Bar Manager Resume Example & Writing Guide

In the vibrant world of bartending, your resume is like a mixologist's shaker: your go-to tool when it comes to serving up the perfect mix of skills and experience to land your next bar manager role.  Like a generic cocktail, a poorly-crafted resume could make a bad first impression and dash your chances of landing the job. Instead, you’ll need to carefully assemble a resume that highlights your best qualities and makes you stand out when the competition is steep.

As a seasoned bar manager, you know that customers form their initial judgments based on the first sip of their experience. Similarly, your resume is the hiring manager's first taste of your abilities. A great bar manager resume makes sure your job search doesn’t fizzle out before it even begins. If you’re ready to shake up your resume, we’re here to help you hand select the right ingredients for success in your bar manager job search.

Resume guide for a bar manager

Land your next great bar manager position with Resume.io. Our guides and resume examples cover over 500 professions, and our resume builder makes creating a compelling resume easier than ever.

This resume guide and corresponding bar manager resume example will cover the following:

• How to write a bar manager resume
• Choosing the right resume format for a bar manager
• How to add your contact information
• Using a summary
• Adding your bar manager experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What salary you can expect as a bar manager

How to write a bar manager resume

To get started writing a great bar manager resume, you’ll need to understand what sections to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Your bar manager resume is like that first interaction that welcomes a patron into the bar and helps them settle in. Your goal is to invite the hiring manager to get to know you by checking out the menu of your skills and experiences.

To craft a compelling narrative, you’ll first need to carefully read the job description. Ask yourself a few questions:

• What is the primary clientele of this bar?
• What are their opening hours?
• What does their drink menu look like?
• How many staff members do they have?

By getting a better feel for the establishment, you can customize your resume to present yourself as the bar manager they are looking for. Identify the bar's aspirations and demonstrate how your skills and experience align perfectly with their goals. This is your unique selling proposition (USP), the core ingredient that will make your application stand out from the crowd.

On your bar manager resume, make sure to emphasize accomplishments, not just responsibilities. Most bar managers know how to pour a drink, but are you able to motivate your team to stay on top of drink orders on a busy Saturday night? How have you elevated the customer experience and contributed to the success of your past employers? Let your resume speak to your track record of success as a bar manager.

How to choose the best resume format for a bar manager

Choosing the best format for your bar manager resume often comes down to how much experience you have in the field. If you have worked at least a few jobs as a bar manager, bartender, or in another hospitality position, we recommend the reverse chronological format. This structure focuses on your employment history section where you can list your previous roles from current to oldest. This is the format that hiring managers—and the ATS—expect to see, so we recommend sticking with it whenever possible. Reviewing our resume examples of the reverse chronological format can help you get started.

If you are just starting out or are making a career change, you may consider the functional resume format which places more emphasis on your skills. You can create either of these structures inside of our resume builder.

Adding your contact information

Adding your contact information to a bar manager resume is crucial for ensuring that potential employers can easily reach you. Your name and contact information should be prominently placed in the header of your resume so that an employer can quickly identify your application. Here are the essential pieces of information:

• Full name and professional title (bar manager). This sets the stage for your professional identity and demonstrates your position within the bar industry.
• Phone number. Make sure it's a number you check regularly and is accessible during business hours. Opt for a cell phone number. You don’t want a potential employer ringing you on your work line!
• Email address. Your email address should be professional and include some part of your name. Avoid using personal email addresses that might project a less formal image.
• LinkedIn or professional social media. While this isn’t mandatory for bar managers, professional social media accounts allow potential employers to gain a more comprehensive overview of your experience and expertise.

Remember, your contact information is the gateway to your professional world. Make it easily accessible and professional to increase your chances of landing that dream bar manager position.

Include a strong summary

Just as a skilled bar manager makes customers feel at ease, your bar manager resume summary should serve as an enticing introduction that captures the attention of potential employers. In just a few brief sentences, you have the opportunity to present yourself as the ideal candidate who can elevate their establishment and create an exceptional customer experience.

A well-crafted summary goes beyond simply listing your past positions. There will be space for that further down your resume. The goal of the summary is to highlight your talent as a manager and your professional personality that keeps both customers and staff happy. Employ action verbs in the past or present tense, such as "developed, implemented, optimized, increased, and led," and quantify your achievements whenever possible.

Your summary should showcase your strongest skills as a bar manager and the compelling reasons why you are the perfect fit for the particular job you are applying for. Are you a steady, dependable bar manager who consistently delivers high-quality service to create repeat customers? Or are you the vibrant, energetic leader who attracts new clientele and drives revenue growth with a creative seasonal menu? Embrace your unique strengths and let your summary paint a vivid picture of your value.

Remember, your summary is your first chance to make a lasting impression. Use it wisely and effectively to position yourself as the indispensable bar manager that your potential employer seeks.

You can find our bar manager resume example summaries below:

Summary example for new bar manager:

Summary sample with a focus on leadership:

Summary sample with a focus on customer service standards: 

Writing your bar manager work experience

Your previous experience as a bar manager is of high interest to a future employer. That’s why it’s important to craft this section with care and precision and tailor it to the job you are applying to. 

To start, list your current (or most recent) job at the top of this section and work your way back to your first job going back through the last 10-15 years—or as much experience as you have. Stick to hospitality positions and other experience that is directly related to the role you are applying for. 

Under each subheading, create 4-5 bullet points that describe your duties and accomplishments. Start each one with an action verb and try to include numbers and statistics wherever possible. Here are a few questions to think about when adding numbers to your employment history section:

• How many people were on the staff I managed?
• How many customers did we serve on a busy night?
• How many drinks were on our menu?
• How many people could the bar hold?
• How long has the establishment been open?

Rather than listing job duties, aim to demonstrate tangible outcomes. Instead of vague and generic statements like:

• "Oversaw day-to-day operations in the bar establishment."
• "Understanding beverage options available to customers and selling."
• "Had an excellent management record."

Try these results-based bullet points:

• "Optimized operational processes in the bar, enabling an increase in efficiency of 25%."
• "Enhanced customer satisfaction by 5% through clear communication of various beverage options and assisting in choosing personalized preferences."
• "Led a team of 10 staff members and improved sales in the establishment by 20%, establishing our bar as the top-performing venue in our region."

You can find even more sample sentences in our bar manager resume example below:

Including the most relevant skills for a bar manager position 

While the resume skills section might seem like a straightforward, bullet-point list, this section is actually crucial to getting past automated resume scanners and making a lasting impression on an employer. 

First, it’s important to understand the difference between hard and soft skills. Hard skills are tangible, technical abilities that are specific to the role of a bar manager, such as inventory management, budgeting, and knowledge of beverage preparation techniques. These are essential competencies that demonstrate your expertise in the operational aspects of bar management. On the other hand, soft skills are interpersonal qualities and traits that contribute to effective leadership and teamwork. For a bar manager, soft skills may include communication, customer service, leadership, and adaptability. These skills are vital for fostering a positive work environment, building rapport with customers, and successfully managing a team. 

A well-crafted bar manager resume should strike a balance between showcasing the technical proficiency (hard skills) required for the role and highlighting the interpersonal strengths (soft skills) that contribute to effective and efficient bar operations. Make sure to use the employer’s exact language from the job description when placing both hard and soft skills on your resume. For example, if the employer asks for “team leadership skills” write that in your skills section instead of “team player”.

Add your education & relevant bar manager certifications

While bar managers may not be required to have formal education beyond a high school diploma, the education section remains a crucial area of your resume. You should include your degrees or education beginning with the most recent and working backward. Include your degree, school name, dates attended, and location. Do not include bullet points for your GPA or coursework details unless highly relevant to the bar manager position. 

Depending on the location, a bar manager may be required to hold certification or a license from the state or local authority. In any case, adding continuing education to your bar manager resume is the best way to show that you take the job seriously. Here are a few possible certifications to consider:

• Food Handler's Permit or Certification. Many areas require individuals working in the food and beverage industry, including bars, to have a food handler's permit. This certification ensures that bar managers and staff understand and comply with food safety regulations.
• Alcohol Server or Seller Certification. Depending on the location, bar managers may be required to hold a certification related to responsible alcohol service. Examples include TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) or similar programs that educate on the responsible service, sale, and consumption of alcohol.
• ServSafe Manager Certification. This certification is often required for individuals managing establishments that serve food and beverages. It covers various aspects of food safety and sanitation.
• Management or Business Administration Degree. While not a certification per se, having a degree in management, business administration, or a related field can be advantageous for bar managers, especially in higher-end establishments or those with more complex operations.
• CPR and First Aid Certification. Although not universally required, having certifications in CPR and first aid can be valuable in emergency situations, ensuring a safe environment for both staff and customers.

Choosing the best layout and design for a bar manager resume

Just as a drink with no garnish makes a poor first impression, a bar manager resume with no style won’t catch the hiring manager’s attention. That’s not to say, however, that you should go overboard with colors and graphic elements. Instead, stick to a clean and easy-to-read layout that includes one accent color.

Consider the bar you are applying to when choosing a design. Just as your writing should be tailored to the job description, you should also update your layout for the style of the establishment you hope to manage. An application to the bar of a 5-star hotel will naturally require a different look and feel than one for a local watering hole. A professionally designed resume template makes it easy to test out different styles.

What type of salary you can expect as a bar manager

Salaries for bar managers vary widely based on the type of bar and the location. However, there is a lot of room for upward movement in this field and you can expect your salary to increase as you manage bigger operations and larger teams. Below you’ll find salary estimates for bar managers:

Key takeaways for writing your bar manager resume

1. A great bar manager resume is the gateway to new employment opportunities.
2. Make sure to write a convincing professional summary that focuses on your achievements and professional personality.
3. List your employment in reverse chronological order and add numbers to show your impact.
4. Add both hard and soft skills using the employer’s exact language to your resume skills section.