How to List Experience as a Server on Your Resume

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What job details should be included in a server resume?

As a waitress or a waiter, there are several types of details that you can include in your work experience section of your resume. The type of job descriptions you include in your resume should reflect your experience working in the hospitality industry. For instance, you might include examples of your customer service skills, how you have helped past restaurants create repeat business or other professional accomplishments that show employers your competency as a server. You can also include examples of your job responsibilities and the tasks you may perform, both regular duties and additional tasks.

How to describe previous server experience on a resume

There are several approaches you can use to highlight your serving experience on your resume. For instance, you might start with your most recent job first and provide details about the skills you developed and the positive effects you had in your past role. 

You can refer to the following steps to help you include server experience on your resume:

1. First, include your most recent serving job

Start with your most recent serving position first. Include where you worked and the duties you were responsible for. You can also give brief examples of how your customer service skills help you succeed as a server or how you were able to solve customer problems. Employers generally like to see that servers can demonstrate exceptional customer service skills.

2. Second, list your serving experiences in chronological order

Include only the jobs you have performed as a server. As an example, if you’re applying to a five-star restaurant you may want to omit your work experience if it is unrelated to the requirements of working in an upscale environment. Instead, you might include your job experiences that are relevant to working with restaurant staff, customers and the hospitality industry.

3. Third, provide clear examples

For each work experience description you list in your resume, you should provide clear examples of how you succeeded in your role. For example, maybe you were voted server of the month for your exceptional ability to create customer relationships. Or maybe you increased your past company’s customer base by succeeding as a brand ambassador. If you have an example of how you can benefit the employer you’re applying to, consider including it in your job description.

4. Fourth, highlight your customer service skills

In each role you performed, you might consider highlighting how you applied your customer service skills. For instance, if a customer received a meal they did not order and you helped solve the conflict, highlight your customer service skills to describe how effective you are at conflict resolution. Since working as a server can rely heavily on your customer service skills, you might think about including these details in your resume.

5. Fifth, include your accomplishments for the business

If you have any accomplishments in your past serving experience, you might consider including them in your resume. For instance, if you created and helped launch a fundraising event, a new product menu or a new type of food service like take-out or delivery, you can include details of these accomplishments in your work history. Employers typically like to see that potential hires value their company’s values and overall mission.

6. Sixth, describe your hard skills

You might also consider including your hard skills like handling money transactions, running a cash register or using point-of-service (POS) order input software to take and communicate customer orders. You might also include how you keep your serving sections organized or other examples of your hard skills.

Examples of server resume job experience

When formatting your work experience, it can be a good idea to list each job description in chronological order, and you can use specific examples within the details. You might also format a bulleted list of relevant skills, responsibilities and examples of your performance. 

The following examples can help outline how you might format this section in your resume:

Example 1:

Server, The Farmer’s Table Restaurant, August 2015 – October 2019

  • Responsible for taking customer orders and ensuring customer satisfaction
  • Recommending daily specials and discounts to successfully up-sell limited-time food products
  • Successfully solved customer conflict and problems when mistakes were made with orders and payments
  • Processing payments and handling cash and credit transactions
  • Demonstrated creativity by developing brand new menus for the restaurant
  • Introduced customers to new menu items and successfully built and fostered customer relationships

Example 2:

Server and Restaurant Host, Grill -n- Chill Pub, January 2013 – July 2015

  • Greeted and welcomed customers and seated pub patrons
  • Successfully obtained a state liquor license to legally serve alcoholic beverages
  • Implemented customer surveys to provide feedback on service quality
  • Built and maintained customer relationships
  • Responsible for taking orders and communicating with kitchen and other pub staff

This example can help you format and write your job descriptions for your resume. You might also consider adding quantifiable results if it applies to your accomplishments as a server.