Bar Manager Resume Example & Writing Guide
- Why use this bar manager resume example?
- How to write a great bar manager resume
- Which key skills are relevant for a bar manager resume?
If you’re looking to get a great new gig in the world of bar management, then your resume must be top-shelf and well-stocked. This article will help you determine the best skills to include and the most effective way to write an outstanding bar manager resume for this highly competitive industry. A bar manager is a service professional that oversees all the operations and running of the bar business. They perform many duties such as inventory management, staff hiring and training, team leadership, budgeting, and marketing.
Why use this bar manager resume example?
This bar manager's resume starts out strong by not only stating they have bar management experience but also wine expertise. This is a nice touch. If you have an additional strong suit to point out, then the resume summary is an excellent place to do it. The summary is where you want to score some quick points with your potential employer by letting them know about your impressive skills and accomplishments.
The skills section is next, and this is where you can present more of your amazing bar manager skills. Don’t make your list too long. About 8 to ten skills is a respectable number of skills to have on your list, so you don’t overwhelm the reader.
The career experience section is where you describe your past roles and current job. Start with a short paragraph that covers only the most important job functions. Focus on using keywords when describing your duties.
At the end of each job description, you should have a bulleted list of accomplishments. Your achievements should include numbers whenever possible because this makes your results tangible and measurable. Every employer wants to know exactly what you did to help the business.
How to write a great bar manager resume
Writing a great bar manager resume is not rocket science, but since you don’t write resumes every day, it can be intimidating to get started. The first thing to consider is what resume format to use. The example resume we provided is a simple, yet effective, single-column traditional-style resume. This is an extremely popular format because it is easy to look at and is ATS (applicant tracking system) friendly. Check out other resume examples for different formats and choose the one you like the best.
If you have many years of experience, don’t try to cram it all on your resume. The general rule is to only include details for the last ten years of relevant experience. Relevant is the key word here. If you’ve had other jobs in between that don’t have anything to do with the job or industry that you are applying for, then you can leave them off. Unless this causes a gap in your employment, in which case it is okay to include them, but keep them short. The goal is to have your resume fit on one or two pages at the most.
We’ve already covered the key content that your resume needs to have, but how do you spice it up? The best way to make your sentences pop is by using strong action verbs. An action verb expresses something that you can do, not just something you’re responsible for. If you built something new, then say you created or launched it. When you made more money for the company, you boosted or generated profits. If you improved a process, then say you modernized or redesigned it. These words are more impactful and will make your potential employer remember your resume. Also, avoid using the same word over and over again. That’s just boring.
Which key skills are relevant for a bar manager resume?
As a bar manager, you must know how to run a business and deal with people. Bar management requires a lot of soft skills, but you also need to have some hard skills like bookkeeping, inventory control, and budgeting, just to name a few. Make sure your bar manager's resume has a good mix of both types of skills.
Here are some wonderful skills to have on a bar manager’s resume:
Accountability
Attention to detail
Communication
Conflict resolution
Customer service
Decision-making
Event management
Leadership
Marketing
Operations management
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Summary example
Accomplished bar manager and sommelier with proven success growing annual sales and revenue for luxury restaurants, casual dining establishments, resorts, and bars. Excellent leadership abilities; adept at directing, training, and motivating staff to deliver world-class customer service. Extensive experience overseeing day-to-day bar operations, including scheduling, inventory, and supplier management with a focus on cost control. Passion for educating guests and team members with specialized expertise in wine varieties, blends, and vintages.
Employment history example
Bar Manager at Oceanside Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii
2020 - Present
Provide leadership across member and non-member events while directing daily operations of food and beverage services for all club facilities, promoting the delivery of world-class service to ensure positive guest experience. Collaborate with managers through weekly meetings, communicating details of upcoming events and emerging priorities. Prepare and monitor budgets for events and bar sales. Oversee staff hiring, training, and performance management. Develop and distribute employee schedules.
Achieved 20% increase in alcohol sales by expertly directing Food & Beverage Department, spearheading addition of new special events and directing expansion of facility services.
Authored front of house (FOH) manual for servers and bartenders, and orientation and training manual for 2021, improving efficiency of FOH operations and staff onboarding.
Prepared and executed set-up and tear down procedures for special events, including development of contingency plans for technical malfunctions and unforeseen complications.
Researched, evaluated, and communicated new trends to senior leadership, providing recommendations for new themes and activities to improve participation across member and non-member events.
Wine Manager at Tropical Distributors, Honolulu, Hawaii
2017 - 2020
Hired to lead restructuring of wine division to increase revenue, including interfacing with hotel and restaurant accounts, reorganizing warehouse, and accurately projecting amount of goods needed for coming year based on prior year results.
Spearheaded creation of new point-of-sale by offering wine tours, wine tastings, and wine dinners with brand ambassadors and brand owners.
Developed knowledge of distributor side of hospitality industry, shipping times, container consolidation, and broker relationship management.
Wine Manager/Head Sommelier at Tropical Beach Resort, Honolulu, Hawaii
2014 - 2017
Interacted with guests during dinner service to provide wine recommendations and selections to ensure perfect pairing with food. Conducted tableside wine service and decanting. Managed cellar inventories of 270 bins valued at $500K and generating $1.5M in annual revenue; selected, ordered, stored and organized all wine. Led team at four restaurants, six bars, swimming pool and beach area, including four wine stewards.
Created food and wine pairings for resort guests and high-end events, tasting menus, dinners, and banquets.
Elevated resort’s reputation for excellent wine choice and selection by building large and diverse wine list and enhanced pour quality by introducing Coravin method.
Improved team’s knowledge of wine tasting and service by developing in-depth wine training program; certified three team members WSET 1 and three team members WSET 2.
Drove consistent 22% year-over-year increase in revenue.
Bar Manager/Mixologist at Rum Bar, Honolulu, Hawaii
2010 - 2014
Held accountability for main bar; motivated team to provide high-quality, fast, and efficient service while ensuring consistent adherence to company standards. Monitored inventory and rotated stock.
Engaged with wine distributors, tasted and selected new products, and promoted top brands to guests.
Designed company-wide SOPs and increased sales by demonstrating superior leadership skills.
Developed and implemented new cocktail recipes by leveraging thoughtful and appropriate ingredients to craft balanced, enjoyable cocktails for guests.
Skills example
Hospitality Management
Customer & Guest Services
Food & Beverage Management
Budgeting & Cost Reduction
Profit & Growth Strategies
Event Planning & Marketing
Inventory & Procurement
Inventory & Procurement
