Finding a position as a waiter shouldn't be too challenging if you're currently job hunting! The demand for hospitality workers is high right now, which means you'll have plenty of options for finding a waiter job with better pay and suitable working hours. To find the right job, however, it's essential to create a carefully crafted CV that effectively showcases your exceptional service skills.
That’s where we come in:
If you're searching for your first job or already have experience as a waiter, CVapp.ie can help you take your job search to the next level. Our CV guide and CV example cover the following:
- What does a waiter do?
- Our top tips and tricks for writing a compelling CV
- How to format a waiter CV
- Advice on each section of your CV (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Our top CV layout and design tips
What does a waiter do?
A waiter, sometimes referred to as a server, is a staff member in a restaurant or dining establishment. Their main responsibilities include taking customer orders, delivering food to tables, and attending to the needs of diners during their meal. Waiters work closely with hosts, restaurant managers, and kitchen staff.
The job of a waiter encompasses various tasks and responsibilities. Let's explore a few of the most common roles and responsibilities they may have:
- Memorising the menu: Waiters are often expected to memorise menu items, know about allergens, ingredient lists, and be familiar with wine pairings. This helps them provide accurate information and recommendations to customers.
- Serving customers: A crucial aspect of a waiter's role is welcoming customers, taking their orders, and addressing any questions they may have about the menu. Waiters, generally speaking, strive to provide excellent customer service by being attentive, friendly, and accommodating.
- Offering recommendations: Waiters often offer recommendations based on their knowledge of the menu. They may suggest popular or signature dishes, as well as promote additional items such as desserts or drinks to enhance the dining experience.
- Preparing and serving food and beverages: Part of a waiter's responsibilities includes preparing drink orders promptly and delivering them to the table. They might make specialty coffee, mix cocktails, or ensure beverages are served with precision and efficiency. Waiters serve food to customers, ensuring that each dish is presented appealingly and matches the customers' order. They are attentive to any additional requests or needs from the guests and promptly attend to them.
How to write a waiter CV
When crafting your waiter CV it is important to know which sections to include. Generally speaking, your CV should contain the following elements:
- The CV header
- The CV summary (aka professional profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The CV skills section
- The education section
It is essential to allocate adequate time to researching your employer before you begin! Even if you’re used to applying for hospitality jobs, every restaurant is different. For this reason, every CV application should be different! Tailored CVs constantly outperform generic, copy-and-paste templates, so be sure to research and spend some time reading over the job description to increase your chances of getting noticed and hired faster!
The best CV format for a waiter
If you have some relevant restaurant or industry-related experiences, it's best to choose the reverse chronological CV format. This format emphasises the employment history section, listing previous positions starting from the most recent and going back ten years. Our waiter CV sample follows this format, as it's the one most recruiters are used to receiving.
For beginners, however, a functional or hybrid CV could be a good choice. A functional CV highlights skills and can also include an 'Experience' section for unrelated jobs, volunteer work, or school activities. The hybrid format combines both types, starting with the skills section before a shorter work history. These alternative CV types are ideal for students and first-time job seekers.
CV header
The CV header, located at the top or sometimes on the side of your CV, contains your name and contact information. Its purpose is to allow the employer to easily identify your application and get in touch with you for an interview. As a waiter, you typically only need to include your name and phone number, although you may also choose to include a location. The CV header also provides an opportunity to incorporate visually appealing formatting that is suitable for the restaurant you are applying to.
CV professional summary example
The CV professional summary, otherwise known as a personal statement, is located immediately after the header, consists of 3 to 5 sentences that introduce you as a professional and emphasise your key skills and experiences. As a waiter, your personality and ability to make a positive first impression are crucial to your role, and the professional summary is the ideal section to showcase these qualities.
Use vivid language and active verbs to show-off your skills. Highlight key qualities in the summary and let the CV delve into specific details. A well-crafted introduction should captivate potential employers and spark their interest in reading further.
See our customisable CV example below.
Experienced and passionate waiter with more than five years experience in various restaurant and company settings, striving to serve the best food possible. Bringing forth an in depth knowledge of flavours, food preparation techniques and dedication to providing excellent customer service. Adept in working with other culinary professionals to achieve goals and ensure customer satisfaction.
Employment history sample
Think of your employment history section as the main course of your CV. Here, you'll dive into the specifics of your previous waiter roles or other hospitality positions. To structure each entry, include a subheading with the job title, employer (restaurant) name, dates of employment, and location. Then, provide 4 to 5 concise bullet points highlighting your duties, skills, and noteworthy achievements such as receiving employee of the month recognition or achieving record sales numbers. Rather than simply listing responsibilities, aim to demonstrate your value to potential employers and convince them that you can bring the same success to their restaurant. Utilise numbers, statistics, and concrete information whenever possible to showcase your impact. For more inspiration, take a look at the employment history CV sample below:
Waiter at Galway Deli Co, Galway
January 2022 — Present
- Created an efficient system for tracking customer orders, resulting in a 25% reduction in errors
- Exceeded customer service expectations by anticipating customer needs and exceeding their expectations, resulting in a 20% increase in tips
- Developed lasting relationships with customers through attentive service and engaging conversation, resulting in repeat business
Waiter at Celtic Cuisines, Galway
May 2020 — December 2021
- Developed a deep understanding of menu items and specials, allowing for detailed and accurate descriptions to customers
- Developed lasting relationships with customers through attentive service and engaging conversation, resulting in repeat business
- Collaborated with kitchen staff to efficiently manage orders and ensure timely delivery of meals to customers
Barista at Galway Central Coffee, Galway
January 2017 — March 2020
- Prepared coffee while demonstrating a strong work ethic, resulting in consistent high-quality products and services
- Trained new staff members on proper coffee preparation and customer service techniques
- Operated the cash register accurately and efficiently, resulting in fewer mistakes and customer complaints
CV skills example
Skills are at the forefront of your work as a waiter, so make sure to complete this CV section with care. First, reread the job description, if you have one, and pick out any duties or knowledge emphasised by the employer. The skills section usually takes the form of a bullet-point list, so you’ll want to choose the top 4 to 5 skills that are most relevant to the job you’re applying to.
Being a waiter requires a blend of hard and soft skills. Hard skills encompass technical expertise such as bartending, expertise with POS systems, and inventory management. On the other hand, soft skills involve personality traits like a warm and friendly demeanor, attentiveness, and efficiency, which contribute to providing customers with an exceptional dining experience. Here’s our example below:
- Ability to Work Under Pressure
- Customer Service
- Ability to Work in a Team
- Communication Skills
- Knowledge of Food Safety
- Knowledge of Food Allergens
Waiter CV education example
As a waiter, you don't necessarily need an advanced degree to pursue a waitstaff role. However, it's important to include an education section in your CV, regardless of your level of education. Just like with the employment history section, list your previous educational experiences in reverse chronological order, including the degree name, school, dates attended, and location. It's also beneficial to include a few bullet points to highlight any relevant experiences such as leadership positions, hospitality classes, or honors.
Here’s our example below:
Bachelor of Arts, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway
September 2011 — June 2016
If you have completed any food safety, management, CPR, or bartending courses, be sure to include them in the education section of your CV!
CV layout and design
The appearance of a restaurant gives customers insight into their dining experience. Similarly, the layout and design of your CV provide employers with an indication of your skills and level of commitment to the position.
To effectively stand out to employers, you’ll want to format your CV to be both presentable and professional.
Adding a splash of colour in the header can help you blend in at a family-oriented establishment, whereas an upscale, fine-dining restaurant may favour a more neutral colour scheme. Using professionally-designed CV templates enables you to easily experiment with various styles and create different versions of your CV for multiple job applications.
Here are a few more formatting tips to follow:
- Balance your white space to text ratio to make you CV easy to read.
- Add a touch of coluor to make your CV stand out!
- Use bolded section titles and bullet points to keep your CV organised.
- Adjust your margins to cram in more information or to make your experience fill the page.
- Use more than one or two font styles.
- Remember to proofread before you submit!
Key takeaways for a waiter CV
- Given the high demand for waiters and other hospitality workers, now is an excellent opportunity to write your CV and seize a new career opportunity!
- The professional summary or personal statement introduces you to employers, and should portray you as a personable and competent waiter.
- Make sure to include quantifiable metrics and statistics to highlight the significant impact you had in previous waiter positions.
- We have a range of CV layouts for everyone: check out our CV library to find the perfect match for you!
