any volunteer work you’ve done. If you want to add references, these can also be added to the end of your CV.
Hobbies & Interests
A good way to help an employer get to know you is by talking about your interests. Tie them into your skills to show that you recognise how your interests have benefited you. This can include helping at charity events or volunteering where you have had to interact with numerous people, or even drama clubs where it’s important to be aware of your expressions and interactions with others.
References
If you are including references in your CV, make sure they are people who worked closely with you. This could be a manager, line manager, or senior staff who have watched your skills develop. Make sure you have their permission to use them as a reference before writing them into your CV.
How to Make a Hotel Receptionist CV Stand Out
The best way to make your Hotel Receptionist CV stand out is by making sure that all your information is relevant to the job description, as adding irrelevant information can detract from what you’ve written.
Structure your CV so that it is easy to read, paragraphs of writing will detract from your application, so write in bullet points and keep things separate, such as your education and work experience. Do not mix different layouts, as this will make your CV look messy.
Write with enthusiasm about your job experience, and mention any notable achievements you have, such as excellent reviews and feedback, or if there was an instance where you de-escalated a situation.
Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid putting too much information into your hobbies and interests, it is good to share a little about your achievements outside of work, but an employer is more interested in your work experience and skills.
Have someone read your CV before you send it, as it is very common to overlook grammar and spelling mistakes.
Hotel Receptionist CV Example
Now you can write a Hotel Receptionist CV with confidence, however, if you’re still not sure where to start, you can use our free, downloadable CV template to give you a better idea of the best structure and layout for your CV.
