Remember when you could print a resume, walk it into a restaurant, and hand it to the GM? Those days are mostly gone. 

Today, hospitality groups, hotels, and venues typically use a digital applicant tracking system (ATS) to sort applications before a real human ever looks at them. And that means that if your resume isn't built with an ATS in mind, it may never reach the hiring manager… no matter how great your experience is.

That's especially true if you've been at the same job for a while. We work with a lot of folks who’ve stayed at the same company for a decade or more and are now ready for their next chapter. In that work, we’ve come to learn exactly what these candidates need help with as they reenter the job hunt.

Here are our tips for updating your resume beyond a new date at the top. Let’s dive in. 

What an ATS Actually Does

An ATS scans your resume and compares it back to the job description. It looks for matching keywords, job titles, skills, and certifications, then ranks candidates by how well they match. The closer your resume lines up with the posting, the better your chances of landing in front of a real person.

People may talk about gaming the system in order to win an interview, but that’s actually not true. To land an interview for a position you are qualified for, you just need to speak an ATS’ language.

Find the Keywords That Match Your Skills

Start with the job description. Read it two or three times and highlight:

• Job Titles (Banquet Captain, Assistant General Manager, Sous Chef)

• Hard Skills (Inventory Management, Scheduling, P&L Oversight)

• Tools and Systems (Toast, OpenTable, SevenRooms, Opera PMS)

• Certifications (ServSafe, TIPS, Certified Sommelier)

Next, look for honest overlap with your own experience. If the posting asks for "labor cost management" and you've been building schedules to hit a labor target for years, say so. And do it using their words. That’s what the ATS is looking for. 

Pro tip: Pull up three or four similar, desirable postings. The terms that keep showing up are the ones that are in the highest demand. So, they’re the ones worth working into your resume.

Update Your Terminology

Hospitality language has shifted, and older resumes often show it. A few swaps worth making:

The work is the same. The words just match what hiring teams (and their software) are searching for today. As you make these changes, do your best to begin memorizing them so you can use them organically within an interview setting. Staying consistent can help all of this feel more natural. 

Skip the Shorthand

We all talk in abbreviations on the floor: FOH, BOH, GM, AGM. But if an ATS wasn’t programmed properly, it may not know that FOH means Front of House. If the job description says "Front of House Manager," your resume should say "Front of House Manager" too.

The rule is simple: mirror the posting. If they spell it out, you spell it out. If they use the abbreviation, you can too.

Keep the Formatting Clean

Fancy designs can trip up an ATS. To be safe:

• Use a simple layout without tables, text boxes, or graphics

• Stick with standard headings like "Experience," "Skills," and "Certifications"

• Choose a clean, common font

• Submit the file type the posting asks for (usually .docx or PDF)

A Few More Tips

• Once your resume gets through the ATS, a person will read it. Give them something to remember. Instead of "managed bar staff," try "led a team of 12 bartenders and cut liquor cost by 3% in six months."

• It's tempting to send the same resume everywhere, but a few quick tweaks for each job can make a big difference. Adjust your summary and skills to match each posting, and you'll rank higher every time.

• Don’t be afraid to follow up after you’ve submitted your resume. If you know the hiring manager, tip them off that you applied. They can move you out of the ATS queue and into the “must interview” pile.

We're Here to Help

At One Haus, we know what hospitality employers are looking for, and we love helping great candidates get noticed. If you're ready for your next move, let's connect.