Hotel Manager Resume Examples (Step-by-Step Writing Guide)

hotel manager resume examples
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When it comes to writing a hotel manager resume, it is best to discuss a question: what are the duties and responsibilities of a hotel manager? Generally, a hotel manager’s role is to oversee the whole operation of a hotel, including housekeeping, personnel recruitment & training, budget control, etc.

Some people may be curious about the difference between a hotel manager and a general manager. They generally have the same responsibilities, but sometimes the hotel manager’s job hierarchy is right below a hotel general manager’s in larger-size hotels.

Then why is a well-structured hotel manager resume important? Here is a crucial fact: based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor’s statistics, the employment of the hotel manager (it is called “lodging manager” on the website) is projected to decline by 12%.

According to Glassdoor, a recruiter reads each resume in less than 6 seconds since he/she will receive 250 resumes on average, leading an intense competition for the hotel manager position. That is why you need a clear and concise hotel manager resume to stand out from others. 

How to write a hotel manager resume

Step 1: Understand the differences between a hotel manager CV and a hotel manager resume.

One should decide first - whether to use a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or a resume. Both of them are collections of one’s professional experience.

However, a CV contains more information, which will often exceed two pages. It is also frequently used in academic, scientific, or medical areas. By contrast, a resume is more for general job hunting and only involves related experience with up to two pages. 

In most European, South American, and African countries, a hotel manager CV is preferred, while a hotel manager resume is more common in the U.S., Canada, India, and Australia. In this article, we will focus more on the writing tips for the hotel manager resume.

Step 2: Choose the right hotel management resume format.

Depending on one’s current career status, there are four types of resume formats to choose from: chronological, functional, hybrid, and targeted.

Suppose you are uncertain about which is the best. In that case, a reverse chronological resume format is the usual one (it is also suitable for those seeking a hotel management CV format). In this method, the latest experience is placed first on the resume. 

Step 3: Take online hotel management resume samples and templates as references.

It will take you less time to write a hotel manager resume if you already know the basic framework. Search online to see some hotel manager resume examples or templates from other professionals.

Step 4: Tailor your hotel manager resume.

A qualified candidate will always tailor his/her hotel manager resume to the specific position. Each company will have its requirements, and the needed skill set will also be diverse due to peculiar programs.

For example, the content in a resume for a hotel management internship will be different from that in a senior hotel manager resume. 

Step 5: Craft a hotel manager cover letter.

On average, hiring managers only spend 20 seconds reviewing each cover letter. Seeing this, you may think it is useless to write a hotel manager cover letter. However, please recall that the average reading time for your resume is no more than 6 seconds!

Hence, a hotel manager cover letter is another 20-second valuable chance to promote yourself to hiring managers. We will discuss how to write an application letter for a hotel manager in the later paragraph.

Step 6: Proofread your hotel manager resume and cover letter.

Read your hotel manager resume and cover letter again to ensure there is no grammar mistake or spelling error.

What to put on a resume for a hotel manager

You can use Microsoft Word to create your hotel manager resume; you can also build it on CakeResume through pulling. No matter the tools used, it is fundamental to know the necessary elements in a hotel manager resume.

1. A hotel manager resume profile (personal information)

A resume is the first step to allow recruiters to know who you are, so be sure to include your:

  • Full name
  • Professional job title
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Address (city, state, and country)
  • Linkedin URL, personal website (optional)

Unless it is required, avoid revealing additional personal information that will lead to potential discrimination, such as birthday, nationality, gender, etc. (→ Read more about the common resume writing mistakes!)

📝 Keep note that it is acceptable in some areas like Singapore, Germany, and Asia to include a personal photo. 

2. Resume headline for hotel management

A resume headline is a one-sentence highlight of your hotel manager resume. A good headline should indicate one’s most distinguished competency.

There are 3 steps to write a resume headline for hotel management

  • Step 1: Outline several of your achievements and characteristics related to job requirements (e.g., relevant skills, earned awards, the year of managerial experience).
  • Step 2: Use power words and phrases (For example, “hardworking” is too vague to use).
  • Step 3: Place it at the top of your hotel manager resume (right under your name).

Headline example for hotel manager resume:

A Trilingual Hotel Manager with 4-year Experience in the Hospitality Industry

3. Hotel manager resume summary

A hotel manager resume summary is a further statement of one’s qualification within 30 to 50 words. You can use the steps we mentioned above in the headline section, but it is more common to place the summary right after the contact information. 

Summary example for a hotel manager resume:

A 3-year hotel manager skilled in CRM and catering management. Eager to enter Tonight Hotel to assist with the enhancement of the guest experience. Guided a team of 8 to attract and organize 10+ events and conferences, which increased revenue by 40%.

4. Hotel manager resume objective

A hotel manager resume objective has a similar format to a resume summary. Since a resume objective focuses on one’s career goals compared with a resume summary, it is suitable for those who have less experience relevant to the hotel manager position. 

A useful tip is to highlight the transferable skills mentioned in the job description. For instance, if the job requirement says, “passionate toward what you are doing” and “familiar with hotel management software

The career objective for your hotel manager resume can be like:

A passionate hotel assistant manager proficient in finance and hotel management software (Alice). Currently seeking a position as hotel manager at Smile Hotel to utilize my financial knowledge and accurately manage the budget. Lead a team of 3 and responsible for reservations management.

5. Skills for hotel management resume

Skill section is an integral part of one’s hotel manager resume. Most people will use a simple bullet point to list one’s hotel management skills for a resume. You can also choose other methods such as expanded bullets point, integrated with work experience, and categorized skills section. Remember that the skills you list should be related to the hotel manager job. 

Some common skills for a hotel manager:

Technical skills

  • Hotel management system (Preno, eZee Frontdesk, etc.)
  • MS Office Suite
  • Financial budgeting and reporting
  • Sales and Marketing skills
  • Guest experience management 

Personal skills

  • Verbal and written communication 
  • Leadership skills
  • Multitasking
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Problem-solving 

6. Work experience in your hotel manager resume

Work experience indicates one’s qualities the most in the hotel manager resume.

Each description of your past work experience should have:

  • Role title 
  • The name of the company
  • Working period (month & year)
  • 3-5 bullets to depict your accomplishments

Hotel manager resume sample for work experience section:

Hotel Manager, Apr 2015 - Present

ABC Hotel, Milwaukee

  • Created a long-term financial plan which reduced the overall cost by 20%
  • Led a team of 12 and cooperated with the housekeeping department 
  • Maintained the quality of guest experience and tracked customer satisfaction rate through periodic surveys

7. Education in your hotel manager resume

Typically, a management-related bachelor’s degree is more preferred when it comes to the hotel manager position. However, if one already has piles of work experience, the education section will be much less important than the work experience.

Here are some must-have elements in this part:

  • School name
  • Degree
  • Major & minor
  • Year of graduation
  • Honors & awards

8. Certification in your hotel manager resume

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) allows high school students to join the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program (HTMP) and earn certification.

The Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration also provides hospitality management programs. Therefore, if you have any related accreditation, feel free to put it in your hotel manager resume!

Tips for writing the best hotel manager resume

🔖 Tip 1: Customize your hotel manager resume.

Hiring managers expect to see a hotel manager resume that is specific to their companies. So customize it! That is why it is better to include the company’s name in the resume summary.


🔖 Tip 2: Numbers increase the credibility of your hotel manager resume.

If you have some quantified results in your previous jobs, you can include them in your hotel manager resume to make your achievements more convincing and measurable.


🔖 Tip 3: Craft an ATS-friendly hotel manager resume.

Applicant Tracking System (ATS) allows companies to scan resumes automatically so that only resumes with relevant keywords will stand out. Hence, a perfect hotel manager resume should include keywords mentioned in job descriptions, and avoid using fancy formats with too many graphical things.


🔖 Tip 4: Adopt action words in your hotel manager resume.

Action words such as “executed,” “supervised,” “mentored” make your hotel manager resume statements more concrete and persuasive. 


🔖Tip 5: Emphasize more on your managerial ability in your hotel manager resume.

An ideal candidate for the hotel manager position is someone with strong leadership and coaching experience. As a result, you should focus more on your managerial skills in your hotel manager resume.

How to write a hotel manager cover letter

A complete hotel manager cover letter should include these 5 parts:

  1. Contact information 
    Similar to the personal information in your hotel manager resume, you should also let the receiver know who you are in your hotel manager cover letter.
  1. Greeting
    Do some research to find the hiring manager’s right name so that you can greet them properly. If you are not sure who will receive your application letter for a hotel manager, you can start a greeting with, “dear hiring manager in XYZ company…
  1. Motivation for the hotel manager position
    In many job descriptions of the hotel manager position, companies will expect a passionate candidate. This section is the place for you to demonstrate your great intention and understanding of that company. 
  1. Your qualification 
    What qualifies you as a hotel manager?
    That is the critical question recruiters want to know, so let them know what value you can bring to the company by using your greatest strength.
  1. Closing your hotel manager cover letter
    It is polite to write a short conclusion for your hotel manager cover letter.
    A typical closing can be:  “Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.”
    
    💡 Remember to use closing letters such as “best regards,” “sincerely,” and sign your name at the bottom of the letter.

Hotel Manager Resume Sample

Jamie Watts

A Customer-Oriented Hotel Manager with 4 Years of Experience in Hospitality Management

Mobile: (123) 456-7891
Address: Seattle, U.S.
Email: [email protected]
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jamiewatts

Summary

A self-starter who maintained a four-star rating by Forbes for 3 years. Specialized in guest experience and would like to provide a home-like service for guests in Wonderland Hotel. Increased customer satisfaction rate by 20% and joined 3 personnel training programs.

Work Experience

Hotel Manager, Felin Hotel

Feb. 2018 - Present

  • Communicated with guests to ensure their problems and complaints were solved, which increased customer satisfaction rate by 20% on the traveling website
  • Cooperated with housekeeping department to maintain the best condition of rooms
  • Redesigned performance evaluation standard and trained 20+ employees

Hotel Assistant Manager, Rin Guesthouse

Aug. 2016 - Jan. 2017

  • Developed financial forecasting and created reports to the general manager
  • Responsible for food and beverage management and the control of room inventory 
  • Supervised the organization of events and conferences to achieve the expectation of 10+ clients

Skills

  • Financial planning
  • Microsoft Office Skills (MOS certification)
  • Hotel Management system (Preno)
  • CRM
  • Guest service skills
  • Leadership
  • Communication skills
  • Multitasking skills

Language

  • Business English writing
  • French

Education

BS in Hotel Administration, Cornell University
Relevant courses: Food and Beverage management, Finance and Accounting, Operations

2012 - 2016 

--- Originally written by Angela Ye --- 

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