As a hotel general manager, distinguishing yourself in a saturated market full of qualified candidates can be a daunting resume challenge. Our guide offers tailored advice to showcase your leadership skills and operational expertise, ensuring your resume stands out to potential employers.
- Aligning the top one-third of your hotel general manager resume with the role you're applying for.
- Curating your specific hotel general manager experience to get the attention of recruiters.
- How to list your relevant education to impress hiring managers recruiting for the hotel general manager role.
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Don't stress out over your hotel general manager resume format
Remember, the elaborate design of your hotel general manager resume isn't what impresses recruiters most. They are primarily searching for candidates who meet the job requirements. The main aim of your resume should be to clearly and concisely explain why employers should hire you.
Here are four straightforward steps to consider in your hotel general manager resume design:
- Organize your resume based on experience: Start with your most recent roles. Besides using reverse chronological order, choose jobs relevant to the position you're applying for.
- Include your contact details (and portfolio or LinkedIn link) in your resume's header to ensure recruiters can easily reach you. If considering adding a professional photo, check acceptable practices in different countries first.
- Don't omit essential hotel general manager resume sections such as the summary or objective, experience, and education. These sections should reflect your career progression and align with job requirements.
- Maintain conciseness in your resume. For those with less than ten years of experience, a one-page format is advisable.
Regarding the format to submit your hotel general manager resume, PDF is preferable. PDFs are more likely to maintain their formatting when processed through recruitment software or ATS, saving you time in the application process.
When selecting a font for your hotel general manager resume, consider the following:
- Choose ATS-friendly fonts such as Exo 2, Volkhov, Lato, etc., to keep your resume's content legible;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are easily readable by ATS;
- While Arial and Times New Roman are common choices, opting for unique typography can help your resume stand out.
Concerned about ATS compatibility with charts and infographics? Our recent study has debunked this and other myths.
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PRO TIP
Highlight any significant extracurricular activities that demonstrate valuable skills or leadership.
The key to your hotel general manager job-winning resume - present your expertise with these sections:
- A header to make your resume more scannable
- Snapshot of who you are as a professional with your resume soft skills, achievements, and summary or objective
- Job advert keywords in the skills section of your resume
- Resume experience quantifying your past job successes with metrics
- A relevant education, certification, and technical sills section to provide background to your technological/software capabilities
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Demonstrated leadership experience in hotel operations and staff management
- Proven track record of financial management and budget optimization
- Experience in customer service excellence and guest satisfaction improvement
- Knowledge of current hospitality technology and property management systems
- Strategic marketing and revenue management skills
The hotel 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 hotel general manager professional received opportunities at industry leaders with these resume experience sections:
- Spearheaded a comprehensive revamp of customer service protocols, leading to a 15% increase in guest satisfaction ratings as measured by online reviews and surveys.
- Managed a $5M hotel renovation project, coordinating between contractors and hotel departments, ensuring minimal disruption to guests and operations.
- Implemented a new hotel-wide sustainability initiative, resulting in a 20% reduction in energy costs and earning the property a local environmental stewardship award.
- Drove a 10% year-over-year revenue increase by developing and launching an upscale dining concept that attracted local and visiting patrons.
- Cultivated partnerships with event planners and local businesses, leading to a 25% boost in hosted events and a stronger position in the competitive market.
- Launched an employee training program focusing on cross-departmental skills, thereby increasing staff versatility and reducing labor costs by 8%.
- Increased hotel occupancy rates by 18% through aggressive marketing strategies and revamping loyalty programs to enhance repeat business.
- Oversaw the successful integration of cutting-edge property management systems to streamline operations and enhance guest experience.
- Negotiated key vendor contracts cutting operational expenses by 12%, improving the hotel's profitability despite fluctuating economic conditions.
- Led the development and implementation of a strategic plan for expanding conference facilities, resulting in a 30% increase in corporate bookings.
- Enhanced online presence through a website redesign and targeted digital marketing, leading to a 45% growth in direct online bookings.
- Orchestrated the adoption of guest service technologies such as mobile check-in and room customization apps to elevate the guest experience.
- Improved the annual revenue by 20% by rebranding the hotel and targeting a new customer segment, which included international business travelers.
- Developed a multilingual staff training program to enhance communication with guests, thereby improving customer service scores by 34%.
- Initiated and monitored a risk management plan that reduced workplace accidents by 40% and lowered insurance premiums.
- Expanded the hotel's market share by launching an innovative wellness tourism package, resulting in a 22% rise in off-season occupancy rates.
- Optimized hotel inventory through dynamic pricing strategies based on market analysis, increasing average room rates by 8%.
- Fostered a culture of empowerment among the team, leading to a decrease in staff turnover by 15% and increased employee satisfaction.
- Pioneered a tech-forward approach by integrating IoT devices for smart room experiences, driving a 10% uplift in repeat business from tech-savvy guests.
- Directed a task force during a crisis management situation when the hotel was at risk due to a natural disaster, minimally affecting guest experience and no injuries reported.
- Initiated and fostered community outreach programs that improved the hotel's local engagement and visibility within the city.
- Success in increasing annual profit margins by 12% through effective cost-control measures and restructuring food and beverage services for efficiency.
- Led a cross-functional team to acquire and transition a new boutique hotel, increasing the brand's footprint and regional market share.
- Implemented staff wellness and professional development programs which improved team morale and resulted in a 95% staff retention rate across two years.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Quantify financial performance improvements, such as percentage increase in hotel revenue or cost savings achieved under your management.
- List specific numbers related to occupancy rates and how they improved during your tenure.
- Highlight percentage growth in customer satisfaction scores or online review ratings due to initiatives you led.
- Describe the scale of operations you managed, including number of rooms, staff size, and amenities provided.
- Detail the number of successful events and conferences hosted at the hotel to show experience in large-scale event management.
- Document measurable improvements in employee retention or staff training programs that resulted in quantifiable outcomes.
- State any reductions in energy usage or waste, which reflect sustainable management practices and cost efficiency.
- Include the number of new business partnerships or contracts negotiated that led to revenue growth or increased market presence.
Action verbs for your hotel general manager resume
Lacking relevant hotel general manager resume experience?
Learn how to write your hotel general manager resume experience in spite of having no real-world (or applicable) experience for the job.
You should:
- Feature relevant projects or publications that could impress recruiters or showcase that you have the basic skill set for the job
- Shift the focus towards your people (communication, organization, etc.) skills to demonstrate that you're a quick learner and can easily adapt to a new environment
- Use the resume objective to not only highlight your accomplishments but also map out how your career plans are perfectly aligned with the company's vision
- Select either the functional-skill-based resume format (that puts the focus on your skills) or the hybrid one (balancing expertise with skills).
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PRO TIP
The more time and effort you've put into obtaining the relevant certificate, the closer to the top it should be listed. This is especially important for more senior roles and if the company you're applying for is more forward-facing.
In-demand hard skills and soft skills for your hotel general manager resume
A vital element for any hotel general manager resume is the presentation of your skill set.
Recruiters always take the time to assess your:
- Technological proficiency or hard skills - which software and technologies can you use and at what level?
- People/personal or soft skills - how apt are you at communicating your ideas across effectively? Are you resilient to change?
The ideal candidate presents the perfect balance of hard skills and soft skills all through the resume, but more particular within a dedicated skills section.
Building your hotel general manager skills section, you should:
- List up to six skills that answer the requirements and are unique to your expertise.
- Include a soft skill (or two) that defines you as a person and professional - perhaps looking back on feedback you've received from previous managers, etc.
- Create up to two skills sections that are organized based on the types of skills you list (e.g. "technical skills", "soft skills", "hotel general manager skills", etc.).
- If you happen to have technical certifications that are vital to the industry and really impressive, include their names within your skills section.
At times, it really is frustrating to think back on all the skills you possess and discover the best way to communicate them across.
We understand this challenge - that's why we've prepared two lists (of hard skills and soft skills) to help you build your next resume, quicker and more efficiently:
Top skills for your hotel general manager resume:
Hospitality Management
Revenue Management
Budgeting and Financial Planning
Sales and Marketing
Hotel Operations
Strategic Planning
Crisis Management
Housekeeping Oversight
Food and Beverage Administration
Compliance and Regulation Understanding
Leadership
Decision Making
Problem Solving
Communication
Customer Service
Adaptability
Teamwork
Attention to Detail
Conflict Resolution
Time Management
PRO TIP
If you're in the process of obtaining your certificate or degree, list the expected date you're supposed to graduate or be certified.
Certifications and education: in-demand sections for your hotel general manager resume
Your academic background in the form of certifications on your resume and your higher degree education is important to your application.
The certifications and education sections pinpoint a variety of hard and soft skills you possess, as well as your dedication to the industry.
Add relevant certificates to your hotel general manager resume by:
- Add special achievements or recognitions you've received during your education or certification, only if they're really noteworthy and/or applicable to the role
- Be concise - don't list every and any certificate you've obtained through your career, but instead, select the ones that would be most impressive to the role
- Include the name of the certificate or degree, institution, graduation dates, and certificate license numbers (if possible)
- Organize your education in reverse chronological format, starting with the latest degree you have that's most applicable for the role
Think of the education and certification sections as the further credibility your hotel general manager resume needs to pinpoint your success.
Now, if you're stuck on these resume sections, we've curated a list of the most popular technical certificates across the industry.
Have a look, below:
The top 5 certifications for your hotel general manager resume:
- Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) - American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute
- Certified Hospitality General Manager (CHGM) - American Hotel & Loditing Association
- Master Hotel Supplier (MHS) - American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute
- Hospitality Management Diploma (HMD) - Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
- Revenue Management Certificate - eCornell
PRO TIP
Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
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Professional summary or objective for your hotel general manager resume
hotel general manager candidates sometimes get confused between the difference of a resume summary and a resume objective.
Which one should you be using?
Remember that the:
- Resume objective has more to do with your dreams and goals for your career. Within it, you have the opportunity to showcase to recruiters why your application is an important one and, at the same time, help them imagine what your impact on the role, team, and company would be.
- Resume summary should recount key achievements, tailored for the role, through your career. Allowing recruiters to quickly scan and understand the breadth of your hotel general manager expertise.
The resume objectives are always an excellent choice for candidates starting off their career, while the resume summary is more fitting for experienced candidates.
No matter if you chose a summary or objective, get some extra inspiration from real-world professional hotel general manager resumes:
Resume summaries for a hotel general manager job
- Seasoned Hotel Manager with over a decade of success in managing luxury properties for international chains. Expert in optimizing operational efficiencies, elevating guest experiences, and leading cross-functional teams. Pivotal in increasing customer satisfaction ratings by 25% at the flagship property in New York through strategic staff training and service improvements.
- Dynamic leader with 15 years of comprehensive experience in the hospitality sector, adept at financial management, and known for a proven track record in elevating customer service standards. Increased annual revenue by 30% within two years at a renowned boutique hotel in Paris through innovative marketing strategies and meticulous cost control measures.
- Accomplished executive in the retail industry seeking to transfer extensive management, strategic planning, and customer service skills into the hospitality arena. Brings over 18 years of experience in leading large teams to achieve sales targets and operational goals, with the ambition to apply this expertise to enhance hotel efficiency and guest satisfaction.
- IT Project Manager with a 12-year tenure seeking transition into hotel management, bringing a wealth of experience in process optimization, team building, and technology integration. Eager to apply a robust analytical mindset and project management prowess to streamline hotel operations and elevate the guest experience in a thriving hospitality environment.
- Aspiring Hotel General Manager with a strong foundation in customer relations and hospitality services. Focused on mastering hotel operations and management, eager to contribute to driving excellence in guest relations and staff development with a fresh perspective and a deep commitment to upholding standards of luxury and comfort.
- Recent Hospitality Management graduate with internship experience at high-end resorts, eager to apply academic knowledge and passion for the hospitality industry to contribute to a hotel's operational success. Deeply enthusiastic about creating memorable guest experiences and advancing to a management role through hands-on learning and dedicated mentorship.
Taking your hotel general manager resume to the next level with these four additional resume sections
Your hotel general manager resume can feature a variety of skills (both hard and soft) in diverse sections. Choose those that align best with the job requirements and reflect your suitability for the company culture.
Consider these four additional resume sections recommended by our experts:
- Languages - State any languages you are proficient in and your level of proficiency. This demonstrates your commitment to communication and potential for international growth.
- Projects - Highlight up to three significant projects you've completed outside of work, showcasing skill development. Include a link to your project portfolio in the hotel general manager resume header, if applicable.
- My Time - How you allocate your time outside work can indicate your organizational skills and cultural fit within the company.
- Volunteering - Detail causes you're passionate about, roles you've held, and achievements in volunteering. Such experiences likely have honed a range of soft skills crucial for your dream job.
Key takeaways
At the end of our guide, we'd like to remind you to:
- Invest in a simple, modern resume design that is ATS friendly and keeps your experience organized and legible;
- Avoid just listing your responsibilities in your experience section, but rather focus on quantifiable achievements;
- Always select resume sections that are relevant to the role and can answer job requirements. Sometimes your volunteering experience could bring more value than irrelevant work experience;
- Balance your technical background with your personality traits across various sections of your resume to hint at how much time employers would have to invest in training you and if your profile would be a good cultural fit to the organization;
- Include your academic background (in the form of your relevant higher education degrees and certifications) to show recruiters that you have the technical basics of the industry covered.
Hotel General Manager resume examples
Explore additional hotel general manager resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
By Role
Guest Relations Manager
The Guest Relations Manager role is integral to customer-facing industries. Efficiency, communication, and problem-solving all influence customer satisfaction and loyalty trends.
Some pointers for when you're applying for a position like this are:
- Emphasize your experience in handling customer issues, large crowds, and creating warm environments. Showcase how your efforts resulted in increased customer satisfaction, longer stay durations, or higher return rates.
- Highlight your skills in softwares commonly used in the industry and how they have made the operations process smoother, e.g. 'improved customer experience by leveraging...'
- Focus not only on your conflict resolution skills but also on particular incidents that led to positive outcomes. Don’t just list your skills, share how they have meaningfully improved guest experiences, follow the 'skill-action-results' pattern.
Guest Services Manager
Guest Services Manager role comes with a heavy emphasis on customer recovery and satisfaction. This title requires active, problem-solving skills, paired with diligent customer interactions.
For applying for this role:
- Highlight your experience in upscale establishments or in handling complex customer requests. Feature how these experiences led to increased customer satisfaction rates.
- Demonstrate your expertise in using relevant softwares to optimize customer service processes, eg. 'enhanced response time by using...'.
- List key incidents when your quick thinking and efficient problem-solving led to a significant improvement in customer service. Use 'skill-action-results' format to structure these examples.
Hospitality
The Hospitality industry greatly values service-oriented skills, and trends from customer service sectors often drive changes within the industry.
When crafting your resume for a job in Hospitality, consider the following points:
- Emphasize your experience with different customer service strategies. Prioritizing the guest experience, utilizing Emotional Intelligence, guest recovery methods, and working methodically under stress are rendered essential.
- Ensure your relevant skills are displayed on your resume. Being sidestepped due to a lack of skill presentation is disappointing when you have the relevant service experience.
- Highlight your past roles and how they influenced customer satisfaction. Many excellent hospitality workers often come from diverse service-related backgrounds, illustrating your past roles and their impact on customer happiness is vital.
- Not just mentioning skills, show how they contribute to guest satisfaction. For instance, “increased customer loyalty through…”, “improved online ratings after…” etc. Employ the “skill-action-results” formula.
Hospitality Manager
A Hospitality Manager often integrates customer service, team management, and business development. Your experience in the field impacts the overall operations efficiency.
For this role:
- Underline your experience in managing teams or complex operations. Provide details on how it improved team dynamics or overall operational efficiently.
- Showcase your skills in using industry-specific softwares to streamline operations eg., 'enhanced business operations by implementing...'.
- Ensure to highlight incidents when your management skills directly led to a tangible improvement in services or revenue. Prioritize the 'skill-action-results' pattern in your resume.
Hotel Assistant Manager
Hotel Assistant Manager role requires a blend of administration, customer service, and team leadership skills. Strong operational background influences the job performance.
For an effective application:
- Highlight your experience in regulating hotel operations or in dealing with a diverse clientele. Show how these experiences contributed to improved hotel ratings.
- Illustrate your proficiency in reservation or organization management softwares eg., 'improved booking system efficiency by incorporating...'.
- Present instances when your leadership directly resulted in improvement in employee productivity or overall service quality. Be specific, use the 'skill-action-results' format.
Hotel Operations Manager
Hotel Operations Manager role is markedly administration-focused. Sound knowledge of industry trends influences the operational efficiency in this job.
For this application:
- Emphasize your background in managing hotel operations. Show how your management has led to improved operational efficiency. backend tasks.
- Demonstrate your experience with hotel management software, and how they’ve streamlined your work, eg. 'enhanced operational efficiency by deploying...'.
- Add instances when you’ve managed to increase customer satisfaction, employee productivity, or hotel revenue. Use the 'skill-action-results' model.
Housekeeping Manager
Housekeeping Manager role is largely about supervising, training personnel, and maintaining cleanliness. Your expertise can directly impact guest satisfaction and hotel reputation.
Applying for this position requires:
- Point out your experience in overseeing large teams or managing extensive facilities. Show how your management led to higher cleanliness standards.
- Showcase your experience with cleaning or maintenance management software, eg., 'improved tracking of cleaning tasks by using...'.
- Use specific examples of strategies that improved housekeeping efficiency or led to improved ratings. Structure your examples using the 'skill-action-results' approach.
Resort Manager
Resort Manager position requires balancing customer service, team management, and resort upkeep. Your track record can greatly influence resort ratings and popularity.
For this application:
- Highlight your experience in running full scale operations or in managing exclusive clientele. Show how your efforts have improved overall resort performance.
- Demonstrate your skills in using resort management software and how they improved your service delivery, eg. 'enhanced resort services by utilizing...'
- Include instances when your management led to increased customer satisfaction or improved resort revenue. Use the 'skill-action-results' framework to structure your resume.
Rooms Division Manager
Rooms Division Manager role centers around room allocation, cleanliness, and customer satisfaction. Your role can be a cornerstone in the hotel's overall performance.
When applying for this job:
- Focus on your experience in managing large quantities of rooms or problem-solving for challenging situations, then connect these to improved efficiency.
- Highlight your experience with room or inventory management software, eg., 'enhanced room inventory management by implementing...'
- Describe situations where your decision-making led to improved customer satisfaction or room allocation efficiency. Use 'skill-action-results' format to add depth to your resume.
