A hospitality CV has one job: let a busy manager decide in about thirty seconds whether to call you. Everything that does not help that decision is costing you space.
Put the decisive facts first
The top of page one should answer: what role you want, where you can work, when you are available, whether you have the right to work, and which languages you speak to what level. In seasonal hiring, availability dates alone can decide whether you are shortlisted.
Then list recent roles in reverse order. For each one give the property type and size, not just the name — "180-room five-star resort, 3 outlets" tells a manager more than a hotel name they may not recognise.
Replace adjectives with numbers
"Hard-working and passionate" appears on almost every CV and therefore distinguishes nobody. Concrete scale does: covers per service, rooms cleaned per shift, team size supervised, systems used, average occupancy, languages used with guests daily.
One specific line per role is usually enough. "Ran the grill station for 120–150 covers, six services a week" is worth more than a paragraph of adjectives.
- ✓One or two pages, readable at a glance, simple file name with your name in it
- ✓Send PDF unless another format is requested
- ✓Check phone number, email and dates — errors here cost you interviews
- ✓Only include a photo, age or marital status where it is genuinely required
Gaps, seasons and honesty
Seasonal careers naturally produce gaps, and experienced hospitality managers know that. A short honest note — "seasonal contract ended, October to March" — closes the question. An unexplained gap invites a worse assumption.
Be straightforward about systems and languages you are still learning. Claiming fluent English or full command of a property-management system that you cannot demonstrate on day one damages you more than the gap would have.
Before you send it
- ✓Target role, location and availability visible at the top
- ✓Work permission status stated clearly
- ✓Property type and size given for each recent role
- ✓At least one concrete number per role
- ✓Languages listed with honest levels
- ✓Contact details checked and file named properly
Last reviewed: 6 August 2026. This is general information, not individualized legal, tax or immigration advice. Terms vary by employer and personal circumstances; verify important information with the employer or relevant authority.