Best Tips for a Server Job Description for a CV

A server job description in a CV will tell employers how well you performed in a previous job. Here’s how to use the job description to showcase your food service experience.

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Server job description for CV

If you were previously a server, that’s work experience that is surprisingly applicable to a wide variety of future careers, whether you continue to work as a server, move on to become a restaurant manager or other food service role or move into a completely different career altogether. Writing a job description that effectively utilises your server experience is the first step to showing that your ability to meet guests’ needs in this job can transfer to other jobs as well. Here’s what you need to know.

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What is a server job description for a CV?

A server job description is an explanation of the job responsibilities that came along with a server job. It shows that your previous experience as a server includes valuable skills and experiences that recruiters are looking for in a professional CV. Especially if you have many years of experience as a server, a server job description helps you show off what you learnt.

Elements of a great server job description

How will a server job description look? Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough of writing your own server job description.

Include your job title, company name and location, and the dates worked

At the top of the description, you’ll include your job title, the company name and location, and when you worked at the company. Here are some examples:

General Server – Wendy’s, Brighton, East Sussex

Jun 2015 – July 2018

Sommelier – L’Appart, Brighton, East Sussex

Mar 2012 – August 2020

Restaurant Server • Providence, Brighton, East Sussex

December 2018 – Present

Kitchen Staff • The Capital Grille • Brighton, East Sussex

January 2016 – July 2021

Note how all of these descriptions have slightly different formatting, but all present the same type of information. Remember that all of your job descriptions should be formatted the same way so that it’s easier to scan the CV.

Use up to five bullet points for each job

These bullet points need to effectively communicate your job responsibilities and achievements. Here are a few bullet points that you might use:

Greeted and served customers
Managed POS and cash register
Managed customer satisfaction
Created a great dining experience
Provided excellent customer service
Maintained internal list of menu items and daily specials
Managed dining area
Input food orders and drink orders in a timely manner
Thrived in a fast-paced environment
Transmitted dietary restrictions and special requests to food preparation team
Utilised interpersonal skills and communication skills to help team members and customers
Collaborated with team to serve food in an efficient manner and improve the guest experience
Created a fine dining experience
Recommended food and wine pairings
Added table settings every meal

You should be using action words in your job description, with strong verbs instead of adjectives (e.g., “created,” “managed”). This is a way to show that you take ownership of your achievements.

Utilise keywords from the job posting

Lastly, include keywords from the job posting in your job description. If the job posting says that they need “A food server great at time management, who can meet customer needs and follow food safety guidelines,” you should include the keywords “time management,” “customer needs,” and “food safety” in your job descriptions. It’s also a good idea to refer to your job as “food server” if possible.

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General tips for your server CV

On top of these job description suggestions, here are a few other tips:

Emphasize soft skills, customer service, and the ability to collaborate with others as a team player
List certifications and licenses in their own section
Research CV formats to use the right one for your CV
Highlight skills in their own section, including skills you used in previous jobs

You can also cheque out the food service CV example at CVHelp to get more assistance with your CV overall.

FAQ: Server job description for CV

Q: How do I make my CV and cover letter match?

By using a cover letter and CV builder, you can ensure that your CV and cover letter look about the same. This makes it easier to create a beautiful-looking CV. At CVHelp, you can use the CV builder to find CV templates and build your CV from server CV samples. Then, you can match that CV to your cover letter.

Q: What do I do if my job descriptions make my CV too long?

If your job descriptions are pushing the length of your CV to just over one page, consider either cutting down on the number of bullet points or making your bullet points more concise. Aim to include three to five bullet points for your most recent job, then fewer for your less-recent jobs.

Q: What is a key achievements section in my job description?

If you have an extremely impressive achievement from a previous job, you may want to create a key achievements section under the job description. This highlights one or two important things you did at that job. For example, you might state, “Built new system for multitasking, improved efficiency by 75% in the first month.” This section should only be used if you have a truly unique achievement at a job that you want to show off.

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