- What should your hotel manager’s resume include?
- How can you create a professional summary?
- How should you describe your work experience as a hotel manager?
- Include a fitting hotel manager education and certifications section
- Which key skills are relevant for a hotel manager resume?
- How to select the most impactful hotel manager resume template
- Copyable hotel manager resume example
- Key takeaways for writing a hotel manager resume
Leadership, customer service, hospitality training, and industry knowledge are just a few of the skills you’ll need when you want to become a successful hotel manager. You’ll also need a great way to include all these skills as well as your unique work experience on your resume. That’s where our resume example and writing guide come into the picture!
To help you write a resume that will capture the attention of hotel management, here’s what we will cover:
What should a hotel manager’s resume include?
Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education)
Adding relevant key skills to your resume
Choosing the right resume template for a hotel manager
What should your hotel manager’s resume include?
As a hotel manager, it will be your job to oversee the operations of a hotel. You will need to show a hiring manager you have what it takes to keep those operations functioning smoothly while ensuring guests are satisfied with their stay. When designing your resume, these skills need to be incorporated into the following areas:
The resume header with your contact information
The resume summary
The employment history section
The resume skills section
The education section
How can you create a professional summary?
The first section that a hiring manager will see on your resume is the professional summary. This is where you will need to give a brief overview that includes the skills that will make you an effective hotel manager. Show that you know how to lead employees and improve customer satisfaction. You will also need to summarize your experience in the hospitality industry and your ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Don’t forget to add some of your top skills. You can draw inspiration from the job description itself when you are choosing which skills to include. Showing you have what it takes to be successful in the specific role you are applying for can put you ahead of the competition.
See our adaptable hotel manager resume summary below.
Goal-oriented, performance-driven manager with proven success in general management, training, development, and guest satisfaction in a fast-paced, highly demanding environment. Recognized for ability to incorporate innovative management and training techniques to enhance employee performance, retention, and satisfaction. Able to build a strong team culture focused on collaboration, service levels, and cost management. Leader in strategic planning, project management, problem solving, and process optimization. Skilled communicator able to easily interface with other management, vendors, staff, and guests.
How should you describe your work experience as a hotel manager?
The work experience section is where you can really shine. Use this area to showcase some of your top achievements for each role you’ve held as well as the knowledge you’ve built over the years. In a paragraph after your job title, include your ongoing responsibilities. Be sure to look at the job description of the position you’re targeting and include any duties mentioned there.
Then, include a bulleted list of achievements or special projects. Be as specific as possible and include quantifiable results whenever possible.
For example:
Increased operational revenue by 25% by implementing marketing initiatives and introducing event management.
Take a look at the adaptable hotel manager resume employment history section below.
Front desk manager at The Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City. UT 2018 - 2023
Established the standard for exceptional guest experience, ensuring an efficient flow and world-class customer service at every level.
Monitored front desk, making sure all associates complied with hotel policies, practices, and regulations.
Hired, trained, coached, and mentored new associates. Performed performance appraisals in a timely manner.
Assured guests were treated in a courteous and efficient manner in adherence to hotel standards.
Worked closely with Accounting to collect and keep accounts receivable to a minimum.
Collaborated with various departments hotel-wide to enhance levels of communication and guest satisfaction.
Helped maintain room inventory status in order to achieve optimal levels of revenues while simultaneously meeting guest expectations.
Front desk Manager at Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT 2012 - 2018
Orchestrated daily operations of an 850-room hotel, performing in numerous positions and earning promotions for outstanding performance.
Oversaw two salaried managers and 12 hourly team members as well as the PBX department which included one supervisor and eight employees.
Trained and coached teams on 5 Diamond guidelines and recruited new members to fill open PBX and front desk positions.
Fostered hotel culture and developed and implemented process improvements to retain customer satisfaction and repeat revenue.
Preserved profitability through an economic downturn by aligning payroll percentages with less than 1.2% of operational revenue and sustained the AAA 4 Diamond status for four years straight.
Served as the Front Office Manager during the most profitable year in the hotel’s history.
Continuously contributed to guest satisfaction, supply procurement and operational and labor budgets.
Expert Tip
Show how you maximize earnings
Statistics show that the hotel industry has been continually growing in recent years. Hiring managers will want to see how you manage this growth while maximizing revenue for the hotels you’ve worked with in the past.
Include a fitting hotel manager education and certifications section
Your educational background can also work to your benefit when you are applying for a hotel manager position. However, since your professional experience is more valuable, this is something you can save for the very bottom of your resume.
Degrees and certifications. You should include any degrees you hold, or relevant college coursework. Also include any industry-related certifications you’ve obtained. When listing your education information, write out what type of degree you obtained and the college or institution you received it from.
Professional Training. Any specialized training you’ve received can be listed in this section as well, even if it was an on-the-job or online course. Just be sure it’s relevant to the job you’re targeting.
Bachelor of Science in Sociology at Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Graduated Cum Laude
Which key skills are relevant for a hotel manager resume?
As mentioned, being a hotel manager means that you are working in the hospitality industry. So, your leadership, hotel operations, and guest satisfaction skills are some of the most important to have. However, you also need experience with more, such as site safety and guidelines and financial operations.
In our resume example, you’ll find some of the most commonly seen skills that a hotel manager will need. However, it’s important to remember that your resume should be customized around your specific experience as well as the job description for the role you are applying for.
Also, don’t forget that a hiring manager is likely to use an applicant tracking system to find resumes that list specific skills they mention in their job description. This is another reason why it’s important to customize your resume around each role you are applying for. (If you’d like to learn more about how an ATS works, check out our Resume ATS optimization article.)
For a hotel manager, a few critical skills might include:
Staff leadership
Hotel operations
Guest communication
Site inspections
Hotel standards
Accounts receivable
Guest retention
How to select the most impactful hotel manager resume template
Keep your resume compact and easy to read. Many hotel manager resumes can be kept to just one page. However, depending on your experience, a second page might be needed. The template you choose should be in reverse chronological order and in a professional layout.
Avoid templates with images, nonstandard fonts, or unique layouts. You want a resume that is easy-to-read with clear section headings so hiring managers can immediately find what they’re looking for.
The template we’ve chosen for our hotel manager’s resume example is a great option, but we have many to choose from. Our resume builder is available, and you’ll find over 100 resume examples there that are sure to inspire your design.
Copyable hotel manager resume example
Summary example
Goal-oriented, performance-driven manager with proven success in general management, training, development, and guest satisfaction in a fast-paced, highly demanding environment. Recognized for ability to incorporate innovative management and training techniques to enhance employee performance, retention, and satisfaction. Able to build a strong team culture focused on collaboration, service levels, and cost management. Leader in strategic planning, project management, problem solving, and process optimization. Skilled communicator able to easily interface with other management, vendors, staff, and guests.
Employment history example
Front desk manager at The Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City. UT 2018 - 2023
Established the standard for exceptional guest experience, ensuring an efficient flow and world-class customer service at every level.
Monitored front desk, making sure all associates complied with hotel policies, practices, and regulations.
Hired, trained, coached, and mentored new associates. Performed performance appraisals in a timely manner.
Assured guests were treated in a courteous and efficient manner in adherence to hotel standards.
Worked closely with Accounting to collect and keep accounts receivable to a minimum.
Collaborated with various departments hotel-wide to enhance levels of communication and guest satisfaction.
Helped maintain room inventory status in order to achieve optimal levels of revenues while simultaneously meeting guest expectations.
Front desk Manager at Little America Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT 2012 - 2018
Orchestrated daily operations of an 850-room hotel, performing in numerous positions and earning promotions for outstanding performance.
Oversaw two salaried managers and 12 hourly team members as well as the PBX department which included one supervisor and eight employees.
Trained and coached teams on 5 Diamond guidelines and recruited new members to fill open PBX and front desk positions.
Fostered hotel culture and developed and implemented process improvements to retain customer satisfaction and repeat revenue.
Preserved profitability through an economic downturn by aligning payroll percentages with less than 1.2% of operational revenue and sustained the AAA 4 Diamond status for four years straight.
Served as the Front Office Manager during the most profitable year in the hotel’s history.
Continuously contributed to guest satisfaction, supply procurement and operational and labor budgets.
Education example
Bachelor of Science in Sociology at Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Graduated Cum Laude
Skills example
Staff Leadership & Supervision
Staff Training, Mentoring & Coaching
Operations & Asset Preservation
Relationship Building & Management
Hotel Guidelines & Standards
Guest Communication & Interactions
Invoice Review & Accounts Receivable
Key takeaways for writing a hotel manager resume
Hospitality and customer service are two of the main focuses you want to have when designing your hotel manager resume.
When choosing key achievements for the professional experience section of your resume, use quantifiable data whenever possible.
Keep your resume design professional and add keywords that will trigger an ATS to include your resume in its search results.
