Today is Culinarians Day—a special day set aside to honor those professionals that make us food and love doing it. While many chefs, restaurateurs and other food service industry professionals love their jobs, it does take a lot of work to create masterful dishes and aim high for customer satisfaction day-in-and-day-out. Not only are these jobs fast-paced and difficult, but they are some of the most competitive across the country.
With that in mind, individuals who are aiming to become a chef or sous chef need to make sure they are able to present themselves as professionals in their industry—and know how to build a perfect resume. Here are a few things those in this job market should consider in order to stand out among the crowd:
- Descriptive Flamboyant Word Choices
In the food service world, chefs are used to having to describe flavors and dishes using a wide vocabulary of words—some of which may be hyperboles or overly exclamatory. While this language may be fitting in a restaurant review or menu description, it may be better to tone it down on a resume.
Remember you are a professional, not the dish you serve. As such, you should avoid using statements that cannot be backed by actual performance accomplishments. For example, saying you are a “celebrated master culinary artist” is not appropriate, whereas saying you received the “Best Chef in Town Award” could fit.
- Make Your Resume Attractive to Recruiters—Not Just Other Food Industry Professionals
In some cases, a culinary professional may be able to sneak through hiring demands because of industry connections—such as knowing a cook who needs a replacement at his or her restaurant. However, in many other cases, food service staff members are not the only people reviewing certifications and resumes. For example, chefs applying to chain establishments or hotel restaurants may have to go through human resources screening first.
What this means is that anyone aiming to take on a culinary career must have a resume that is not only simple, but is able to be easily understood by corporate hiring parties. As such, it is not only critical to properly format a resume, but also make sure that the information is accurate and wary of current industry trends and terms.
- Certifications Have Power
Just as education is a must for resumes, certifications and professional affiliations can carry weight too. For culinarians, these certifications can be worth a lot—the more assets you have, the more impressive and valuable you may be to a potential employer. For this reason, you should make sure to detail all training courses, food service certification, food safety accreditation and other workplace safety-related qualifications.
Crafting the Best Resume With Your Professional Ingredients
Like chefs, the writers at Chic Resumes are able to cook up exceptional resumes that work with the diverse professional ingredients of our clients. Whether you are a chef, executive or entry-level administrative professional, we will learn all about your work history, review your current resume and understand your goals to develop a top-notch resume for future applications.
To get started, reach out to our team today at (803) 831-7444 or resumewriting@grammarchic.net.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.
