To write a Waiter/Waitress CV, there are a few things you should keep in mind to help it stand out. The structure and layout of your CV matters, and you can get a better understanding of the right way to write your CV using our writing tips.
The structure of your CV is important, so make sure you:
1. Start with a strong personal statement
2. Follow with your work experience, listing previous roles in reverse chronological order.
3. Include a section for key skills and qualifications relevant to a Waiter or Watress role.
4. Finish with your hobbies and interests and references.
How to Write a Personal Statement for a Waitress or Waiter
It is important to write a strong personal statement to make a positive impression on an employer. Your statement should contain a brief outline of your skills and work experience, which you will expand on later in your CV.
Keep your personal statement to a reasonable length of up to 150 words, so that you don’t overwhelm your CV with paragraphs of text.
Waiting Staff Personal Statement Example
“I recently worked as a Barista, taking customer orders and serving drinks and food. It was part of my duties to clean tables and make sure there were no spills that could cause any accidents, which taught me about the importance of cleanliness and health and safety, which I upheld to the best of my ability.
I was often complimented on my polite demeanor and clear communication when talking with customers and staff, and I was always accommodating to any customer that needed specialised drinks such as milk or syrup alternatives. I was calm under the pressure of busy hours, or technical difficulties that made serving customers difficult, and performed my job to a high standard, which was recognised by my managers.”
Ideal Work Experience for a Waiter/Waitress
Though it is not always expected, some employers may want to see specific work experience from candidates to show that they have performed similar tasks, so it’s good to know which jobs will boost your CV.
Which Jobs to Include
Previous experience in customer service will always be a benefit to your CV. Retail, hospitality and similar food and drink service, such as a Barista or Bartender, will offer similar skills to what you’ll need as a Waiter/Waitress. If you have worked in these sectors previously, take time to write about these positions and mention which skills you gained from each job. Ideally, you only want to mention the five most relevant jobs.
Waiter/Waitress CV Work Experience Example
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Retail Worker at [company name] from [start date] to [end date]
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During my time working in retail, I would often deal with customer enquiries which required me to have excellent knowledge of our products. I would always speak politely to customers to answer any concerns or queries, and direct them towards what they were looking for.
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I am adept at cash handling and transactions, as I would have to process payments on a daily basis.
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My reviews were always positive, with excellent feedback on my punctuality and my willingness to work.
Use this layout to write about each job role and the skills you developed. Separate each skill with bullet points to highlight that you have what an employer is looking for.
Key Skills & Qualifications for a Waiter or Waitress CV
Employers will expect certain skills or qualifications from candidates. These requirements will always be written into the job description, and fulfilling those requirements is the purpose of your CV, so make sure you have what the employer is asking for before you apply.
Important Skills for a Waiter/Waitress
A Waiter/Waitress will need customer service skills, as this is essential for the role. This includes being polite, attentive and understanding of customers’ needs. Clear and concise communication is also important, as well as a good memory for orders and customer preferences.
Waiting staff also need good physical stamina, patience, cleanliness, problem-solving skills and sales skills.
Qualifications Needed to Be a Waitress or Waiter
No formal qualifications are generally required when applying for a Waiter/Waitress position, however it’s helpful to at least have GCSE level English and Maths skills for communicating with customers and handling transactions.
On-the-job training is standard for Waiting Staff, so you may learn the appropriate skills you need while performing regular tasks. Learn more about the skills and qualifications needed to become a Waiter/Waitress.
Additional Content to Boost Your Waiter/Waitress CV
Some employers may be interested in the hobbies and interests you have that help you develop relevant skills. This is also a good place to add any references if you intend to include them.
Hobbies & Interests
If you have hobbies that require you to interact with people on a regular basis, you can write about those and how they’ve helped your communication skills. Or perhaps you have excellent problem-solving skills from an interest in rock climbing.
These are a couple of examples of how a wide variety of interests can help you boost your CV by helping you develop skills outside of work
References
You only need to include one or two references if you plan to put any in your CV. Whoever you use as a reference should be someone who held a higher position than you within the company, but worked closely with you, and knows your work ethic. Only use someone as a reference if you have their permission to do so.
How to Make a Waiter/Waitress CV Stand Out
Making your CV stand out can seem a little daunting when it’s actually rather straightforward. Use your skill set to impress an employer by writing about times you’ve used your skills effectively, as knowing how to use certain skills is important.
Always use professional language when writing a CV. Professionalism is key to success, as an employer won’t take you seriously if you act in an unprofessional manner or use words that aren’t appropriate for a CV.
Write with confidence, which includes drawing attention to your skills by using bullet points to highlight important information. An employer needs to be able to find the information they’re looking for, and hiding things within paragraphs of text will not encourage an employer to read your CV.
Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid writing too much; it may seem like you need to get every last detail into your application, but employers look through many CVs, so it’s important that they can find what they’re looking for quickly. Two pages are enough for an employer to understand what you have to offer.
Kitchen Assistant CV Example
Once our writing tips and this CV guide have helped you understand what you need to write in a Waiter/Waitress CV, you can then download our free CV template to help with the layout and styling of your CV. This template is easy to use and holds helpful information to guide you through the CV writing process.
