Catering Resume—Job Description, Samples & Skills

Applying to catering jobs left and right and not seeing much traction? 

The problem with most catering resumes is that they throw everything at the reader, burying essential info too deep to be found—

Today, you will learn how to present the recruiter with precisely what they need, not an ounce more. 

In this guide:

• A catering resume sample better than most.
• How to make the perfect catering job description for resumes.
• How to write a resume for catering jobs that stands out.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a catering job.

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If catering is just one option of many for you, or you’re looking for more hospitality resume examples, check out these articles: 

• Bartender Resume Example
• Chef Resume Example
• Food Service Resume Example
• Front Desk Resume Example
• Hospitality Resume Example
• Line Cook Resume Example
• Restaurant Manager Resume Example
• Restaurant Resume Example
• Server Resume Example
• Waiter / Waitress Resume Example
• List of Resume Examples for Every Profession

Catering Resume Sample

Catering professionals provide food and beverage services during weddings, conferences, or parties. Roles within catering range from attendants (servers) to directors. A catering resume should show that you have the skills and experience to succeed at your chosen level of employment. 

Here’s how to write a five-star catering resume: 

1. Make a Good First Impression With Your Resume Format

Presentation is critical in catering—

And it’s also critical on your resume. After all, your job application reflects your attention to detail—if you don’t make your resume look presentable, why would you bother with maintaining a professional appearance on the job?

So, entice the reader with a clean, inviting resume format that’s easy to navigate: 

Catering Resume Format

• Use the reverse-chronological resume format: recruiters are most familiar with this resume layout, which highlights your biggest strengths and most recent achievements. 
• Select a professional resume font, like Arial or Georgia. Set it to 10–12 points in size to ensure it’s easy to read. 
• Set the margins of your resume to one inch, giving your text some breathing room. 
• Submit a one-page resume—it’s the industry standard these days. A two-page resume is only recommended if you’re applying for a senior role (like event manager or catering director) with lots of experience and accomplishments to your name. 
• Build your outline with these resume sections: a professional resume header with your contact details, profile paragraph, work experience, education, essential skills, and optional information. 

Before submitting your resume, check whether the ad mentions a preferred file format. If not, save your resume as a PDF—this file type behaves the same on every device, unlike Word documents, which can mess up your resume layout. 

2. Condense Your Strengths into a Catering Resume Objective or Summary

Your resume profile paragraph is a bite-sized version of the best you offer (a high-end canapé, if you will, with the power of landing an interview). It should catch the reader’s attention and show off your value immediately, making them eager to read. 

If you have experience in your chosen catering role, you can write a resume summary by following these steps: 

1. Open with an adjective that describes your work ethic or personality (reliable, detail-oriented, personable)
2. Mention your job title (catering attendant, catering manager, catering coordinator)
3. Add your years of experience (4+, 5+)
4. Outline how your experience can help you make a positive contribution to the employer’s business (eager to apply my skills towards providing the highest standard of service to XYZ Company’s clients and event guests)
5. Provide a summary of your best, most relevant professional accomplishments(prepared venues for 100+ events with 150+ guests, received 100% positive feedback, coordinated menu planning and service for 50+ high-profile clients)

You can follow the same structure if you’re writing a catering resume with no experience, too—

In place of catering achievements, rely on accomplishments from other jobs, education, projects, volunteering, and transferable skills. This type of resume introduction is called a resume objective statement, and it’s suitable for entry-level candidates and career changers. 

If you’re unsure how to start your resume, don’t worry—begin with other sections and return to the introduction once the rest of your document is finished. Identifying your strengths will be much easier once they’re on the page! 

3. Serve Your Accomplishments in Your Catering Job Descriptions and Skills

Tailoring gets you in with the big names in luxury catering and job hunting. 

As catering and event management companies offer bespoke, personalized services to high-paying clients, you want to provide a targeted resume for promising opportunities. 

Here’s how to write a custom catering resume job description: 

1. Open the job ad and look for resume keywords—skills the employer seeks. You’ll likely find them under a ‘requirements’ heading or similar. 
2. Think back to your previous jobs. When have you used those skills? Focus on times when they helped you achieve specific tasks. 
3. Write bullet points that describe those times, framing them as accomplishments statements. 

By customizing your resume work experience section every time you apply for a new job, you’re serving your most relevant achievements on a platter, ready to impress. 

Still on the topic of bespoke experiences—

Tailor your resume skills section to show the recruiter exactly what they want to see. List up to 10 of the most relevant skills, including as many keywords from the ad as possible. Here are some examples of various catering jobs to get you started: 

Top Catering Resume Skills

• Interpersonal skills
• Time management skills
• Communication skills
• Conflict resolution skills
• Physical fitness and stamina
• Leadership skills
• Attention to detail
• Teamwork
• Alcohol service policies
• Food safety
• Food presentation
• Customer service
• Multitasking
• Menu planning
• Hiring
• Training attendants
• Client relations
• Organizational skills
• Marketing skills
• Budgeting skills
• Food handling
• Adaptability
• Nutrition
• Critical thinking skills
• Beverage preparation
• Problem-solving skills
• Presentation skills
• Following instructions

Expert hint: Tailor your skills list to each new job ad, just like your work experience section. Even positions with the same job title may require slightly different skills depending on the type of service offered by a company, its client portfolio, the events it specializes in, and so on. 

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4. Bring Out Your Education

Hospitality management degree or high school diploma—

It doesn’t matter: you always need to list the details of your education on your resume, even when no specific degree is required. 

Provide the name of your highest degree, followed by where you studied and when. If you’re still in college, list your in-progress degree and details of your high school diploma. 

As an experienced catering professional, you can leave it at that. But if you’re applying for your first job, take it one step further: include a few bullet points under your education to show off relevant skills. You can mention relevant coursework, extracurriculars, projects, or academic accomplishments—anything pertinent to the job and shows your potential. 

5. Wrap It Up With Additional Catering Resume Sections

Just as custom menu items can double the cost of a catering service, custom resume sections can boost your employability. 

Consider including a couple of the following at the end of your resume: 

• Certifications and licenses resume section
• Volunteering resume section
• Foreign languages resume section (remember to include your level of proficiency)
• Projects
• A separate section for your achievements and awards
• Memberships in relevant professional associations
• Hobbies and interests resume section (only if your interests are relevant to the job) 

By now, you should have the recruiter firmly convinced to give you a call—

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Key Points

It’s almost time to clear the tables—

Here’s a recap of how to write a catering resume that gets interviews: 

• Apply the accepted format to your resume to give your presentation a boost. 
• Open with a value-packed resume profile paragraph to hook the reader’s attention. 
• Build your work experience section around accomplishments and relevant skills.
• Write a cover letter and explain exactly how your experience has prepared you to succeed in this role. 

Thanks for reading! Still not sure about something to do with writing your catering resume? Have questions about catering resume skills or job descriptions? Give me a shout in the comments section below!

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