How to Make the Perfect Restaurant Manager Resume

One of the most essential employees in any workplace is the manager. They are the one who ensures that the staff are working correctly and to their best abilities, monitors and improves sales while keeping costs within set parameters, maintains good standards of customer service and aids with successful marketing strategies, as well as many other duties. The managerial role is integral to the overall prosperity of the business, so naturally, the application process for potential managers is particularly rigorous.

As someone who wants to apply for and obtain the role of a restaurant manager, it’s crucial that your resume demonstrates that you can achieve high standards. Creating a resume that showcases your talents is vital for landing the job. Including information such as objectives, skills, previous experience, education, and applicable courses you have taken can help make you stand out as the right applicant.

Take a look at the sample resume below to get an idea of what you can include when creating your own.

Sample Resume

Now, let’s examine what information you need to include in each section of your resume and why this information is important for making you stand head and shoulders above the other applicants.

Objective

Training any new employee in a business is an investment for the company/owner. It requires time, money, and other business resources to ensure that a new team member is able to learn the ropes and become a valuable addition to the company.

However, new employees also pose a risk. There is always the chance that a trained manager may leave the company for a similar position in a different company, and they make take with them key information pertaining to the business’ success.

As such, when creating your restaurant manager resume, you have to carefully consider what it is that the business owner or company is looking for: an individual who is business-oriented and invested in contributing to the success of the company rather than someone who is only interested in the salary the role provides.

When stating your objective for the role, this is the time to market yourself as someone who is concerned with making the overall business more profitable. Address your interest in increasing revenue and demonstrate your desire for a career position rather than using the role as a cash grab or stepping stone.

Skills

The skills section is where you can let your experience and natural talents shine. It’s important to remember that, when applying for this position, it’s not only the restaurant side of the business that needs care and attention; you must also demonstrate your managerial abilities, which are just as essential as the required culinary skills. Business owners are interested in hiring the individual who has the capability and experience necessary to manage successfully, who is able to make the right decisions on the fly and who is able to work well under the pressure that comes with restaurant management.

Education – Did you study culinary arts or undertake a hospitality management program? Bachelor’s degrees, associate’s degrees, and applicable diplomas should be listed here as this education increases the chances of you being hired and subsequently progressing in your chosen career. Higher education in a related field demonstrates your dedication to the industry and that you understand both the culinary and management sides to the restaurant business.

Certification – List any additional applicable training in your skills section. These certificates can range from first aid training to computing proficiency as well as health and safety and food handling courses.

Organizational skills – Knowledge of FiFo (First in, First out), keeping track of inventory levels, managing employee schedules and vacation time, all fall under the umbrella skill of organization.

Numerical proficiency – As a manager, it is vital that you understand and can process working within operational budgets, understanding the set parameters of P&L (profit and loss), and being able to stay within the outlined business boundaries without compromising the quality of either food or service.

People skills –Effectively working with and overseeing staff members and being able to encourage them to give their best efforts every shift is an important duty of the manager. This also includes being able to work as an integral part of the team itself and helping the entire staff work together as a cohesive unit.

Cleanliness as a priority – When it comes to working anywhere in the food industry, cleanliness and sanitization are vital for creating the best environment for customers and the highest food and quality standards. Strictly monitoring cleanliness must be a priority for this role, and it helps to be able to show a detailed knowledge of cleaning procedures.

Excellent communication – Being able to work with and respond well to both staff and customers, as well as with other individuals within the company, is integral for managerial roles.

Working well under pressure – In the fast-paced world of the food industry, no two days are the same. Thus, it is imperative for managerial applicants to understand the need for quick decision-making, ensuring they keep a level head during stressful situations, and being able to produce creative solutions for any concerns or issues that arise in the workplace or for the customers.

Through effective skills marketing techniques, employers will be able to look at the information you have provided and assess your competence pertaining to the role. Highlighting the key and applicable skills shows the employer or owner that you are capable of effectively taking care of their business from the time the doors open to closing, and beyond that.

Experience

In order to apply for this particular role, you must have previous applicable experience. It is suggested that you focus on around 3 previous and/or current employers at the most to avoid overcrowding and including unnecessary information. Only the most relevant and applicable roles need to be on your resume: if you have experience that is not linked to the food industry or managerial roles, do not include it.

If you can, try to demonstrate growth in the industry or in your previous roles. For example, if you were hired in a company as a server and were promoted to supervisor or manager, detail this progress for your potential employer to see. Growth in a role not only shows commitment and drive to improve yourself but also a commitment and engagement with the business itself. By demonstrating growth, you provide evidence of your ability to both learn and retain information about the workings of the industry and of the company itself.

If you have been extensively involved in the food industry, be wary of listing too many different establishments; a maximum of 3 different places will suffice. If you list too many, this could indicate a lack of staying power to your potential new employer, especially if they are all within a relatively small time frame. Individuals who have worked at many different establishments may also be more difficult to train.
Business owners and established companies have their unique set procedures, so retraining a person who has experienced many different ways of doing things can prove tricky. You do not want to be perceived as someone who is ‘set in their ways’ but rather as someone with an open willingness to learn and adapt to a new preferred system.