In the tourism sector, a well structured resume can make all the difference. Recruiters value clear and objective documents, which quickly demonstrate the candidate's qualifications. A professional and well organized layout It makes reading easier and conveys an image of organization and professionalism, which is always a positive point.

Tourism is an area in which O first impact counts a lot, as companies look for professionals who know communicate and create good experiences for customers. If your resume is not well organized, it may go unnoticed among many other candidates. To avoid this, it is essential to adopt a strategic approach to presenting information, highlighting the experiences and skills most relevant to the role you are applying for.

How to structure a resume?

Personal information and contacts

Start with header with your full name, contact details and links or username to relevant professional social networks, such as LinkedIn. Avoid unnecessary information, such as marital status, unless specifically requested in the job opening. Always include a professional email (something simple and not confusing with lots of random numbers or letters) and your mobile number. If you have a digital portfolio, such as hotel photographers or tour guides, a link to your personal website can be a differentiating point of the other candidates.

Personal summary

The following section should be a short personal summary, where, in a few sentences, you will highlight your professional experience, relevant courses and main achievements in the field. For example, mention years of experience in hospitality, languages you are fluent in, or certifications that are important to the industry. This section should be short but impactful, acting as a elevator pitch of your professional career. If you have international experience, mention it, as many tourism companies value candidates who have experience outside the country.

Professional experience

In professional experience, organize the information of reverse chronological form, that is, starting from the most recent position to the oldest. For each position, include the company name, period of work and responsibilities performed. Whenever possible, mention concrete results that demonstrate their impact, such as increased guest satisfaction or improvements in operational processes.

We leave an example: “Tour guide-interpreter with over 15 years of experience in providing the best experiences to tourists. Proven ability in accompanying long trips, with extensive knowledge of history, tourism and general world culture. Excellent communication skills, fluent in 4 languages and extensive experience in training and supervising new tour guide-interpreters.”. Introduce yourself in a clear and informative manner.

Be objective, maintaining formality and professionalism throughout the text.

Academic training and complementary courses

Academic training must also be present, giving highlighting higher education courses, technical training and certifications relevant to the tourism sector. If you have attended workshops or obtained specialized certifications, include this information to further enhance your profile. Reflect on the role you are applying for and respond to its needs, highlighting your achievements and capabilities. We recommend that you use the STAR method which involves four elements: Situation, Task, Action, Result:

• Situation: Mention situations from your experience regarding a specific issue.

• Task: Responsibilities and expectations in the specified context.

• Action: Steps taken to resolve a situation.

• Result: Direct consequences of your actions.

The importance of soft skills in tourism

Behavioral and interpersonal skills, known as soft skills, are fundamental to the way professionals face challenges, deal with customers and collaborate in teams. In the tourism sector, where contact with the public is constant, these skills are highly valued.

Some of the most important are:

• Effective communication: Essential for interacting with customers and coworkers, ensuring quality service.

• Empathy and hospitality: Create experiences for customers, making them loyal to the company.

• Problem-solving ability: Unexpected situations happen frequently, requiring a quick and effective response, so this soft skill is
one of the most important.

• Teamwork: Many sectors of tourism require a lot of teamwork and people need to be able to interact and work together.

• Flexibility and working under pressure: This sector has more demanding schedules and several moments of pressure, making adaptability essential.

Demonstrating these skills on your resume can be done through concrete examples, mentioning challenges faced and solutions implemented.

What to avoid on your CV: common mistakes and how to avoid them

When writing your CV, it is important to be aware of the most common mistakes that can jeopardize your chances of getting the job. Therefore, we will give you some examples of common mistakes and how to avoid each one, so that you can create a CV that wins the job.

1. Irrelevant information

Avoid including unnecessary information, such as personal details or data that do not add value to the CV. For example, mentioning hobbies that are not related to the role you are applying for.

How to avoid: Just focus on the experiences and information that are directly relevant to the position, such as previous industry experience, qualifications, and interpersonal skills such as customer service and communication skills.

2. Disorganized or poorly formatted CV

The appearance of your resume is one of the most important factors as soon as the recruiter opens it to view. Using unprofessional fonts, irregular spacing, or confusing layouts can make your resume difficult to read and disorganized. Additionally, a resume without a clear structure may seem rushed or ill-thought out.

How to avoid: Choose one clean and professional layout. Use a readable font and maintain adequate spacing between sections. Avoid using too many colors or images that do not add value. Use subtitles to organize information in a logical and cohesive way.

3. Grammar and spelling errors

These errors are often a factor in CV rejection. They can give the impression of a lack of attention to detail, which is an essential aspect in the tourism sector, where clear and flawless communication is crucial.

How to avoid: Review your resume several times If possible, ask someone else to do a second proofread. Use spell-checking tools or even text editing software to help you spot any errors. Remember that a well-written resume reflects the quality of the candidate.

4. Not mentioning soft skills

In tourism, soft skills such as empathy, conflict resolution and effective communication are increasingly important. However, many candidates focus too much on their technical skills and forget to highlight these highly valued skills.

How to avoid: Highlight your soft skills on your resume, especially those that are crucial to working in the tourism industry. Include experiences that demonstrate your ability to work with the public, deal with pressured situations, and maintain a positive attitude even in challenging circumstances.

5. Use keywords

Some companies use software to filter resumes, and these systems look for keywords that match the job requirements. If your resume doesn't include the right keywords, it may not be seen.

How to avoid: Review the job description and enter keywords related to the required skills and experiences. Include terms like “customer service,” “reservations management,” “fluent in multiple languages,” and more, depending on the position you’re applying for.

Bonus tip: how to adapt your CV to different roles in the tourism sector

One of the most effective strategies for creating an attractive CV for the tourism sector is to tailor the document according to the specific role you are applying for. The tourism sector encompasses several areas, such as hospitality, tour guide-interpreter, travel agencies, cruises, among others, and each of these roles requires a different set of skills and experience. Here are some tips on how to how to adapt your CV to several areas:

1. Hospitality

If you are applying for a position in the hospitality industry, such as receptionist or hotel manager, focus on your customer service skills, reservation management and experiences in hospitality environments. Mention your ability to solve problems quickly, to deal with more customers
difficult and to remain calm under pressure. It is also relevant to highlight your mastery of hotel management systems and the knowledge of languages.

2. Tour guide-interpreter

To apply for a position as a tour guide-interpreter, it is essential to highlight your Communication capacity, the knowledge
on tourist destinations and the experience of working with groups of people. If you are fluent in more than one language, this is an excellent opportunity to showcase this differentiating factor. Previous experience traveling internationally or in situations involving the public is also a strong point.

3. Cruises

If the position is related to cruises, emphasize your experience in dynamic environments and yours adaptability. Working on cruise ships often requires flexibility, as the work may involve irregular hours and a variety of tasks. Highlighting experience in customer service and international environments is important, as the diversity of passengers is large.

Tailoring your resume to each role may seem like a lot of work, but this customization can make all the difference to capture the attention of recruiters and demonstrate that you are the ideal candidate for the specific job.

Conclusion

Creating an attractive CV for the tourism industry requires attention to detail and a strategic approach. To create an effective CV, it is important to include clear and relevant information, such as professional experience, technical skills and soft skills essential for the sector. In addition, avoid common mistakes such as excessive information and grammatical errors. Also remember to customize your resume for each vacancy, highlighting your experiences according to the needs of the position.

Now, it's time to apply these tips to your own resume and make it even more competitive. If you want to create or update your resume in a practical way, create an account on our Platform and start building your professional profile. And if you already have your resume ready, bring it to our job fairs and come looking for your dream job. Good luck!