Hospitality CV New Zealand — Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes 2026

New Zealand's hospitality sector is one of the country's largest employers. Whether you are applying for your first café role or moving into hotel management, here is what NZ hospitality employers want to see on your CV.

Certifications That Matter for NZ Hospitality

• LCQ (Licence Controller Qualification): Required for all NZ liquor licence managers. Include if you have it.
• Food safety certificate: Expected for kitchen and food handling roles in NZ.
• First aid certificate: Valued for duty manager and supervisory roles.

Hospitality CV Length and Format

Hospitality CVs in NZ should be one to two pages. Hiring managers in hospitality make quick decisions — keep it concise, well-formatted, and easy to scan. Include a photo only if the role explicitly requests one (e.g., front-of-house roles at some hotels).

Key Skills for NZ Hospitality CVs

Include explicitly: customer service, EFTPOS, POS systems used (Lightspeed, Square, RMS, OPERA for hotels), cash handling, stock control, team leadership, allergen awareness, food hygiene, and liquor control law knowledge if relevant.

Casual and Seasonal NZ Hospitality Work

If your hospitality experience is primarily casual or seasonal, group it clearly and explain the nature of the work. NZ hospitality employers understand seasonal employment patterns — do not try to make casual work look permanent if it was not.