Resume Structure, Action Verbs, and Hospitality Vocabulary

Resume Writing Fundamentals

Definition and Purpose

A resume (or curriculum vitae in some contexts) is a concise, one-to-two-page document that summarizes your education, work experience, skills, and achievements. In the context of Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM), the resume serves as a primary screening tool for employers in the tourism and hospitality sector. Its purpose is not to tell your life story but to prove that you possess the specific competencies required for the role.

Key Difference: Resume vs. CV While often used interchangeably in casual conversation, in professional academic and corporate settings, they differ:

• Resume: Concise (1-2 pages), tailored to a specific job, focuses on relevant experience and skills. Used for industry jobs (e.g., Front Office Manager, F&B Supervisor).
• CV: Comprehensive (3+ pages), static, details all academic publications, research, and full work history. Used for academic positions or research roles.

For BHM students applying to hotels, resorts, or travel agencies, the resume is the standard format.

Anatomy of a Professional Resume

A well-structured resume follows a logical flow. The following sections are standard:

1. Header: Name, phone number, professional email address, LinkedIn profile URL, and location (City, Country). Do not include a photo unless specifically requested by the employer (common in some Asian markets, but increasingly discouraged in Western standards).
2. Professional Summary: A 3-4 sentence elevator pitch. It highlights your degree, key skills, and career objective.
3. Education: Degree, University, Year of Completion, and relevant coursework (e.g., "Hospitality Law," "Food Safety").
4. Work Experience: Listed in reverse chronological order. Each entry should include Job Title, Company Name, Location, Dates, and bullet points of achievements.
5. Skills: A mix of hard skills (POS systems, Microsoft Office) and soft skills (conflict resolution, multilingual communication).
6. Certifications: Relevant industry certifications (e.g., HACCP, First Aid, Wine & Spirit Education Trust).

The Power of Action Verbs

Weak resumes use passive voice or static nouns (e.g., "Responsible for cleaning," "Worked in kitchen"). Strong resumes use action verbs to show initiative and result.

Rule: Every bullet point in the "Work Experience" section should start with a strong action verb in the past tense (for previous jobs) or present tense (for current jobs).

Vocabulary Development for Hospitality

Vocabulary development is not just about knowing big words; it is about using the correct technical terminology for the industry. Employers look for candidates who understand the operational language of hotels.

Key Hospitality Vocabulary Categories

1. Front Office & Guest Relations

• Check-in/Check-out: The process of registering a guest and settling the bill.
• No-show: A guest who has a reservation but does not arrive.
• Overbooking: Accepting more reservations than available rooms, a common revenue management strategy.
• Complimentary (Comp): Provided free of charge as a gesture of goodwill.
• VIP (Very Important Person): A guest requiring special attention and privacy.
• Turn-down Service: Evening service where the room is prepared for sleep (beds opened, lights dimmed).

2. Food and Beverage (F&B)

• Mise en place: French term meaning "everything in its place"; preparation of ingredients before service.
• Amuse-bouche: A small, complimentary dish served before the meal.
• Table d'hôte: A fixed-price menu with a limited choice of dishes.
• À la carte: Menu where each dish is priced separately.
• HACCP: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points; a food safety management system.
• Garnish: Decorative element added to a dish.

3. Housekeeping & Operations

• Occupied Dirty (OD): Room occupied by a guest and needs cleaning.
• Vacant Clean (VC): Room is empty and ready for sale.
• Out of Order (OOO): Room is not available for sale due to maintenance issues.
• Par levels: The minimum quantity of supplies (linens, amenities) needed to maintain operations.

Strategies for Vocabulary Expansion

1. Read Industry Publications: Follow magazines like Hotelier Magazine or Skift to see how professionals describe trends.
2. Use Thesauruses Strategically: When writing your resume, if you use the word "good," replace it with "excellent," "superior," or "high-quality." If you say "talked to," use "negotiated," "consulted," or "debriefed."
3. Contextual Learning: Do not memorize lists. Learn words in the context of a task. For example, learn "up-selling" by understanding how a front desk agent suggests a room upgrade.

Worked Example: Transforming a Weak Resume

Scenario: A BHM student, Sita, is applying for a Front Office Trainee position at a 5-star hotel in Kathmandu.

Weak Version (Before):

Work Experience Intern at Hotel XYZ

• I was responsible for checking in guests.
• I helped the manager with the phone.
• I cleaned the lobby area.
• I learned how to use the computer system.

Analysis of Weaknesses:

• "I was responsible for" is passive and wordy.
• "Helped" is vague.
• "Cleaned" is a basic task, not a professional achievement.
• "Learned" is passive; it doesn't show application.

Strong Version (After):

Work Experience Front Office Intern | Hotel XYZ, Kathmandu | May 2023 – Aug 2023

• Processed 50+ daily guest check-ins and check-outs, ensuring accuracy in billing and ID verification.
• Managed multi-line telephone systems, resolving guest inquiries regarding amenities and local transportation with a 95% satisfaction rate.
• Maintained lobby aesthetics and cleanliness standards in compliance with 5-star hygiene protocols.
• Operated Opera PMS software to update room statuses and generate daily occupancy reports.

Why this is better:

1. Action Verbs: Processed, Managed, Maintained, Operated.
2. Quantifiable Data: "50+ daily," "95% satisfaction rate."
3. Technical Vocabulary: "Billing," "ID verification," "Opera PMS," "Occupancy reports."
4. Result-Oriented: Shows the outcome of the work, not just the task.

In the real world

1. eSewa and Khalti (Customer Support Roles): When applying for customer support or operations roles at fintech companies like eSewa or Khalti, the resume must highlight conflict resolution and digital literacy. The vocabulary shifts from general hospitality to "transaction reconciliation," "KYC compliance," and "customer retention." A student who uses the phrase "resolved customer complaints" is generic; one who writes "de-escalated high-tension billing disputes via live chat, reducing churn by 10%" demonstrates the specific skill set these companies value.

2. Daraz (Logistics and Operations): Daraz, Nepal’s largest e-commerce platform, hires for logistics coordination. The relevant vocabulary here is supply chain management, inventory tracking, and last-mile delivery. A BHM student with experience in banquet logistics can translate their skills: instead of "served food," they write "coordinated high-volume meal distribution to 500 guests, ensuring zero delay in service timing." This mirrors the "just-in-time" delivery logic used by Daraz. The action verb "coordinated" is key here, showing the ability to manage multiple moving parts.

3. NTC (Nepal Telecom) (Corporate Communication): For roles in corporate communication or HR at NTC, the resume must demonstrate formal writing proficiency and stakeholder management. The vocabulary includes "internal memos," "cross-departmental collaboration," and "brand consistency." A student who has written internal reports for a hotel internship should highlight this: "Drafted weekly operational reports for the General Manager, ensuring clear communication of KPIs." This shows the ability to handle the structured, formal communication style required in large state-owned enterprises.

Exam tip

In TU and PU exams for English II, questions on this unit often take two forms:

1. Direct Definition: "Define resume and list its essential components." Ensure you distinguish between a resume and a CV.
2. Practical Application: "Rewrite the following weak paragraph using action verbs and professional vocabulary."
   • Strategy: Always identify the weak verb first. Replace it with a strong action verb. Then, add a specific detail or metric if possible.
   • Vocabulary Check: If the question asks for "hospitality vocabulary," ensure you use at least two technical terms (e.g., mise en place, occupancy, turn-down service) rather than general English words.
   • Formatting: If asked to write a resume, use clear headings and bullet points. Do not write in paragraph form. Examiners look for structure and conciseness.