Dishwasher Resume Sample

Dishwashers are essential restaurant staff members, responsible for cleaning not only the dishes but also the entire kitchen. If you’re applying for a dishwasher position, you must prove you’re dependable, comfortable working in a high-stress environment, and physically fit.

Providing a well-written dishwasher resume is the first step toward showing restaurant hiring managers that you’re the one for the job. However, because you’re reading this, you’re likely wondering what qualifications other than “made dirty dishes clean again” to list on your resume.

So here are three tips for writing the best dishwasher resume and finding your next job in the restaurant industry.

1. Highlight key achievements in your dishwasher resume (using hard numbers)

No restaurant functions properly without a hard-working crew of dishwashers. When you’re writing your dishwasher resume, explain how your presence on the dishwashing team added value to the restaurant.

There are many ways to show your value on your resume for a dishwasher job. If your restaurant received a high grade from your local department of health and safety, state it. Your thorough cleaning and food preparation were key reasons the restaurant earned high marks.

Here are more examples of hard numbers, taken from the above dishwasher resume sample:

• Manage a team of 8 dishwashers, decreasing average dishwashing turnaround time by at least 10% each year
• Analyze and update facility cleaning policies, with changes producing an 80% decrease in accidents
• Repaired kitchen equipment and minor plumbing issues, saving the restaurant an estimated $5,000 in labor charges

2. Include dishwasher skills

You may be tempted to use fancy words to describe your dishwasher responsibilities on your resume to separate yourself from the competition. However, hiding your skills behind big words could hurt your chances of getting hired.

The person who reviews your application is likely to skim your resume and then quickly decide whether to interview you. Also, the restaurant you want to work at may use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to reject applications that don’t feature certain keywords. Whichever situation you face, you should stick to common terms for dishwasher duties.

Some of the main hard and soft skills that restaurant managers look for in dishwasher job applicants include the following:

• Hard worker
• Flexible
• Organizational skills
• Physically fit
• Energetic
• Self-motivated
• Teachable
• Knowledge of cleaning chemicals
• Cleaning skills
• Food preparation
• Communication skills
• Language skills
• Stress management skills
• Basic computer skills (for viewing/managing online schedules and HR systems)

3. Write a strong resume introduction

Make your application shine like the dishes you clean by starting your resume with a strong introduction. A resume introduction is a few sentences or bullet points at the top of your resume that quickly explain to the hiring manager what makes you a great dishwasher.

When you write your resume introduction, imagine you’re answering the common interview question, “why should I hire you for this job?” Answer with your key achievements (including hard numbers, if possible), along with the personality traits that make you an all-star dishwasher.

Still not sure what to write in your resume introduction? No problem. Here’s a good example from the dishwasher resume sample above for inspiration:

Dishwasher with 6+ years of food health and safety experience. Handy with kitchen equipment repairs and upkeep, familiar with various regulations regarding kitchen chemicals and processes, and skilled food prepper. Hardworking, energetic, and in search of a new dishwashing challenge with [Company Name].