Hotel General Manager Resume: Examples & Skills

Whether you’re a seasoned bellhop or a fresh-faced front desk clerk, crafting a resume that shines like the Ritz-Carlton isn’t easy.

But fear not! In this article, we will help you transform that tired two-page chore into a one-page wonder of a hotel general manager’s resume that has recruiters saying, “Check, please!”

This guide will show you: 

• A hotel general manager’s resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a hotel general manager resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a hotel general manager’s resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a hotel general manager to get any job you want.

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Looking for other jobs in the industry? Check these out:

• Hotel Manager Resume Examples
• Manager Resume Examples
• Business Resume Examples
• Hotel Front Desk Resume Examples
• Receptionist Resume Examples
• Hospitality Resume Examples
• Hostess Resume Examples
• Front Desk Resume Examples
• Front Desk Receptionist Resume Examples

Or check our collection of 500+ resume samples for all job types. 

Hotel General Manager Resume Example

Here’s how you can write a perfect hotel general manager resume:

1. Choose a Good Hotel General Manager Resume Format

A hotel general manager oversees all departments, manages finances, develops strategies, and represents the hotel to stakeholders. A successful hotel general manager's resume must showcase communication, leadership, and people skills to attract recruiters.

How do you show you have the strategic vision and operational expertise to take a hotel to the next level? Start with a well-formatted resume:

• Create a resume header with your name, phone number, and e-mail in a professional yet easy-to-read resume font. Use the same font for the whole resume.
• Use the reverse-chronological format that highlights your relevant experience and successes in transforming underperforming hotels into revenue generators.
• Leave plenty of white space and divide sections clearly with subheadings like “Education” and “Work Experience.”
• Save the resume as a PDF to avoid formatting issues.

And remember to stick to only one page on your resume unless you’ve got a truly epic list of hotels you've rescued from the brink of bankruptcy.

Read more:How Far Back Should a Resume Go? (Experience & Job List)

2. Craft a Professional Hotel General Manager Resume Objective or Summary

Writing an impressive resume profile is like checking in the guest perfectly. If done right, it sets the tone for a memorable stay and satisfies both parties. In 3 to 4 punchy sentences, you introduce yourself as the ideal hotel GM candidate who will make guests leave raving reviews on Tripadvisor. It’s like an elevator pitch.

• If you’re an experienced GM with a proven track record of business development, focus on your biggest achievements and wins in a resume summary.
• For a hotel assistant general manager resume, a resume objective will instead allow you to emphasize the impact your skills and knowledge could have on the company’s bottom line.

Read more: How to Start a Resume

3. Create the Perfect Hotel General Manager Job Description for Your Resume

How you describe your work experience on a hotel general manager resume matters a lot. 

Make sure you’re doing it right:

• List previous roles starting with the most recent, including your fancy job title, the name of your employer, and the years you worked there.
• For each role, describe your job responsibilities and concierge-level accomplishments using action verbs that will make the hiring manager’s eyes pop.
• Quantify your professional achievements to show the occupancy rate hikes and F&B cost cuts you orchestrated with a wave of your wand.
• Tailor your resume just like your hotel tailors the guest’s stay to their needs. It’ll pay off in droves.

Read more: How to Show Multiple Positions at the Same Company on a Resume?

4. Include Your Degree in a Hotel General Manager Resume

There’s no denying it—education is secondary to your experience, unless you’re at the very start of your career in hospitality. Since a hotel general manager won’t be put in charge of cost control, vendor sources, and guest satisfaction fresh out the door, you might think education on your resume doesn’t matter at all. But that’s not true.

With several years as a hotel general manager, simply list your highest degree earned, school name and location, and years attended. Short and sweet—you can move on to the next section. 

However, if you lack experience specifically as a hotel GM or are maybe trying to promote to the position from within, your education becomes more important. Under your degree, include:

• Relevant coursework
• GPA (if above 3.5) to show academic achievement
• Extracurricular activities
• School/academic achievements, like diploma honors or student club memberships

Haven’t graduated yet? See here: How to List Unfinished College on a Resume

Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

5. Choose the Right Skills to Put on Your Hotel General Manager Resume

The recruiter has been working with this hotel company for a while. They know the hotel's strengths, weaknesses, and challenges better than you. Your top priority is to tailor the skills you highlight to the hotel’s specific needs.

• Study the job ad carefully. 
• Then, choose up to 10 skills you truly excel at that match what the hotel is looking for in a GM.

When compiling your list of professional skills, take into consideration current industry trends. For example, there’s a great interest in sustainable solutions in hospitality. 

Check out this example list of skills for hotel general managers:

Essential Skills for Hotel General Managers in 2023

• Leadership skills
• Strategic planning
• Team management
• Decision-making
• Problem-solving
• Communication skills
• Customer service skills
• Financial management
• Sales & Marketing
• Conflict resolution
• Negotiation skills
• Time management
• Adaptability skills
• Relationship building
• Training others
• Business development
• Quality control
• Reporting
• Organizational skills
• Change management
• Analytical thinking
• Risk management
• Technical skills
• Crisis management
• Interpersonal skills
• Working under pressure

Read more: Listing Core Competencies on a Resume: When and How?

6. Add Extra Sections to Your Hotel General Manager Resume

If you’ve crafted the core sections of your hotel GM resume well, that’s a great start. But there are likely many other candidates who have done the same. To stand out and increase your chances, consider adding extra resume sections that showcase your passion for hospitality. Aim for something personal that shows your enthusiasm and drive.

For example, you could include:

• Personal interests (esp. if travel or hospitality-related)
• Memberships
• Conferences attendance
• Industry awards won for the hotels under your supervision
• Foreign languages
• Certifications and licenses

Before you proceed, double-check you got everything right on your resume. Take a look at this Free Checklist for a Complete Resume Review

7. Attach a Hotel General Manager Cover Letter to Your Resume

A resume and cover letter are like two peas in a pod, so don’t skip the cover letter! Otherwise, you’d be disappointing a good half of recruiters.

This is how to write a winning cover letter for hotel general managers:

• Follow a good cover letter format.
• Address the hiring manager by name.
• Stress in your cover letter openings what attracted you to the hotel, and share 1–2 achievements to grab their interest.
• Highlight more of your successes. Focus on results you achieved that relate to the hotel’s specific needs and challenges.
• Close the cover letter by requesting an interview and offering an incentive for them to contact you.
• Keep your cover letter length to 3-4 concise paragraphs (1 page maximum).

Read more: Modern & Effective Cover Letter Templates to Use

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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Got any questions regarding the hotel general manager’s resume? Not sure how to describe GM skills, certifications, and other achievements? I’d like to help; the comments below are the perfect spot!

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