Restaurant General Manager Resume Sample, Job Description & Writing Guide for 2024
As someone who wants to work as a restaurant general manager, you need to show potential employers that you’re a leader who inspires everyone around you. While you might get the chance to show your skills in the restaurant industry at an interview, first you have to get to that point. That’s why you need a top-notch restaurant general manager resume. It’s what will get you in the room with the decision-makers to show what you can do.
It might seem challenging to show all your relevant skills on a sheet of paper, but it can be done. You want to show that you care about meeting the company standard in terms of hiring, training, and supervising other workers. Being able to handle customer complaints and leave patrons smiling is also integral to the position. Including these details is integral to moving forward.
While it might be simple to be hired in a lower-level position at a restaurant, general managers often have a great deal of competition. Tons of people are looking for work and there are only so many employers to go around. That’s why your resume has to absolutely impress and delight the person who reads it. And we’re here to help you with that.
This guide is designed to give you some help with crafting an unforgettable resume. The kind of resume that gets you into an interview seat and on your way to a position with great pay and stellar benefits. We’ll share how to write a restaurant general manager resume and provide tips and tricks to help you get that job you want.
General restaurant manager resume writing guide: Where to start?
You probably already have relevant experience on restaurant teams. You know how to go above and beyond with customer service standards and you’re proud to be in compliance with food safety regulations. But how do you take all that passion and transform it into getting the job? Below, we’ll share our own recommendations on creating a master and job-specific resume for the purpose.
Master restaurant GM resume
You may have already done a bit of research and checked out a few restaurant general manager resume samples. That’s a great start but most of those are designed as job-specific resumes. Before you start making your own, you’re going to need a master resume that you can use as you work toward getting the job you want.
Restaurant owners may not see this document but that doesn’t make it any less important. The master resume is where you save all the information you might need for traditional resumes. That means you need to job down information about your professional experience, skills, and education. Don’t worry about how relevant it is, just make sure to get it all down on paper.
Once you have all this information compiled, you can use it in the next (and final) stage. You can pull items from the master resume and put them in the job-specific resume. This means you don’t run the risk of forgetting something or making an error. Your master resume is only for you so there’s no need to worry about what it looks like. Just make sure it has all the information you could need.
Job-specific resume for a restaurant general manager
The job-specific resume is going to require the use of other resources. The first thing you need is the restaurant general manager job description for the resume. Every job description has keywords and details about what the employer wants. It’s your job to take that information and use it to build a resume that shows you’re the best candidate for the job.
Let’s say that description explains that the general manager will be working with customer satisfaction ratings. You can use that knowledge to talk about how you’ve succeeded with customer feedback, customer concerns, and customer issues in the past. Maybe you introduced customer satisfaction ratings and had good results. Those are the things a hiring manager wants to see.
Of course, not every position is going to be focused on customer satisfaction scores. Look what is wanted and make sure you share how you provide it. This could be everything from customer service skills to having experience with budgeting, ordering supplies, and training employees. Customize your resume for the best results.
Restaurant general manager resume example
You can see one of our restaurant general manager resume examples above. It looks good and it has the most important information in an easy-to-read format. You can see the candidate has a knowledge of restaurant operations, has been part of effective management, and provides excellent service. You can use this sample to get an idea of what your own resume might look like.
What to include in a resume for a general manager of a restaurant? Writing tips and examples
Now that you have an idea of how to broach the process of creating a restaurant general manager resume, we want to delve into some sections you should include. Showing that you prioritize customer satisfaction, care about food quality, and are capable of working with back and front house staff is all weaved in. Keep reading for details about the most integral resume sections.
How to write a resume profile on a restaurant general manager resume
Any good restaurant regional manager resume is going to include a resume profile, although it isn’t always called that. Some people prefer to call it a restaurant general manager resume objective, personal profile, or something similar. Regardless of what term is used, it should be present in your professional document. This is often the first thing someone reads so it needs to be impressive.
The main focus of this section is to showcase your achievements. The closer they are to the tasks you’d do at the new position, the better. As you start to write down accomplishments from your past, make sure you quantify them with strong action verbs and numbers. Don’t be afraid to show off and be honest about what you bring to the table.
For instance, rather than saying you’re adept at determining proper staffing levels, you might say that your scheduling method ensured you weren’t understaffed 98% of the time. Of course, your own achievements may be very different but this gives you an idea of how to phrase things to make someone more interested in what you have to say.
One of the challenges associated with the resume profile is its length. It’s expected to be a short paragraph of no more than two to four sentences. You need to pack as much information into that as you can. Focus on the biggest accomplishments that relate to what you’d be doing in the new job. Skills, education, and experience can all be mentioned.
Which skills to include on a restaurant general manager resume
After the resume profile, the next most important section of the resume might be your list of skills. But this is only the case if you are very specific. Generic skills aren’t going to give insight into what you can do. In addition, make sure the skills you choose fit the job description and what would be expected of you if you get the position.
Any resume for a general manager of a restaurant should show that you can provide excellent customer service. However, you want to have a mixture of soft skills and hard skills to really show what you can do. Make sure you add in leadership skills and include a technical skill or two if that applies. Mentioning that you meet quality standards can also be useful.
Soft skills are abilities you have that can’t be trained, while hard skills are abilities that you have learned. Managers will need to have both types of skills. It’s simply part of the job. Being able to stay calm in the face of someone who is upset is a soft skill while following food safety requirements is a hard skill.
Pick skills based on the job description as much as possible. In most cases, you’ll want to have a list of five to 10 skills. You should also showcase the skills in other parts of the resume so they don’t seem tacked on as an afterthought. A few skills you can use to start the brainstorming process include:
· Inventory management
· Restaurant budgets
· Food preparation
· Safety standards
· Beverage delivery
· Employee scheduling
· Inventory control
· Cost control
· Sanitation standards
· Menu development
· Food safety procedures
· Restaurant management software
How to write work experience on a restaurant general manager resume
Showing that you can handle the daily operations and job responsibilities of a restaurant general manager is a lot easier when you provide details about your experience. Having a knowledge of food and company policies is a start but you need to go deeper than that. You have to show what sets you apart and makes you special.
The main header of each entry in this section should have the basic details. List where you worked, what position you were in, and when you were employed at the company. Adding in the location where you worked is also included at this point. This is just a way to share simple information before you get into details.
Underneath these bits of information, you can delve into the things that are going to be noticed. Having around three to six bullet points below the positions is a good idea. This is where you are going to share your job responsibilities. However, make sure you tie these into achievements and use numbers to indicate the results of your efforts.
If you really want to make this section stand out, start your sentences with power verbs but stay away from buzzwords that don’t provide any value to your statements. Rather than simply sharing what you did, you need to show that it had a major impact on the restaurant. Keeping track of achievements is something your master resume is good for so you can easily create powerful bullet points for past positions.
For those with less experience, this section might be farther down on the page than for those who have been in the restaurant industry for several years. If you are lacking experience, make sure you include what you can. Things like internships and volunteer opportunities are good choices.
Are you finished adding all the information to your resume? You will need to make sure it’s formatted and structured in the best way. This doesn’t have to take a lot of time and effort. It’s something you can do in a snap. All you need to do is select one of the restaurant general manager resume templates at CVMaker.
Key takeaways on restaurant general manager resumes
Nobody ever said restaurant management is easy, but creating a resume for this kind of position doesn’t have to be a challenge. Use our tips and example resume to build a document that paints you in the best light. Once you show what makes you capable, you’ll be much more likely to get the call for an interview. Good luck!
Extra tips for restaurant general manager resumes:
You understand front and back-of-house operations. You can write schedules, deal with frustrated customers, and train new employees better than anyone. All those things are useful for your resume. Below are a few tips you can use to make sure your document makes the best possible impression.
· Make sure all the essential sections are included in your resume. A resume objective, contact information, skills, education, and work experience are the most important items to share.
· Once you’ve finished writing the resume, read it. Go over it at least once to find any misspellings and typos that you need to edit. Use a tool like Grammarly for a little help with this process.
· Go through your list of skills. Make sure you include hard and soft skills. Your list should have around five to 10 entries in most cases.
· Check your resume for professionalism. Avoid jargon and don’t use slang terms. You want to make a good impression and show respect for the person reading the document.
· In addition to the resume, make sure you’ve written a cover letter to go with your application. This is a great chance to go deeper into what you want in this position and the reasons you’d be good at it.
Next steps?
We’ve given you the tools you need to write a great restaurant general manager resume, but maybe you need a bit of help to make sure it’s perfect. After all, if you really want the job, you want to be sure your resume isn’t missing anything. Whether you want someone to look over your resume or help you write it, CVMaker can help. Learn more about our Resume Writing Service and set yourself up for success.
FAQs
What should a restaurant general manager put on a resume?
A restaurant general manager resume is about more than just your job duties – although you should share those, too. The main sections to include on your document are your contact information, a resume objective, your skills, any experience you have, and your educational background.
Of course, you can also add other details that make sense for the position. You might have certifications to share or languages you want the person in charge of hiring to be aware of. Some people share their hobbies and interests and others have a section solely for achievements. Any of these things are fine.
How do you make a fast food job sound good on a resume?
For someone who wants to move into a restaurant general manager position, having a track record in fast food is not necessarily a bad thing. This is especially the case if you’re interested in managing a franchise of one of these restaurants in the first place. Any experience in restaurants can be valuable.
Showing that you have learned and adapted in a fast food environment is a plus. You want to show that you give your all on a consistent basis and have achievements to show for it. There’s no reason to feel like you need to gloss over this kind of work.
What experience should a restaurant manager have?
Most restaurant managers already have experience in various aspects of restaurant operations. Many candidates are entrenched in the restaurant business and aren’t coming in at entry level. However, there are always exceptions. Some companies like to bring in newcomers to hone their skills in a certain way.
The best restaurant manager resumes will show that you understand the importance of menu items, compliance with health and safety standards, and working with a team. However, if you have less experience, make sure to highlight the skills and education you have that make you a superb candidate.
How long are most restaurant general manager resumes?
Industry trends in hospitality management show that most restaurant general manager resumes are one to two pages long on average. That’s not to say that you can’t go longer or shorter, but you want to be sure all information you share is relevant before adding additional details for a hiring manager to read.
Those with little to no experience will often be fine with a simple resume that is a single page long. If you have extensive experience, feel free to go up to two pages. It’s all a matter of your background, skills, education, and other items you want to share to set yourself apart.
What are the best skills for a restaurant resume?
Choosing the right skills for a restaurant general manager resume can be tricky since every position is slightly different. That’s why it’s recommended that you scour the job advertisement for what they want to see in potential candidates. If there are listed skills that you have, those are what you want to share.
As you come up with a list, keep in mind that you should include both soft and hard skills. Especially in the restaurant world, soft skills like customer service and conflict resolution are extremely important. But don’t discount technical skills that apply either.
What three things should be included in a general manager resume summary?
When you break it down into only three things, your general manager resume summary should include how much experience you have, what your strongest skills are, and an accomplishment that you wish to highlight. Delving into professional development and management skills is always a good idea.
The main purpose of the restaurant general manager resume summary is to showcase how great you’d be in the position if you were to be hired. You want to focus on restaurant experience but rather than talking about what you’ve done – tie those things into your achievements. This shows the impact you can make if hired.
Is there a specific format I should use for a restaurant general manager resume?
Many restaurant general manager resumes have the same style and format. Choosing a traditional format makes the document easier to read and understand for a recruiter. However, you can tweak typical formats to make them work better for you if that makes sense with your background.
For instance, if you haven’t had a lot of work experience but you’ve gone to college, you might place your skills and education over the experience section. This lets you determine what the hiring manager sees first and where you include the most information. Otherwise, just make sure the document is clean and easy to read.
Even the best restaurant general managers might need a bit of help to ensure their documents look great. Hiring managers are more likely to spend time on your resume if it’s attractive, so what should you do? CVMaker has made it easy to stand out. All you need to do is take a look at our restaurant general manager resume templates and apply one to your information. It’s a great way to finish things off!