General Manager Resume Example
Professional General Manager resume example. Get hired faster with our ATS-optimized template.
General Manager Salary Range (US)
$85,000 - $145,000
Why This Resume Works
Executive verbs command the narrative
Lead, Held, Opened, Reduced, Lifted. General managers own outcomes at the unit and portfolio level. Every verb should reflect that.
Enterprise-scale numbers define the GM tier
$12.4M flagship, 130 employees, a $4M second location. GMs operate at a different order of magnitude. Make the scale obvious.
Prime cost and EBITDA are the GM language
Prime cost at 58%, EBITDA margin 14% to 19%, food cost 34% to 30%. GMs are judged on the full cost structure, not single line items.
Openings and growth separate GMs
On time and $90K under budget, manager turnover to zero, revenue up 22%. New openings and retention are top-tier differentiators.
Programs and credentials you built
ServSafe Manager, a development and bonus program, a beverage program at 38% of revenue. Show the systems you built, not just the results.
Essential Skills
- Multi-unit P&L management
- Prime cost control
- Capital projects and budgets
- New restaurant openings
- Manager development and retention
- Revenue growth strategy
- Vendor contract negotiation
- Brand standards and audits
Level Up Your Resume
A Restaurant Manager CV must do more than list shifts and duties. It must prove you can run a P&L, hold food and labor cost to target, build a team that stays, and keep guests coming back. Hiring teams at national chains, franchise groups, and independent restaurants scan for numbers: covers, cost percentages, turnover, guest scores, and the size of the operation you ran.
The profession has clear levels from Shift Supervisor through General Manager, and your CV must match each tier. Supervisor CVs should show labor control and steady service under pressure. Assistant and Restaurant Manager CVs must show P&L ownership, cost discipline, and people development. General Manager CVs should read like a business case: revenue scale, EBITDA growth, openings, and retention.
This guide covers what each level of restaurant management CV must include, the mistakes that get CVs rejected, how to frame your experience for impact, and which certifications and skills hiring managers look for, with US salary ranges for each level.
Best Practices for General Manager CV
Open with revenue scale and EBITDA - '$12.4M flagship, EBITDA margin 14% to 19%' is the headline a multi-unit operator looks for. Lead with the business outcome.
Feature openings and capital projects - 'Opened a second location on time and $90K under budget' signals you can scale, not just operate. This is what separates GMs.
Use prime cost language - 'Held prime cost at 58%' shows you think in the full cost structure (food + labor), the language of multi-unit finance.
Quantify retention - 'Reduced manager turnover to zero over three years' is rare and valuable. Manager retention is the GM's hardest, most-watched metric.
Show systems you built - Development programs, bonus structures, beverage programs. GMs build the machine; show the systems, not just the results.
Common Mistakes in General Manager CV
Starting with a generic summary - 'Experienced hospitality leader' is invisible. GMs must open with revenue scale, EBITDA, and a transformation.
No opening or growth story - If you opened a location or grew revenue, that belongs in the summary, not buried in a 2014 role. It is a top-tier differentiator.
Talking sales without prime cost - Sales alone is a vanity number. GMs are judged on prime cost and EBITDA. Show the full cost structure.
Omitting retention metrics - Manager turnover is the GM's signature metric. If you held a team together, quantify it.
Listing results without systems - Numbers are good, but GMs build machines. Show the programs (development, bonus, beverage) that produced the results.
Tips for General Manager CV
Write the summary as a business case - Line 1: revenue and scale. Line 2: what you grew or built. Line 3: your edge (openings, retention, multi-unit). Three lines, no filler.
Lead with EBITDA, not sales - Sales is context; EBITDA growth is the story. Open the current role with the margin you moved.
Make openings prominent - New-unit openings on time and on budget are GM gold. Give them a dedicated bullet near the top.
Use prime cost - Combine food and labor as prime cost. It is the metric multi-unit operators manage to.
Show the people machine - Development programs, bonus structures, retention numbers. GMs are hired to build teams that last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Recommended Certifications
Interview Preparation
Restaurant management interviews test operational judgment, cost discipline, and people leadership. Shift Supervisor interviews focus on handling the rush, labor control, and food safety. Assistant and Restaurant Manager interviews probe food and labor cost management, scheduling decisions, hiring and turnover, and how you handle a bad night or a failed health inspection. General Manager interviews evaluate P&L and prime cost thinking, opening and capital project experience, manager retention, and how you scale standards across a team. Always bring specific numbers: cost percentages, covers, turnover, and guest scores.