Employability Skills: Hospitality

Developing and Describing Employability Skills

The soft skills you gained through your work in hospitality are relevant to graduate positions. To increase your opportunity of success when

applying for graduate jobs it is important to effectively incorporate relevant examples into your job applications and interviews. When

deciding which examples to use, take in to account the job responsibilities and the industry you are applying to. Use business language to

demonstrate how you developed the soft skills relevant for the workplace environment.

The examples in the table show how hospitality work can develop employability skills. Do not copy the examples, but use the format to

identify and describe the employability skills you have developed through your hospitality work.

Your Employability Skills

Task/responsibility (alphabetic list) Appropriate Terminology Employability Category

Attending hospitality training -Used active learning and communication skills to successfully

complete required industry training programs.

-Learning

Balancing and cashing-up registers -Ensured all financial items were accounted for, and organised

according to store policy.

-Kept accurate records of sales, refunds and appropriate financial

documents.

-Self Management

-Problem Solving

-Planning and Organising

Banking -Ensured all financial items were accounted for.

- Kept accurate records of received and paid accounts and

undertook monetary reconciliation tasks.

-Self Management

-Problem solving

-Planning and Organising

Clearing and cleaning customer

tables

-Identified tasks to be completed, set deadlines and worked within

constraints to complete tasks in a timely-fashion.

-Initiative and Enterprise

-Self Management

Following food hygiene rules -Recognised and utilised appropriate hygiene rules and adhered to

company-specific guidelines and regulations.

-Planning and Organising

-Self Management

Handling difficult customers -Demonstrated a respect and sensitivity towards customer needs

and concerns.

-Anticipated problems in advance and acted to avoid them.

-Communicated in a clear, precise manner in client conversations.

-Problem Solving-

Communications skills

Inducting new staff

-Used leadership skills to familiarise new staff with procedures and

training programs.

-Ensured occupational health and safety regulations were

understood and followed.

-Teamwork

Informing the manager of problems -Acted in accordance with store policy to clarify and identify

customer service issues for resolution.

-Problem Solving

-Teamwork

Meeting and greeting customers/

front of house representation

-Ensured all patrons were addressed in a timely and courteous

manner.

-Assessed customer needs using active listening in busy

environment in order to meet their requirements.

-Communication

-Interpersonal

Ordering supplies for the business -Planned and organised inventory needs for set periods and ensured

all appropriate stock levels were met.

-Planning and Organising

-Self management

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Task/responsibility (alphabetic list) Appropriate Terminology Employability Category

Preparing drinks and basic food -Adhered to all health and safety regulations.

-Ensured responsible service of alcohol to all patrons.

-Planning and Organising

-Teamwork

Preparing the bar/store for closing -Utilised planning skills to ensure all delegated tasks were

completed by the close of trading.

-Communicated to all customers the closing-times and relevant

information.

-Ensured all items were left securely and in accordance with

company policy.

-Planning and Organising

-Self Management

-Communication

Rostering -Rostered team members to meet individual and company needs.

-Planned in advance for scheduled needs and requirements.

-Resolved any conflicting needs of team members.

-Self Management

- Planning and Organising

Serving customers -Used questioning and active listening to ascertain and respond to

customer needs

-Communication

-Interpersonal

Supervising junior staff -Delegated tasks and responsibilities to appropriate team members

and motivated team to achieve set goals and deadlines.

-Identified problems and appropriately addressed them according to

store policy.

-Teamwork

-Problem Solving

Taking deliveries -Worked within store safety policies to efficiently and safely take

delivery of goods.

- Alerted management when incorrect stock had been delivered to

initiate appropriate response.

-Teamwork

-Problem Solving

Using technology - Recorded accurate information using bespoke database booking

system

- Registered all transactions accurately using specialist cash till

-Technology

- Planning and Organising

Writing signs, setting up displays -Ensured all signage and displays were presented in accordance

with company policy and procedures.

-Initiative and Enterprise

-Planning and Organisation

Your Personal Attributes

In addition to the development of employability skills, working in hospitality can help you gain evidence of how you have demonstrated your

personal attributes. While thinking of the examples showing your skills don’t forget personal attributes.

Persistence Motivation Reliability

Common sense Loyalty Positive self esteem

Sense of humour Professional Presentation Adaptability

Honesty and Integrity Enthusiasm Ability to deal with pressure

Commitment Hard-working

Further reading See our resources on Global Employability Skills, the Employability Skills Table and resources about employability skills gained through

working in retail, study abroad, clubs and societies and research work.

General enquiries

T: 9905 4170

E: careers.info@ monash.edu

W: careers.monash.edu

Disclaimer: Information was current at the

time of writing and is intended as a guide only

Adapted by Monash University Employment

and Career Development, 2012