For over fifteen years now, I have been helping hotels across India and abroad find the right people. I have dealt with hundreds of leading hotel groups and thousands of candidates. If there is one thing I know, it is this: good people lose out every day because of careless CVs.
You may be the best front office supervisor or F&B captain or any top hospitality profile, but if your hospitality CV does not show this clearly, most HR managers will never call you back. I see this mistake every week. I see it with applicants for Taj, Oberoi, ITC, Hyatt, and many other top hotel chains. It does not matter if you have three years or fifteen years of experience — the rules are the same.
The Same Old CV Mistakes — Even in 2025
Some mistakes do not change, even when there are so many free tools to fix them. Don’t make the most common hospitality cv mistakes. These are the most common reasons why CVs get ignored:
- Using the same CV for every hotel and position
- No clear role-specific keywords
- Overdesigned formats with too many colours or boxes
- File name saved as “CV New Final” very common
- No numbers — achievements written as stories instead of facts
- Spelling mistakes and missing details
- Small lies that do not match what the reference says
One Page or Two — What Hotels Really Prefer
This is a question I hear from many young professionals and managers.
- If you are applying for entry level or junior roles — like commis chef, steward, F&B attendant — one page is enough.
- If you are applying for mid-level or supervisor positions — like front office supervisor, housekeeping in-charge, restaurant captain — two pages is best.
- If you are applying for senior level — department head, GM, or corporate position — maximum two pages with a short, clear profile at the top.
Most HR teams at Taj, Oberoi, ITC, and similar brands want clean formats that highlight your role, brand names, main skills, years of experience, and results in numbers. No stories. Just clear information.
What HR Checks First — 10 Second Glance
A busy HR manager does not read every line. First they look at:
- Your latest or current job title
- Hotel brand names you have worked for
- Main duties and results — with numbers if possible
- Your core skills related to the job they need
- How your education matches the job
- Clear contact details
If any of this is missing or hidden under long paragraphs, they move to the next CV.
Use the Right Keywords
Today, most large hotels use ATS (Applicant Tracking System). This is software that checks your CV for important words before any HR sees it. If your CV does not match, it is rejected automatically.
For example:
Front Office Supervisor: should show — Guest Check-In, Check-Out, PMS (like Opera), Guest Complaints, Upselling Rooms, Shift Handling.
F&B Captain: should include — Banquet Service, Table Setup, Buffet Handling, Beverage Control, Guest Orders, Cost Control.
Housekeeping Supervisor: must show — Room Checks, Inventory, Deep Cleaning, Laundry Coordination, Linen Management.
These simple words make a big difference.
Clear Table — Bad CV vs Good CV
| Bad CV Example | Good CV Example |
|---|---|
| “Worked in hotel” | “Handled front office operations for 110 rooms at Taj City Centre” |
| “Hard worker” | “Increased guest check-in speed by 20 percent through new SOP” |
| No keywords | Clear role-specific keywords |
| Dates missing | Exact joining and leaving dates |
| Bad file name | “Ravi_Kumar_FOBellCaptain_CV2025.pdf” |
Tools That Can Help You Free of Cost
I always tell candidates to use small online tools. They make your CV stronger and more ready for HR:
- Jobscan — match your CV to a real job description
- Resume Worded — shows if your CV is clear and well formatted
- Canva — simple, clean CV templates (use light design only)
How SOEGi Helps Instantly
Our tool SOEGi is India’s first AI assistant made for hospitality professionals. It does one thing very well — it checks if your CV matches real hospitality job requirements. If you upload your CV, it will tell you:
- Missing keywords
- Where you can add numbers
- Which points are unclear
- Small corrections that can help you match Taj, Oberoi, ITC and other top hotel standards
These changes are small but they can push your CV to the shortlist instead of the rejected pile.
My Final Advice — Keep It Fresh
Never send the same CV for three years. Many people come back to me with the same old file every time they apply. Update it every six months. Save it clearly as PDF with your name, role, and year. Keep LinkedIn updated to match. Be honest, and HR do check references.
Your CV is your first handshake. Make it strong, clear and real. Then your real talent can do the rest.
