Bartender & Hospitality Resumes
Great bartender (and hospitality) resumes should show what you bring to the
table and a little of your personality. Need help creating your own? Try Canva.
They have a free version. Need advice? It's all below: what to include, how to organize it, and how to make it stand out.
AI can help you get started, too. Just make sure it doesn’t promote you from
barback to regional vice president of tequila. 🤣
Prefer something custom? I can do that! When I was a bar manager, resumes that stood out from the stacks of white paper on my desk caught my attention—and went straight to the top. A thoughtful design can help get your foot in the door. Once you land the interview, though, you’re the one who has to charm the room.
Custom bartender and hospitality resumes; I’d love to create one that highlights your experience and personality.
The cost is $125–$150, and I’ll work with you until your new resume is exactly the way you want it. Once approved, I’ll send you a high-resolution PDF for printing and a smaller PDF for online uploads.
Email me at cheryl@misscharming.com with questions or to get started.
Your resume also includes two complimentary future edits, because I understand that we all move on to bigger and better things in life—and sometimes we just change our phone number for reasons we won’t get into here. 😂
Printing copies? I’m a fan of butter-soft white linen paper paired with professional laser printing. Ask your local print shop or office supply store whether they offer both—often, their professional printers are behind the counter. If linen paper isn’t included among their printing options, you can purchase a package in the store and ask them to use it. Always ask for a test copy first to approve before committing to several copies. Together, the linen paper and laser printing will give your resume a polished look and feel that stands out from ordinary office paper.
After all, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Cheryl Charming's 14 Tips For Creating A Bartender Resume
A bartender resume can differ from a suit-and-tie business resume.
After reviewing hundreds (probably thousands) of bartender and hospitality resumes, here’s what I’ve learned works.
1. Name —Duh.
2. Contact Information —A phone number and email address are sufficient.
3. Summary or Objective — I'm a fan of: I want to provide an excellent experience for guests at your establishment.
This is what managers want to hear. They want you to take care of their clientele because repeat business means more money for everyone.
You can add to the blurb if you like, such as: I’m a talented bartender who understands the bottom line. I want to provide an excellent experience for guests at your establishment.
The line "who understands the bottom line" is a line an experienced person would say. Do you know what the bottom line is? The bottom line of any business is sales and numbers. It's the only reason businesses exist. Use this one line to show you understand.
4. Bar / Bartender / F&B Experience —Start with the most recent. Include the years, your title, the establishment, the establishment's city and state, then a 1-2 sentence description that paints a picture of what you did.
• If you have a combination of F&B and other employment, then
group into two sections: F&B Experience and Non-F&B Experience. This is a good thing and shows that you have lots of interests and skills.
• If your work experience has gaps, then use the number of years.
Bartender — Woodie’s Lounge — Orlando, FL — 7 Years
Honestly, the manager is calculating the dates anyway, so save them the math.
• If you need to beef up your resume, then add Freelance Bartender.
Example: 2015-Present (or 11 years) Freelance Bartender | New York Area
I provide excellent service for private parties, events, and occasions.
Samples
2013-Present Bartender • The Compass • Carlsbad, CA
Tended bar full-time and filled in for cocktail shifts when needed. Now I work one day a week. The Compass is a high-volume gastropub that offers craft cocktails, weekly & happy hour specials, and late-night menus.
Bartender — Woodie’s Lounge — Orlando, FL — 7 Years
Mixed and served a wide variety of beverages and cocktails in this high-volume sports bar, serving local clientele as well as professional and semi-pro hockey players. Used creativity to develop traditional and new drink recipes. Late nights,
stiff drinks, and a lot of crazy people.
2015-Present (or 8 years) Freelance Bartender | New York Area
Provide excellent service for private parties, events, and occasions.
2022-2024 Head Bartender • Uno Chicago Grill • Cambridge, MA
Tended the bar full-time in a fun, large establishment with karaoke and weekend dancing. Worked the full-service main bar and trained a hardworking staff of servers, bus help, expediters, food runners, & service bartenders. Managed bar inventory for 20+ tap beers and 34+ bottled beers. Lots of late nights in this extremely fast-paced bar.
2024-2026 Bartender/Server • 20 Brix Restaurant • Cincinnati, OH
Hired as a server, then quickly promoted to bartender in this elegant, modern restaurant offering California cuisine with a limited bistro menu. Full-service, dark, wood-paneled liquor bar with 100+ wines from around the world. Late nights, stiff drinks, high volume, two bartenders and lots of smoky blues.
2019-2025 Bartender | Mellow Yellow Restaurant | Chicago, IL
I tended bar for guests and wait staff in this busy, legendary neighborhood restaurant and bar, known for its famous rotisserie chicken and herb-crusted steak, and for an extensive bar menu with large selections of wine, beer, and spirits.
2016-2022 Bar Manager/Bartender • Westshore Cafe • Lake Tahoe, CA
Situated at the water's edge on Lake Tahoe's majestic west shore. An elegant retreat for lakeside dining and cocktailing. The patio bar is an ideal place to luxuriate in the sun, surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountains, while enjoying signature cocktails from the extensive drink menu.
5. Other / Non F&B Experience
Bar managers like to see your other experience to get an idea of other skills you bring to the table. Keep it short; no descriptions.
Samples
2010-2012 Part-Time Clinical Assistant • Hospice of New York, Queens
2015 Cook | Mama Linda's | Lebanon, OR
2014-2016 Real Estate Agent — Kaszynski Bripol Realty — Peru, IL
2016 Hostess IHOP > New Orleans, LA
2015-2017 Construction :: Boh Brothers Construction :: Houston, TX
6. Accomplishments & Skills —Keep it simple. Leave it out if you want.
7. Education —Don't list High School. If you do not have a college degree, then change the header to Certifications (Food Handlers Card, TIPS, etc.) or leave it off completely.
8. References —If you can fit it in, then list 1-3 references. If not, simply say "References Upon Request." Choose people who’ve seen you work: a former manager, a head bartender, or a coworker. Your best friend and your mom don’t count. 🤣
9. Photo —A picture is worth a thousand words and attracts more attention.
10. Physical Presentation —An attention-getting resume can get your foot in the door, but it is up to you to nail the interview. So dress nicely, smile, make eye contact, listen, give a good handshake, and sit up straight.
11. Keep It to One Page. Unless you’ve been running bar programs for 20 years, one page is plenty. A bar manager is reading your resume between a liquor order and a broken ice machine. Make it easy for them.
12. Send a PDF. A PDF looks exactly the way you designed it, on any phone, tablet, or computer. A Word doc can shift your layout around, and a resume pasted into the body of an email looks like you threw it together in the parking lot.
13. Follow the Directions. If the job listing asks for a resume, a cover letter, and your availability, send a resume, a cover letter, and your availability. You’d be amazed how many people don’t. Following directions is a big part of bartending, and managers notice.
14. Proofread. Then Proofread Again. A typo on a resume tells a manager you might also pour the wrong drink. Read it out loud, then have a friend read it, because your eyes will skip right over your own mistakes.
Free Images
If you decide to use images on your resume, here are some places to find free, images: Pixabay, Pexels, Unsplash, and Max Pixel.
