As a restaurant general manager, articulating your diverse skill set to match the unique requirements of different establishments can be a daunting resume challenge. Our comprehensive guide provides tailored strategies and examples that will help you effectively highlight your experience and adapt your resume to stand out in a competitive job market.
- Get inspired from our restaurant general manager resume samples with industry-leading skills, certifications, and more.
- Show how you can impact the organization with your resume summary and experience.
- Introducing your unique restaurant general manager expertise with a focus on tangible results and achievements.
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Designing your restaurant general manager resume format to catch recruiters' eyes
Your restaurant general manager resume will be assessed on a couple of criteria, one of which is the actual presentation.
Is your resume legible and organized? Does it follow a smooth flow?
Or have you presented recruiters with a chaotic document that includes everything you've ever done in your career?
Unless specified otherwise, there are four best practices to help maintain your resume format consistency.
- The top one third of your restaurant general manager resume should definitely include a header, so that recruiters can easily contact you and scan your professional portfolio (or LinkedIn profile).
- Within the experience section, list your most recent (and relevant) role first, followed up with the rest of your career history in a reverse-chronological resume format .
- Always submit your resume as a PDF file to sustain its layout. There are some rare exceptions where companies may ask you to forward your resume in Word or another format.
- If you are applying for a more senior role and have over a decade of applicable work experience (that will impress recruiters), then your restaurant general manager resume can be two pages long. Otherwise, your resume shouldn't be longer than a single page.
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If you happen to have plenty of certificates, select the ones that are most applicable and sought-after across the industry. Organize them by relevance to the role you're applying for.
Essential sections that should make up your restaurant general manager resume include:
- The header - with your contact details (e.g. email and telephone number), link to your portfolio, and headline
- The summary (or objective) - to spotlight the peaks of your professional career, so far
- The experience section - with up to six bullets per role to detail specific outcomes
- The skills list - to provide a healthy mix between your personal and professional talents
- The education and certification - showing your most relevant degrees and certificates to the restaurant general manager role
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proven leadership and team management skills, with a track record of training and motivating staff to provide exceptional customer service.
- Experience with budgeting, financial planning, and cost control in a food service setting, demonstrating an ability to maximize profits without compromising on quality.
- Detailed understanding of restaurant operations, including inventory management, vendor relationships, and health and safety regulations.
- Strong business acumen and the ability to strategize for marketing and sales growth, identifying and capitalizing on market trends to drive restaurant success.
- A history of successfully managing customer complaints and resolving conflicts, resulting in an enhanced dining experience and increased customer loyalty.
The restaurant general manager resume experience section: a roadmap to your expertise
The resume experience section provides you with an opportunity to tell your professional narrative.
Recruiters, reading between the lines of your resume, use the experience section to better understand your unique skill set, accomplishments, and what unique value you bring about.
Discover five quick steps on how to write your experience section:
- Curate only relevant experience items to the role and include the company, description, and dates; all followed by up to six bullets per experience item;
- Each experience item should feature tangible results of your actions - if you can include a number or percent, this will further highlight your aptitude;
- If you've received any managerial or customer feedback, use short excerpts of it as further social proof of your technical or people skills;
- Make sure you're using the appropriate verb tense when listing your responsibilities;
- Within the description for each role, you could summarize your most noteworthy and relevant achievements.
Now, take note of how a real-world restaurant general manager professional received opportunities at industry leaders with these resume experience sections:
- Led a team of 50 employees, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement in customer service at Tasty Treats Restaurant.
- Implemented a new inventory management system that reduced food waste by 20%, significantly lowering operational costs.
- Negotiated with suppliers to obtain better pricing on high-volume ingredients, saving the company approximately $10k annually.
- Initiated a staff training program that improved employee retention by 15% at Gourmet Bites.
- Boosted restaurant revenue by 25% through targeted marketing campaigns and menu redesign.
- Collaborated with the culinary team to incorporate farm-to-table concepts, enhancing customer satisfaction and repeat business.
- Managed the successful opening of the new Seafood Delight location, recruiting a full staff and establishing operating procedures.
- Increased average per-customer spend by 18% through the introduction of a premium wine and cocktail selection.
- Oversaw a 30% improvement in operational efficiency by streamlining the reservation and seating process.
- Revitalized an underperforming restaurant, turning around a negative profit margin to achieve a 10% profitability increase at Savory Selections.
- Developed a customer loyalty program that led to a 20% boost in the regular customer base.
- Managed day-to-day operations, ensuring consistent quality and service standards were upheld across all shifts.
- Orchestrated a digital transformation initiative at Burger Haven, integrating POS systems with online ordering platforms, resulting in a 35% increase in takeout sales.
- Devised a strategic partnership with local breweries, enhancing the dining experience and expanding the customer base.
- Reduced labor costs by 10% through better scheduling efficiencies without sacrificing service quality.
- Played a pivotal role in expanding the Fine Dine Empire brand, adding three new locations within the tenure due to exceptional revenue growth.
- Elevated guest experience by initiating a chef's table program, which contributed to a 30% increase in positive online reviews.
- Spearheaded a sustainability project that cut down on single-use plastics in the restaurant, enhancing the brand's image for environmental stewardship.
- Directed the complete renovation and menu overhaul of Vintage Eats, attracting a more upscale clientele and boosting sales by 40%.
- Implemented a staff cross-training program, creating a more versatile and efficient workforce.
- Liaised with event planners to triple the number of hosted events, substantially increasing the restaurant's exposure and ancillary revenue streams.
- Revamped operational protocols at Pizzeria Gusto, leading to a 50% faster turnover rate during peak hours and corresponding uplift in evening revenue.
- Cultivated a strong supplier network, improving ingredient quality while maintaining cost control.
- Introduced live music nights, creating a vibrant atmosphere that increased weekend patronage by 25%.
- Pioneered a farm-to-fork initiative at The Green Plate, enhancing menu offerings with local, organic produce and boosting sales by 22%.
- Administered comprehensive cost-control measures, resulting in a 15% reduction in kitchen expenses while maintaining food quality.
- Established a culture of exceptional service that led to a 5-star rating on major review platforms.
- Guided Quick Bites Eatery through a significant growth phase, doubling the number of employees to meet increased consumer demand.
- Developed and implemented a point-based rewards system that encouraged customer retention and increased average visit frequency by 20%.
- Optimized supply chain logistics, yielding a 12% reduction in overhead costs while ensuring the timely availability of fresh ingredients.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the percentage increase in overall restaurant revenue during your management tenure to demonstrate financial growth capacity.
- State the number of employees you've managed, showcasing your leadership and team management abilities.
- Mention the exact figure of cost savings achieved through process improvements to indicate your financial acumen.
- List the number of new processes or systems implemented to show innovation and problem-solving skills.
- Quantify customer satisfaction improvements by highlighting growth in positive reviews or ratings under your management.
- Detail the volume of inventory you have managed to reflect your organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Provide the number of successful promotions or marketing campaigns executed to exhibit marketing prowess and operational effectiveness.
- Specify the reduction in employee turnover rates to demonstrate talent retention and a positive work environment fostered by your leadership.
Action verbs for your restaurant general manager resume
Four quick steps for candidates with no resume experience
Those with less or no relevant experience could also make a good impression on recruiters by:
- Taking the time to actually understand what matters most to the role and featuring this within key sections of their resume
- Investing resume space into defining what makes them a valuable candidate with transferrable skills and personality
- Using the resume objective to showcase their personal vision for growth within the company
- Heavily featuring their technical alignment with relevant certifications, education, and skills.
Remember that your resume is about aligning your profile to that of the ideal candidate.
The more prominently you can demonstrate how you answer job requirements, the more likely you'd be called in for an interview.
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If the certificate you've obtained is especially vital for the industry or company, include it as part of your name within the resume headline.
How to showcase hard skills and soft skills on your resume
Reading between the lines of your dream job, you find recruiters are looking for candidates who have specific software or hardware knowledge, and personal skills.
Any technology you're adept at shows your hard skills. This particular skill set answers initial job requirements, hinting at how much time your potential employers would have to invest in training you. Showcase you have the relevant technical background in your communicate, solve problems, and adapt to new environments. Basically, your interpersonal communication skills that show recruiters if you'd fit into the team and company culture. You could use the achievements section to tie in your greatest wins with relevant soft skills.
It's also a good idea to add some of your hard and soft skills across different resume sections (e.g. summary/objective, experience, etc.) to match the job requirements and pass the initial screening process. Remember to always check your skill spelling and ensure that you've copy-pasted the name of the desired skills from the job advert as is.
Top skills for your restaurant general manager resume:
Inventory Management
Budgeting and Finance
Food and Beverage Knowledge
Safety and Sanitation Regulations
Restaurant Operations Management
Purchasing and Supply Chain Management
Menu Planning and Optimization
Marketing and Promotion
Staff Training and Development
Point of Sale (POS) Systems Proficiency
Leadership
Communication
Customer Service
Problem-Solving
Time Management
Teamwork
Adaptability
Attention to Detail
Conflict Resolution
Stress Management
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Mention specific courses or projects that are pertinent to the job you're applying for.
Including your education and certification on your restaurant general manager resume
The significance of your resume education section is paramount. It can show your diverse talents and experiences that are relevnt to the position.
- Incorporate educational qualifications, mentioning the institution and period.
- If you're on your academic journey, pinpoint your expected completion date.
- Opt for leaving out degrees that don't serve the job's purpose.
- Provide an overview of your educational experiences if it spotlights your milestones.
When recruiting for restaurant general manager roles, candidates with relevant education and certification definitely stand out amongst competitors.
Showcase your academic background in the best way possible by:
- Listing all degrees and certifications that are part of the candidate qualifications in the restaurant general manager advert
- Including any extra certificates, if they make sense to your application
- Not going over the top in details - the certificate name, institution, and dates are enough
- If you're in the process of obtaining a degree or certificate that's relevant to the job, include your expected graduation/certification dates
The education and certification sections help back up your application with years of experience in the industry or niche.
Select some of the most cutting-edge or applicable credentials for your next restaurant general manager application from our list:
The top 5 certifications for your restaurant general manager resume:
- ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification (ServSafe) - National Restaurant Association
- Certified Food and Beverage Executive (CFBE) - American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute
- Certified Restaurant Manager (CRM) - National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
- Food Safety Manager Certification (FSMC) - various accredited programs
- Hospitality Management Professional (HMP) - American Hotel & Lodging Association
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Mention specific courses or projects that are pertinent to the job you're applying for.
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The restaurant general manager resume summary or objective: integrating keywords, achievements, and more
Deciding whether to include a resume summary or an objective in your restaurant general manager resume is crucial. Both serve as key introductory elements at the top of your resume, encapsulating your profile in up to five sentences and incorporating relevant keywords from the job advert.
Here are the key differences between the two:
- The resume summary focuses on aligning your achievements and experience with the job requirements. It provides recruiters with a snapshot of your expertise, helping you stand out as an ideal candidate for the role.
- The resume objective, on the other hand, centers on your career goals and aspirations, detailing how the role aligns with your career progression. It's particularly suitable for candidates with less professional experience or those new to the job market.
Below are examples demonstrating best practices in utilizing the resume summary and/or objective to make a strong first impression with your restaurant general manager resume.
Resume summaries for a restaurant general manager job
- With over 15 years at the helm of high-volume dining establishments in New York, I have honed a blend of team leadership, operational efficiency, and customer service excellence. My proactive approach has consistently resulted in improved revenue growth, with a personal record of increasing sales by 25% in a single fiscal quarter.
- Transitioning from a 10-year career as a Supply Chain Manager, I possess the logistical expertise and process optimization skills to seamlessly adapt to the fast-paced environment of restaurant management. My background includes driving a 30% cost reduction through strategic vendor negotiations and inventory control.
- Dedicated hospitality professional boasting a decade-long tenure managing a renowned Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco, I excel in orchestrating memorable dining experiences while maintaining top-notch operational standards. Instrumental in leading my team to secure a coveted regional dining award for three consecutive years.
- Professionally trained as a Head Chef with 12 years of culinary artistry, I bring a deep understanding of kitchen operations, menu development, and food cost management to the restaurant management domain. Spearheaded a farm-to-table initiative that elevated restaurant reputation and increased patronage by 40%.
- Eager to leverage my extensive customer service background and passion for the culinary arts, I aim to cultivate an engaging and efficient dining environment. Though new to restaurant management, my adaptability and commitment to excellence will drive me to upscale dining experiences and contribute to sustained business growth.
- With a fresh perspective backed by five years of event planning and team coordination, I seek to apply my organizational skills and enthusiasm for the hospitality industry. My goal is to create a positive and productive work culture that resonates with both staff and patrons, fostering a reputation for excellence.
Recruiters' favorite additional restaurant general manager resume sections
When writing your restaurant general manager resume, you may be thinking to yourself, " Is there anything more I can add on to stand out? ".
Include any of the below four sections you deem relevant, to ensure your restaurant general manager resume further builds up your professional and personal profile:
Key takeaways
- The layout of your resume should take into consideration your professional background while integrating vital sections and design elements;
- Highlight your most pertinent achievements for the role all through different sections;
- Be very specific when selecting your certifications, hard skills, and soft skills to showcase the best of your talents;
- Include within the top one-third of your restaurant general manager resume a header and summary to help recruiters understand your experience and allocate your contact details. A skills box is optional, but it will help you align your expertise with the role;
- Detail the full extent of your professional experience with specific bullets that focus on tasks, actions, and outcomes.
