How to write an eye-catching resume that will grab the attention of food service employers

It’s no surprise that the food-service industry is heating up — and career growth opportunities are even hotter. The median pay for a food service manager in 2021 was $59,440 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The projected growth of this professional-level position is expected to be 15%. That’s higher than the national average.

How do you make your food service resume stand out among all the competition? Highlight your various professional skills and food service experience that match the hiring manager’s expectations. You want to show your potential employer that you have the abilities, education, and expertise they want and that you’re the right person for the job.

Get ready to learn how to craft a professional and intriguing resume that the food service industry simply can’t ignore.

What to include on resumes for food service professionals

As the demand for qualified food service managers and employees increases so does the need for qualified, capable, and experienced food service professionals. Employers are looking for staff who can demonstrate their culinary, management, and customer service skills. Too often, experienced food service applicants fail to highlight their experience and talents adequately. We recommend you place the following content on your resume using an appealing format that will vastly improve your chances for an interview.

Reverse chronological order

One of the best ways to write a resume is to use a reverse chronological resume format. Many hiring managers are familiar with this type of resume. Plus, it highlights your most recent positions and accomplishments as a food service professional. 

There’s also a particular order we recommend in regard to formatting resumes for the food service industry. To showcase your kitchen capabilities and professional work experience, include these sections:

• Resume object or summary
• Relevant work experience
• Professional kitchen skills
• Education and achievements
• Contact information

Resume objective or summary

You may be wondering, “Is there really a difference between a resume summary and a resume objective?” Absolutely there is. For those who have experience in the food service field, a summary briefly outlines your food service career highlights. An objective is ideal for individuals who have little to no professional experience. Describe the wide range of skills you’ve learned and how they can be valuable to the employer.

A mistake that many make when crafting resumes of their food service experience is focusing on their expertise, rather than featuring skills that are relevant to the hiring manager. If an employer is hiring a restaurant manager who excels in customer service, and you have experience in this area, be sure to include how your particular customer service skills have improved customer satisfaction or increased growth at your last place of employment.

“Customize your resume according to the qualifications and expertise your future employer needs.” 

Work experience

Communicating work experience on resumes for food service professionals is more than simply listing positions and responsibilities. Use action verbs and statistics to focus on what you achieved during your career, rather than the tasks you performed. Phrases like “led training seminars,” “hired wait staff,” or “reduced food costs” along with a brief description of how these actions boosted growth or maximized efficiency, speak to what you actually accomplished, and how that can greatly benefit your future employer. 

Skills

Food service employers are all ears when it comes to taking note of the skills section on resumes for food service personnel. Don’t list the skills you’ve developed over the years but highlight them instead, matching them up with the in-demand skills that are listed in the job posting. Customize your resume according to the qualifications and expertise your future employer needs. 

If the job description requires a sous chef that can use a variety of cooking methods, include a brief sentence about the methods and techniques you have used. It may look something like this: “Knowledge and experience with various cooking methods including sauteing, poaching, roasting, and sous vide.” Other skills you may want to elaborate on, depending on the specific job description, include:

• Kitchen management
• Performance monitoring
• Time management
• Minimizing costs
• Problem-solving

Education

Highlighting education on food service resumes does not need to be complicated. If you’ve already completed your education, include these details:

• Highest degree of education
• Type of degree
• Major and minors
• Name of the institution
• Graduation date

If you haven’t finished your culinary education or have yet to begin culinary school, write a summary that describes:

• Food-related extracurricular activities
• High school culinary classes
• Part-time restaurant jobs

Contact Information

Although we’ve listed this section last, it is essential if you want to be called back for an interview. Be creative with this area by:

• Placing the information at the top before the resume summary
• Adding it to the top-left corner across from your name and job title
• Including it along the side for a more modern look

When creating your next food service resume, use this guide to highlight your accomplishments, feature your professional skills, and showcase your relevant work experience. Consider creating a profile on Career Builder so future employers can find you. Hiring managers are bound to take notice which may lead to an interview and a new full-time food service position.

More resume tips

Add these unusual waitress, waiter, or bartender skills to your food service resume.

Need to highlight your customer service skills? Include these in-demand customer service skills on your food service resume. 

Stand out from other food service applicants with these resume and interview tips.