How to get a hospitality job in Sydney

1. Get your licences first

In NSW you need an RSA to serve alcohol, and an RCG for gaming areas. Many venues will not interview you without them. Complete the courses with a government-approved provider and keep the certificates ready.

2. Fix your CV

One or two pages, licences near the top, and results in your bullet points. See our guide on the Australian hospitality CV.

3. Choose your area, not just your job

Travel time matters. Pick two or three areas you can reach easily, such as the Inner West, the CBD, the Eastern Suburbs or the North Shore, and focus there. Reliable staff who live nearby are valued.

4. Apply in more than one way

• Online job boards and venue websites
• Walking in with a printed CV, ideally between lunch and dinner service when it is quiet
• Staffing agencies and introduction services like OCN
• Asking people you know in the industry. Many jobs are never posted

5. Say yes to trial shifts

A trial shift is how many venues hire. Arrive early, be clean and ready, ask questions, and look for work before you are asked. Managers remember the person who never needed to be told twice. Trials should be short, and if you are doing real work for the business you should be paid, so ask the venue and check the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

6. Be reliable, then ask for more

Turn up on time, give notice if you cannot make a shift, and say yes to extra hours when you can. Reliability is the main reason casuals become regulars, then permanent staff.

Working on a visa

If you are on a visa with work limits, check your conditions before you accept hours, and tell the venue honestly what you are able to work.