Best Bar Manager CV for 2025 [Example & Writing Guide]

You can choose from three different CV formats when crafting your CV. Each format allows you to hone in on a separate area of your professional expertise. The three formats are:

• Functional: The functional format is great for focusing specifically on your skills and is usually favoured by those who don’t have extensive work experience to include on their CV. 

• Chronological: Since you are applying for bar management positions,  you should have some years of experience in the food and beverage industry. If this is the case, using a chronological format will allow for the most significant section of your CV to be focused on your work history. 

• Combination: A combination format balances both your skills and experience sections, making this format great for anyone who has employment gaps or is changing careers. 

Once you decide on the CV format, you can begin adding your information into these sections: 

 

 

Your header section is the first part of your CV and contains all the contact details that the recruiter will need to reach you. Include your name, phone number and email address. Also include professional social media links, such as your LinkedIn profile, if you have them. 

 

 

A professional CV summary is a short two to three-sentence paragraph that gives the hiring manager an overview of your most notable achievements and skills. The intention of a professional summary is to catch the attention of a recruiter and encourage them to learn more about you. Here is a CV summary example:

 

“Detail-oriented bar manager with five years of experience within the restaurant industry. Expertise in bar management, mixology and customer service. Able to create employee schedules and maintain high quality of service.”

 

 

Your skills section is a great place to incorporate specific job requirements that you will find within the job description to ensure you meet the hiring manager’s expectations. Finding these keywords and highlighting them will give you the best chance of including key skills that are relevant to the specific position. Here are some common bar manager skills to consider adding to your CV: 

• Understanding of finance and budgeting
• Experience in training bar staff
• Customer satisfaction
• Foodservice 
• Knowledge of bar operations
• Communication skills
• Experience in performance evaluations
• Staff management and training
• Time management
• Drink menu planning, pricing and incorporating new cocktails 
• Experience in using POS systems
• Teamwork
• Experience in running a bar area and supervising a safe work environment
• Cost control
• Maintaining high standards for customer service
• Organising special events
• Inventory management

Work experience

 

Since you are applying for bar manager jobs, you likely have a hefty amount of work experience you would like to include in your application. Focus on the most important and relevant parts of your work history, citing them in reverse-chronological order so that the recruiter can quickly see your most recent work experience.  

 

 

Your education section does not need to be extensive but it is good to include an overview of your educational background. For example, if you have a degree in business management or operations management or have studied for a restaurant manager role, be sure to include this information. If you don’t have a college degree, include your GCSE. As a bar manager, you may also have taken classes and become a master mixologist. You would list this in your education section.

Now that we have discussed how you can structure your bar manager CV, it is time to share a few do’s and don’ts that will help you write your CV.

 

Do:

• Use a bar manager CV sample or CV template to guarantee you follow a professional structure that highlights your skills in the best way. 
• Use bullet points where possible to make your CV easy to read and skim through. 
• Stick to a one-page CV, as many recruiters won’t have time to read long job applications. You can create a two-page CV if you have significant experience in the industry.

Don’t:

• Include irrelevant information from a long time ago that doesn’t correlate with the job at hand. 
• Write lengthy sentences that could be hard to follow.
• Include references unless the job description has specifically requested them.