good resume skills for food service

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Resume Examples Food Service Resume

Food Service Resume Example

Our food service resume example and writing tips will help you learn how to highlight your food service skills and qualifications.

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Food Service Cover Letter & Related Resumes

Text Format

Food service salary data, 3 steps for writing a strong food service resume.

An expertly arranged resume format showcases your top achievements and talents.

Food Service Resume Template (Text Format)

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

Career Objective

Food Service Worker with 6+ years of professional experience in both front and back of house, hostessing as well as preparing and serving food. Consistently provide excellent customer service, and possess encyclopedic knowledge of wines, entrees, restaurant equipment, and POS systems. Looking to leverage my knowledge of the industry for a server role at your restaurant.

Professional Experience

Server The Big Lobster / Greenville, SC / 2020 – Present

• Take customer orders with a friendly demeanor, consistently scoring over 90% satisfaction rating on customer feedback surveys
• Memorized 200+ cocktails and dishes to answer customer questions and increase sales by providing tailored pairing suggestions
• Prepare appetizers, entrees, salads, and alcoholic beverages when the kitchen staff is busy, ensuring that all guests received their orders within 20 minutes

Trained 4 underperforming servers in upselling techniques, increasing their sales by 10% on average

• Learned how to manually calculate and split bills, completing 53 orders during an instance when the POS terminal was down

Hostess Olive Garden / Greenville, SC / 2018 – 2020

• Scheduled all reservations over the phone and tracked all table availability in a restaurant with 60 tables
• Welcomed customers and made them feel comfortable while taking care of their dining needs and requests
• Managed phone orders, relaying them to the kitchen staff, and ensured they were ready for pick up
• Mastered 3 types of POS Terminals

Sandwich maker The Dive / Greenville, SC / 2016 – 2018

• Prepared a variety of sandwiches ahead of store open as well as individually to order, averaging 75 sandwiches per shift
• Earned Food Handlers Permit and always followed safe food handling practices and protocols to ensure the safety of guests
• Took orders for an average of 150 customers per day, providing them with friendly and outstanding service

Bachelor of Science in Marketing UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA – Columbia, SC (May 2017)

Certification

Food Handler’s Permit / 360 Training (May 2017)

• POS systems
• Restaurant equipment maintenance
• Problem solving
• Team leadership

California: $37,130 New York: $36,540 Texas: $28,890 National Average: $32,420

This page includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

“Food service” is an umbrella term that encompasses everything from server and waiter/waitress jobs to line or prep cook positions. With such a vast field to gain experience in and a low barrier to entry, it’s a great place to start picking up skills that you’ll use for the rest of your career.

But if you want to successfully land a job in the food service industry, you’ll need to know how to tailor your resume to match the role you’re looking for. Thankfully, our expert tips will help you write a convincing food service resume for any role you want.

Here are some tips you should keep in mind when writing a stand-out food service resume:

1. Introduce yourself with a career objective

Anyone who’s worked in food service knows that the managers at top restaurants or bars are very busy. If you want to land a job, it’s important that your resume catches their attention quickly.

The best way to do this is by starting your resume with a career objective  (or resume objective), placed at the top of the page. Think of your career objective as a quick pitch for your skills and qualifications in the food service industry.

While a career objective is only 3-4 sentences, it should be full of valuable information that grabs an employer’s attention, such as:

• An overview of your experience
• Your relevant skills and qualifications
• What role you hope to fill

After reading your career objective, employers should have a good idea of your experience, skills and whether or not you’d be a good fit for the position.

Here’s an example of a food service career objective:

This objective works because the candidate highlights their years of varied experience, indicating that they are knowledgeable about the smooth operation of a restaurant. They go on to list several key skills that set them apart, and close by stating their career goals.

Writing a strong resume objective like this will get you noticed by employers, who will be drawn in to spend more time looking at your resume.

5 additional food service resume objective examples

Here are some more resume objective examples to help get you started:

Enthusiastic food service professional with 3 years of experience as a server adept at providing excellent customer service in busy restaurants. Works quickly with attention to detail. Seeking a new opportunity to join a high-volume, fast-paced restaurant team.

Culinary school graduate with food preparation and cooking experience looking for an entry-level cook or line prep role in a commercial kitchen. Passionate about crafting quality food and learning new techniques. Available to work flexible shifts including weekends and nights.

Experienced restaurant cook with expertise preparing high-volume meals, managing multiple stations and following proper safety/sanitation protocols. Works well under pressure to meet tight deadlines. Seeking a cook or sous chef position at a thriving restaurant.

Bilingual food service professional seeking front-of-house host or server role. Warm and welcoming with 3+ years experience providing excellent customer service in family restaurants. Talent for generating loyal regular customers and positive reviews.

2. Write a solid professional experience section

Your resume experience section is the core of any good food service job application. This is where employers will look to see whether or not you have the skills and qualifications needed to do the job well.

That’s why it’s important that you make your experience section as compelling as possible. One way to do that is by adding strong action verbs:

Use action verbs

An easy way to strengthen your food service resume is to make your professional experience pop with action verbs . Not only does it keep your resume from being a dull read, it also helps you come off as more proactive.

Instead of starting each bullet point off with passive language like “tasked with” or “responsible for”, start the sentence off with a verb that highlights the actions you took at work.

Here are 30 action verbs to use in your food service resume:

In addition to using action verbs, you should also include hard numbers in your experience section:

Quantify your achievements with hard numbers

While writing your work experience section , use numbers whenever possible so that employers can see what results you achieved at your previous positions.

Here’s an example of how to quantify food service experience on your resume:

Using numbers helps the employer judge your ability to perform. Even if you don’t think your professional achievements are particularly impressive, an employer will be more willing to hire you over someone whose resume is so vague that the employer can’t determine what kind of employee the applicant will be.

3. Prioritize your food service skills

If employers can see that you already possess many or all of the skills needed to fill a role, they’ll be much more likely to hire you. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your food service skills are listed clearly under your skills section or included in your work experience section.

Food service is a customer-oriented industry, so you should include a balanced mix of both hard and soft skills .

Soft skills affect the way you relate to customers and other staff members, while hard skills make up the industry-specific knowledge you’ve picked up with experience and training.

If you’re writing a server resume, be sure to include all of your server skills .

If you’re not sure what skills to include on your resume, here’s a food service skills list:

• Food Handler’s Permit
• TIPS certification
• Food safety/hygiene knowledge
• Product knowledge
• Basic math skills
• Computer skills
• Language skills
• Restaurant equipment maintenance (e.g. ice machines, espresso machines, refrigerators, etc.)
• Verbal communication skills
• Active listening
• Collaboration
• Sales skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Strong memory
• Stress management
• Work well under pressure
• Time management skills
• People skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Tactfulness
• Multitasking
• Organizational skills
• Adaptability

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7 Food Service Worker Resume Examples for 2024

• Food Service Worker Resume
• Food Service Resumes by Experience
• Food Service Resumes by Role

The food service industry makes $996 billion per year . Everybody’s gotta eat, so it’s no surprise that it’s one of the biggest industries in the world. Millions of people are employed by food service companies.

This customer-oriented role requires great patience and dedication. As a food service worker, you must be quick to adapt and remain pleasant under pressure. Working in this industry can be a challenge, but creating a cover letter and resume doesn’t have to be.

Using our research-based food service worker resume samples and tips, you can  write a resume  for yourself that meets all the needs and expectations of the 2023 job market.

Food Service Worker Resume Example

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• When they say numbers talk, believe it — exactly why you should take your food service worker resume as an avenue to flaunt metrics that scream your awesomeness in delivering tangible results. We are referring to phrases like “increasing check sizes by 14%” and “4.8 customer rating” in Carla’s masterpiece.
• Then, cook up an impactful work experience section by sprucing up your resume bullet points with strong action verbs (think “Boosted”, “Completed”, and “Maintained”). These add oomph to your duties and wins, keeping the hiring manager itching to discover the go-getter you are.
• How about amping up your work history section with those must-have job skills like “sales”, “time management,” “cash handling,” and “verbal communication?” It’s all about demonstrating you’ve got the chops to not only fit in but stand out.
• You also want to echo the job ad’s language, such as “increase food production” and “stocked and organized shelving and food storage units.” Here, you’re simply connecting the dots between your work experience and what the potential employer is hungry for.

Entry-Level Food Service Resume Example

• Use direct language in the work experience section. Start each work experience bullet point with a strong action word to get right to the point and instill confidence in the reader.
• Use consistent verb tense.
• If you choose to end bullet points in a period, don’t stop using the period halfway through the document.
• Even if your entry-level food service resume only lists two previous jobs, your work experience section can still boast an impressive list of duties and accomplishments, especially if you add measurable impact with metrics.

Food Service Manager Resume Example

• Your food service manager resume can include color accents, provided they’re not distracting. Subtle color can make headings easier to distinguish and your resume more visually pleasing.
• Include your experience working with people, what impact you’ve made on your team (this is a great place to add metrics), and your management style and values.

Dietary Aide Resume Example

• Ensure to add any relevant experience to your dietary aide resume that highlights your ability to create and serve customized food meals while keeping safety protocols in check. You can also mention any past dietary consulting sessions you’ve held.

Food Service Director Resume Example

• List down any software you’ve used to manage your staff members and their schedules. If you have directly contributed to increasing sales and efficiency, don’t let them go unnoticed! Overall, create a blend of managerial, respectful, and hard-working experiences.

Food Service Specialist Resume Example

• Your work history should reflect the skills and responsibilities of the job you’re seeking. Highlighting your expertise will make hiring managers want you to do the same for their company.
• A full resume appears professional, and it articulates that you have the experience needed for the position. 

Fast Food Service Worker Resume Example

• Take up space: an objective can help fill the page, so your resume doesn’t have awkward white space.
• Personalize: it allows you to show your personality and what you’d be like as an employee.
• Descriptions: you can describe what you’re looking for in a job and what you can bring to the table. 
• Don’t include too many previous positions. Select the work experience that best complements the role to which you’re applying.
• Don’t include irrelevant education or certifications. These can distract and cause employers to envision you in a role you don’t desire.

Related resume guides

How to Create a Food Service Worker Resume

Prep your food service resume in no time with our easy-to-follow steps.

Select a fun, creative resume template if you want to work in a local jazzy cafe. Try an elegant resume template if you’ll be working for fine dining and catered events. Providing food service for more serious populations, such as juvenile centers, hospitals, or schools? A professional resume template with clean, classic lines and muted colors will serve you best.

Note the job listing requirements, such as a healthcare setting needing you to “create reports to verify meal transactions” or a bistro asking you to take on “eliminating food waste.”

While you’d want your skills list to include “reporting” or “minimizing food waste,” look for opportunities in your work experience bullet points to show these skills in action .

Did accurate reporting reduce company losses? Did you initiate a rotation system that ensured produce remained fresh?

Start each work experience bullet point with an active verb to propel the sentence forward. Words such as “interacted,” “cultivated,” “processed,” “increased,” “decreased,” “organized,” “monitored,” “evaluated,” “prepared,” “recorded,” and “operated” are just some active words you might consider including in your food service worker resume.

You can place your education section further down on your food service worker resume if you like. It’s not that your education isn’t important, but if you’ve been in the food industry long, you know that so much about the role is learned while actively interacting and serving customers, stocking and rotating shelves, prepping food and sanitizing surfaces, and cultivating a welcoming environment.

• English (UK)
• Resume Examples

Food Service Resume—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips

You can deal with everything, including grouchy customers coming in five nanoseconds before closing. Prove it with this tasty and professional food service resume sample.

Every day in food service is a blend of chaos and creativity, where you juggle orders, charm customers, and maintain a calm under pressure. You know how to make every meal a memorable experience, but can you make your resume just as unforgettable?

With the right ingredients, we’ll help you cook up a food service resume that showcases your talents and dedication.

In this guide:

• 25+ food service resume examples better than most.
• How to write a resume for food service jobs that satisfies.
• How to cook up the perfect food service job description for resumes.
• Why you can’t just list food service skills (and what to do instead).

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Looking for a specific kind of food service resume? See these guides: 

• Server Resume Examples
• Bartender Resume Examples
• Barista Resume Examples
• Waiter & Waitress Resume Examples
• Line Cook Resume Examples
• Restaurant Resume Examples
• Restaurant Manager Resume Examples
• Dishwasher Resume Examples
• Chef Resume Examples
• Cashier Resume Examples
• Fast Food Resume Examples
• Food Runner Resume Examples
• US Resume Examples
• Sous Chef Resume Examples
• Hospitality Resume Examples
• Budtender Resume Examples
• Starbucks Resume Examples

Are you writing a food service  manager  resume? See these guide:

• Management (General) Resume Sample & Guide

Trying to put food service  on a resume?  Switching careers  into  the food service world? Use this guide:

• Resume for a Career Change

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our  Professional Resume Examples.

Food Service Resume Sample You Can Copy and Use

Kayleigh Zak

Head Server

Personal Info

Phone: 562-708-4258

E-mail: [email protected]

linkedin.com/in/kayleighzak

twitter.com/kayleighzak

Cheerful server and manager with 8+ years of experience. Seeking to create a memorable dining experience at B-Sides Barbecue. At The Satiated Satyr, managed 17 servers, raising staff retention 25% through improved communication. Recruited and trained 10 new employees. Presided over a period of 30% more repeat business.

The Satiated Satyr Food Service

2013–2019

• Managed 17 servers and bartenders in fast-paced, chef-owned food service. Increased retention 25% through better communication.
• Used interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with staff and customers. Presided over 30% increase in repeat business.
• Ordered all wine, liquor, coffee, tea, and bar supplies. Worked with bar vendors to cut inventory costs by 15%.
• Hired and trained 10 new staff members.
• Conducted quarterly reviews. Worked with employees on efficiency and attitude. Result: increased customer satisfaction scores by 35%.
• Handled bookkeeping and payroll. Kept register errors near zero.

The Muddy Keel

2011–2013

• Waited tables in high-volume food service. Attained 95% average in customer comment card scores.
• Regularly pooled out with highest tips of entire team.
• Commended by manager for cool head during busiest shifts. Often organized enough to help flustered servers catch up.
• Regularly volunteered for unpopular tasks like cleaning restrooms.

Millikan High School

2007–2011

• Voted boys choice of sister.
• Girl's lacrosse co-captain.

Classes 

• Bartender Certification - PBSO Bartending School.
• Leadership Manager Training - Dale Carnegie

Additional Activities

• Volunteer cook 2x per month Silver Street Soup Kitchen.
• Mentor 2 at risk girls.
• Lead yoga classes 2x per week to 18 students.

Hard Skills:   Recruiting, scheduling, inventory, quarterly reviews, MS Office

Soft Skills:   Interpersonal skills, leadership, listening

Here’s how to write a food service resume that cooks:

1. Serve a Professional Food Service Resume Format

Here’s the ticket:  Your resume format should show you’re a pro. So use the reverse-chronological layout. It gives a taste of your skills at a glance.

Food Service Resume Format

• Whip up a single-page resume . Use 1-inch margins.
• Add one of the best resume fonts like 10–12pt Calibri or Helvetica.
• Make these resume sections : Heading, Summary, History, Education, Skills, and one or two extra sections (like   hobbies and interests , if relevant).
• Include white space so their eyes don’t melt.
• Save your document as a PDF. A PDF resume works on every device.

Expert Hint: There are 5.4 million server food service jobs in the US . They’ll grow 14% in the next decade. But good ones with high pay need perfect food service resumes.

2. Write a Tempting Food Service Resume Objective or Summary

You wouldn’t eat a mystery-meat sandwich. Why would they read a mystery-meat resume?

Appetize them with a resume profile (in the form of a resume summary or resume objective ). Put it near the top of your food service worker resume. (Write it last so you’ll have plenty of ingredients.)

• An adjective (cheerful, efficient)
• Years of experience (1+, 9+)
• How/who you’ll help (create memorable dining experiences at B-Side Barbecue)
• Best food service moments (trained 10 employees...)
• A couple job skills (serving, POS systems...)

These food service resume examples give the menu:

Food Service Resume Summary—Example

Those food service worker resume samples show delicious restaurant achievements. No matter your job title, think—What does this restaurant manager want most? And what’s the proof I’ve done it?

But what about resumes for food service jobs with no experience? These entry-level food service resume examples serve it up:

Entry-Level Food Service Resume Objective

Those food service resume examples prove interpersonal skills, efficiency, and more. To do that, think when you used those skills to do big things. Even debate club leadership can prove interpersonal skills.

Expert Hint: The median food service manager salary in the US is $49,139 . There are six-figure managers, but to get those jobs you need a custom-fit resume . 

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now .

CREATE YOUR RESUME NOW

Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now .

3. Sweeten Your Food Service Worker Job Description

What skills go in a food service resume? See this list:

Food Service Skills for a Resume

• Customer Service
• Quality Control
• Food Safety
• Physical Stamina
• Communication Skills
• Listening Skills
• Handling Money
• Multitasking
• Interpersonal Skills
• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Good Attitude
• Attention to Detail

Here are skills for different food service professions:

Cook Skills

• Knife Skills
• Timing Food Orders

Server Skills

• POS Systems
• Making Drinks
• Writing Specials Boards
• Memorizing Specials
• Describing Entrees

Barista Skills

• Latte Frother
• Bean Grinders
• Specials Board Writing

Bartender Skills

• Serving Drinks
• Mixing Drinks
• Closing Cash Registers
• Building Relationships
• Drink Knowledge
• Serving Wine

Chef Skills

• Infrared Broilers
• Beef Grinders
• Managing Waitstaff
• Explaining Specials

But watch out: Only list a few. And prove those few.

To write a food service worker job description for resumes:

• Hand-pick your resume skills from the help wanted ad.
• Salt them into your resume. They’re keywords for your resume .
• Show you used them to get results.

See these food service resume examples. Say the job ad wants these food service skills: creating themed cocktails , wine knowledge , training , listening to customers .

Food Service Worker Job Descriptions for Resumes [Samples]

The Cockeyed Clam

• Mixed drinks, prepped, opened, and closed in busy waterfront bar.
• Created 200+ themed cocktails for specials board. Increased customer engagement and foot traffic by 20%.
• Curated regional wines . Result: 22% increase in annual liquor sales.
• Trained 3 other bartenders. Raised staff retention 25%.
• Assisted with redesign of bar menu and drink menu based on listening to customers . Increased weekly revenue an average of $1,500.

Now here’s a food service manager resume example.

It needs skills in managing , interpersonal skills , ordering , and hiring :

Next, a cook food service resume example.

It needs efficiency , interpersonal skills , plating , and desserts :

The Paisley Onion

• Worked as key cook in upscale farm-to-table food service.
• Maintained efficient 99% on-time prep score even during high-volume shifts.
• Recognized by management for interpersonal skills .
• Used expert cooking and plating skills to contribute to a 5-year period of 97% customer satisfaction scores.
• Written up favorably in  Downeast Magazine  for excellent desserts .

See the game? Learn what they need. Then show you’ve done it. Kind of like satisfying restaurant customers. 

Let’s move on to entry-level resumes . Say the job wants these food service skills: customer service , POS , interpersonal skills , and efficiency .

See this entry-level food service resume example with no experience:

Entry-Level Food Service Resume Job Descriptions [Samples]

Team Member

Parson’s Clothing

2018–2019

• Recognized by store manager for customer service skills.
• Operated POS system 15+ hours per week with zero errors.
• Used expert interpersonal skills to interact with customers. Received 3 personal letters for cheerful disposition.
• Consistently finished stocking duties 20 minutes faster than coworkers. Commended by shift supervisor for efficiency .

Now here’s a cook food service worker resume example.

The job needs food prep , food safety , customer service , friendly attitude :

Store Clerk

Degotano’s Corner Store

• Assisted with food prep for sandwich counter. Complimented by manager and cooks for food safety skills.
• Exceeded store’s strict customer service standards in all 4 quarters.
• Complimented 2–3 times per shift by customers for friendly attitude .

One more. A bartender food service resume example.

The manager wants customer service , efficiency , organization , work ethic :

• Waited tables in high-volume food service. Attained 95% average in customer service card scores.
• Regularly pooled out with highest tips of entire team thanks to efficiency .
• Regularly volunteered for unpopular tasks like cleaning restrooms. Recognized for strong work ethic .

See the trick? You haven’t worked the job. But you’ve still got the skills.

Need to learn more about writing job descriptions? Check out these  great examples of resume job descriptions . 

Expert Hint: The best city to be a waiter is Seattle. Servers there make an average of $18.07 per hour . The competition is hot. Your fast food service resume must cook.

4. Put More Meat in Your Education Section

You don’t need an education section in a food service resume. Do you?

Well, yes. But don’t think of it like that. It’s just a way to show more skills that wow them. This food service resume example shows how:

Food Service Resume Example—Education

The point? That example used education to show teamwork and leadership.

5. Put Add-ons in Your Food Service Resume

“We’ve got to hire this one.”  Getting food service managers to say that doesn’t come from work experience alone. Put add-ons in your food service resume to tease your skills. Try these:

• Volunteering
• Associations ( AMA , ACF )
• Groups and clubs
• Certifications ( ServSafe , First Aid )
• Conferences
• Additional activities

This sample food service resume sweetens it:

Food Service Resume—Extra Sections

• Regular soup kitchen volunteer.
• Passionate about travel.

The first of those food service resume examples shows certifications, compassion, leadership, and fitness.

Expert Hint: Learn  how to write a cover letter . Your food service worker resume will look more appetizing. Almost half of restaurant managers expect a cover letter with each resume.

Haven't written your cover letter yet? See:

• Restaurant Manager Cover Letter Examples
• Server Cover Letter Examples

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

CREATE YOUR COVER LETTER NOW

Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here .

Here’s how to write a food service resume:

• Use the food service resume template up top. It’s got all the right flavors to make management take notice.
• Don’t just list food service skills. Customer service and interpersonal skills are necessary. But to get the job, show they helped the restaurant.
• Your education section can upsell. Add skills proof in your bullets.
• Add resume sections like classes or volunteer work to show your passion and tease skills.

Got questions on how to write great resumes for food service jobs? Not sure how to put food service on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

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At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines , ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets . Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Having published over 200 career-advice articles, Tom Gerencer is a career expert who covers the whole array of job-seeking topics for people at all career stages, from interns to C-suite members. His insights, commentary, and articles reach over a million readers every month. With inside knowledge of key industry players and in-depth research, Tom helps job seekers with advice across all professions and career stages.

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Food Service Resume: Example & Writing Guide for 2024

When applying for a position in food service, having a well-crafted resume is crucial for landing the job. A food service resume highlights the applicant’s relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications in the food industry.

A food service resume is a document that outlines an individual’s professional history in the food industry. This includes past job roles, education and training, and any relevant achievements or awards. The resume serves as a marketing tool for the applicant to showcase their knowledge, skills, and experience in the food service industry to potential employers.

In the highly competitive food service industry, a well-written resume can make all the difference in getting noticed by potential employers. A strong resume can demonstrate the applicant’s ability to work in a fast-paced, customer-oriented environment, and highlight their specific knowledge and skills in the food service industry.

Key Components of a Food Service Resume

A food service resume should include several key components:

• Contact Information: Full name, phone number, email address, and street address.
• Career Objective: A brief statement outlining the applicant’s career goals and objectives in the food service industry.
• Professional Experience: A list of previous job roles, including job title, company name, dates of employment, and a brief description of job duties and achievements.
• Education and Training: Formal education and any relevant training or certifications, including the name of the institution or program, the degree or certification received, and the date of completion.
• Skills: A list of relevant skills and qualifications in the food service industry, such as food preparation, customer service, and inventory management.
• Achievements: Any relevant achievements or awards, such as sales goals or customer satisfaction ratings.

Tips for Writing a Food Service Resume

To create an effective food service resume, consider the following tips:

• Customize your resume to match the specific job requirements of the position you are applying for.
• Use strong action verbs to describe your previous job duties and achievements.
• Highlight your customer service skills and experience, which are essential in the food service industry.
• Mention any relevant software or computer skills, such as point-of-sale systems or inventory management software.
• Keep your resume concise and easy to read, using bullet points and clear headings.

With these tips in mind, you can create a food service resume that stands out from the competition and highlights your strengths and experience in the food service industry.

Food Service Resume Writing Guide

A well-written resume is crucial in landing a job in the food service industry. When crafting your resume, there are several key components to consider. In this guide, we’ll cover the following:

A. Identifying Your Career Goals

Before you begin writing your resume, it’s important to identify your career goals within the food service industry. This will help you tailor your resume to the specific job you’re interested in and highlight the skills and experience you have that match the job requirements.

B. Choosing the Right Format for Your Resume

There are several different formats you can use for your food service resume, including chronological, functional, and combination formats. Each has their own benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to choose the one that will best showcase your skills and experience.

C. Tailoring Your Resume to the Job Description

One of the most important things you can do when crafting your food service resume is to tailor it to the job description. This means highlighting the skills and experience that match the job requirements and using keywords that will catch the attention of the hiring manager.

D. Highlighting Your Skills and Achievements

Your food service resume should highlight your most relevant skills and achievements. This might include things like experience with different types of cuisine, knowledge of health and safety regulations, or exceptional customer service skills.

E. Using Action Verbs

Using action verbs is a great way to make your food service resume more engaging and dynamic. Instead of using passive language, like “responsible for,” use active language, like “managed” or “created.”

F. Writing a Powerful Summary Statement

Your summary statement is the first thing a hiring manager will see on your food service resume, so it’s important to make it powerful and attention-grabbing. This section should highlight your most relevant skills and experience and demonstrate how you can add value to the organization.

By following these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a successful food service resume. Good luck!

Food Service Resume Examples

When it comes to applying for a job in the food service industry, having a well-crafted resume is crucial. Your resume should stand out and showcase your skills and experience in the field. Here are four food service resume examples to help guide you.

A. Entry-Level Food Service Resume Example

Objective:  To obtain an entry-level position in the food service industry.

Summary:  Hardworking and dedicated individual seeking an opportunity to work in the food service industry. Strong communication and teamwork skills. Willing to learn and grow in the industry.

• High school diploma or GED

Experience:

• Volunteer at local food bank, helping with food preparation and distribution
• Part-time restaurant host/hostess, responsible for greeting customers and seating them
• Customer service experience in retail industry
• Customer service
• Communication
• Basic food preparation and sanitation knowledge

B. Experienced Food Service Resume Example

Objective:  To secure a position in a reputable food service establishment where I can utilize my extensive experience and skills to contribute to the success of the business.

Summary:  Experienced food service worker with a passion for providing exceptional customer service. Skilled in all aspects of food preparation, safety, and sanitation. Strong leadership skills with the ability to train and manage staff.

• Culinary Arts Degree
• Head chef at a fine dining restaurant, responsible for menu planning and execution
• Assistant manager at a café, oversaw daily operations and managed staff
• Line cook at a busy restaurant, responsible for food preparation and maintaining a clean work environment
• Menu planning
• Food safety and sanitation
• Attention to detail

C. Waitress/Waiter Food Service Resume Example

Objective:  To obtain a position as a waitress/waiter in a busy restaurant where I can utilize my excellent customer service and communication skills.

Summary:  Friendly and personable individual with a passion for providing exceptional service to customers. Able to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment. Excellent communication and multitasking skills.

• Completed relevant training and certification programs
• Server at a high-end restaurant, responsible for taking orders and ensuring customer satisfaction
• Waitress at a family-friendly restaurant, responsible for greeting customers and serving food
• Hostess at a busy bar and grill, responsible for seating customers and managing reservations
• Multitasking
• Knowledge of restaurant POS systems

D. Chef/Cook Food Service Resume Example

Objective:  To secure a position as a chef/cook in a reputable restaurant where I can showcase my culinary skills and passion for cooking.

Summary: Skilled chef/cook with extensive experience creating and executing delicious and visually appealing dishes. Strong knowledge of cooking techniques and ingredients.

Completed culinary arts program at [Name of Culinary School]

Chef de Partie at a fine dining restaurant, responsible for preparing and plating dishes according to menu specifications

Line Cook at a busy bistro, managing food preparation and coordinating with kitchen staff to ensure timely service

Sous Chef at a high-volume restaurant, assisting in menu planning, recipe development, and supervising kitchen operations

Culinary creativity Menu planning and recipe development Food preparation and cooking techniques Knowledge of food safety and sanitation regulations Attention to detail Ability to work under pressure

E. Conclusion

Crafting a strong food service resume is essential for showcasing your skills, experience, and passion in the restaurant industry. Whether you’re pursuing a position as a waitress/waiter or a chef/cook, tailoring your resume to highlight relevant skills and experiences can help you stand out from other candidates.

For waitress/waiter resumes, emphasize excellent customer service, communication, and multitasking skills, along with any relevant experience in the industry.

For chef/cook resumes, highlight culinary skills, creativity, and knowledge of cooking techniques and ingredients, as well as experience working in various kitchen environments.

Remember to include your education, relevant certifications, and any additional skills that set you apart. By presenting a well-crafted resume, you increase your chances of securing a position that aligns with your passion for food service. Good luck in your job search!

Crafting a Stellar Food Service Cover Letter

If you’re applying for a job in the food service industry, you’ll need a cover letter that stands out from the rest. Your cover letter should serve as an introduction to your resume and highlight your qualifications, skills and experience that make you the best candidate for the position. In this section, we’ll explore what a food service cover letter is, why it’s important, the key elements of a cover letter, and tips for writing a stellar food service cover letter.

A. What is a Food Service Cover Letter?

A food service cover letter is a document that accompanies your resume when applying for jobs in the food service industry. It provides a brief overview of your skills, experience, and qualifications that make you suitable for the job, and it’s designed to entice the hiring manager to read your resume.

B. Why is a Food Service Cover Letter Important?

A food service cover letter is important because it helps you stand out from other applicants. In a competitive job market, a well-written cover letter can be the difference between getting an interview or being ignored. A cover letter gives you the opportunity to show the hiring manager why you’re the best candidate for the job and why they should consider you for an interview.

C. Key Elements of a Food Service Cover Letter

When crafting your food service cover letter, keep in mind that it should be concise, well-written, and tailored to the specific job you’re applying for. The following are key elements to include in your cover letter:

• A strong opening paragraph that grabs the hiring manager’s attention and explains why you’re interested in the job.
• A brief overview of your skills and experience that make you a good match for the job.
• Specific examples of how you’ve applied your skills and experience in the food service industry.
• An explanation of why you’re interested in working for the specific company or restaurant you’re applying to.
• A strong closing paragraph that reiterates your interest in the job, thanks the hiring manager for their time, and invites them to contact you for an interview.

D. Tips for Writing a Food Service Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips to help you craft a stellar food service cover letter:

• Do your research on the company or restaurant you’re applying to and tailor your cover letter to their specific needs and values.
• Use strong, action-oriented language that showcases your skills and experience.
• Proofread and edit your cover letter carefully to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors.
• Keep your cover letter concise and to the point. Aim for no more than one page.
• Use a professional tone and avoid any slang or informal language.
• Finally, be sure to address your cover letter to the hiring manager by name if possible.

Common Food Service Resume Mistakes to Avoid

When it comes to writing a food service resume, there are a number of common mistakes that applicants can make that can hurt their chances of landing their desired job. Here are some of the top mistakes to avoid:

A. Mismatched Job Objective

One of the biggest mistakes that applicants make on their food service resume is having a job objective that doesn’t match the position they are applying for. Your job objective should clearly state the position you are applying for and how your skills and experience align with the job.

B. Including Irrelevant Work Experience

It’s important to remember that your food service resume is not a comprehensive list of every job you have ever held. Including irrelevant work experience can detract from your overall qualifications for the position you are seeking. Tailor your resume specifically to the job you are applying for, and highlight relevant work experience.

C. Listing Duties Instead of Accomplishments

It’s not enough to simply list the duties that you performed in your previous jobs. Instead, focus on quantifiable accomplishments, such as increasing sales, improving customer satisfaction ratings, or reducing waste. Employers want to see concrete examples of how you made a positive impact in your previous roles.

D. Failure to Quantify Achievements

In addition to listing accomplishments, it’s important to quantify them whenever possible. Numbers have a powerful impact, and they can help to demonstrate the scope and impact of your achievements. For example, instead of saying that you “improved customer satisfaction,” say that you “increased customer satisfaction ratings by 20%.”

E. Grammatical and Spelling Errors

Finally, it’s important to ensure that your food service resume is free from grammatical and spelling errors. These errors can make you appear careless or unprofessional, and they can be a red flag for potential employers. Proofread your resume multiple times, and consider having a friend or colleague review it as well. You want to make sure that your resume is polished and error-free so that you can make the best possible impression on potential employers.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a strong food service resume that highlights your qualifications and makes you stand out to potential employers.

Optimizing Your Food Service Resume for ATS

As job applications increasingly move online, it’s important to understand and optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems (ATS). An ATS is a software tool that automates the recruitment process by scanning resumes for relevant keywords and identifying top candidates.

A. What is ATS?

An ATS is a software tool used by employers to manage job applications and screen candidates. It saves time and improves efficiency by automatically parsing resumes into a database and identifying the most qualified candidates.

B. How ATS Scans Resumes

ATS scans resumes by looking for specific keywords and phrases that match the job description. It evaluates factors such as work history, education, skills, and experience and compares them to the requirements of the job. Resumes that meet the criteria are then ranked based on how closely they match the requirements.

C. Tips for Optimizing Your Food Service Resume for ATS

To ensure your food service resume makes it past an ATS and to the top of the recruiter’s pile, here are some tips:

Use relevant keywords: Identify the keywords and phrases used in the job description and incorporate them into your resume. ATS software scans for these essential words and phrases to discover the most qualified applicants.

Make use of text formatting: Use bullet points, bolding, and italic fonts to highlight relevant information like specific job titles, achievements, and responsibilities. ATS relies heavily on the formatting of a resume to detect the most important information.

Customize your resume: Tailor your resume to match the specific job requirements. This could involve adding additional skills, job experiences or highlighting specific achievements or education.

Avoid graphics: Although graphics and visual enhancements look attractive and add value to your resume in the eyes of a human recruiter, they can interfere with the scanning process of ATS.

Proofread: An error on a resume can disqualify an otherwise qualified candidate. Read your resume thoroughly, and check again for any language or formatting errors.

By optimizing your food service resume for ATS, you will increase your chances of getting the initial call for an interview. With these tips, you can create a well-crafted and effective application that demonstrates your skills and qualifications.

Resume Refresh: Updating and Editing Your Food Service Resume

Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out in the food service industry, your resume is your ticket to success. It is the first thing a prospective employer sees, and it can be the difference between getting an interview or being passed over. Here are some tips on how to keep your food service resume in top shape.

A. When to Update Your Food Service Resume

Your food service resume should be updated every time you gain new experience or have a change in job responsibilities. This includes:

• When you start a new job or role
• When you receive a promotion or take on new duties
• When you complete training or receive additional certifications
• When you acquire a new skill or qualification

It’s a good practice to check your food service resume every six months or so, even if you haven’t had any major changes. This helps you keep track of your career progression and ensures that your resume is always up to date.

B. Strategies for Editing Your Food Service Resume

When editing your food service resume, keep in mind the following tips:

• Keep it concise: Your resume should be one or two pages at most. Focus on your most relevant experience and skills.
• Use action verbs: Start each bullet point with a strong action verb to describe your previous responsibilities and achievements.
• Tailor it to the job: Make sure you include keywords and skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
• Highlight your achievements: Don’t just list your job duties; highlight the accomplishments you achieved in each role. This can include things like increased sales, improved customer satisfaction or streamlined processes.

C. Keeping Your Food Service Resume Current

In addition to updating your food service resume, you should also focus on keeping it current. Here’s how:

• Keep track of your achievements: As you achieve new things in your job, make sure to add them to your resume right away. This ensures that you don’t forget anything later on.
• Network: Connect with others in the food service industry on professional networking sites like LinkedIn. This can help you stay up to date on industry developments and new job opportunities.
• Continuing education: Stay up to date with industry trends and new technologies by taking continuing education courses or attending industry conferences.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your food service resume remains up to date, relevant and impressive to prospective employers.

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Food Service Worker resume examples & templates

Where would we be without food service workers? If all we could ever eat was our own cooking, some of us would probably die of a mac and cheese overdose. From the magnificent to the mediocre, food service workers offer our palates new flavors in random places – who wouldn’t want a Fenway Frank when taking in a baseball game in Boston? If food service is your passion, then first of all, thank you, and second of all, you’re going to need a food service worker resume.

But why, you might ask, if the employer only needs me to fill out an application? And the answer is: because that’s what most of your competitors are probably thinking. Having your own resume demonstrates a dedication to your occupation and a sense of professionalism. Instead of sitting down to fill out an application with a cheap pen that’s low on ink, you could just hand over your beautiful resume and spend all this time chatting with the manager.

This writing guide, along with the attached food service worker resume example, will cover everything you need to know about cooking up a CV for this occupation. Specifically, we’ll discuss:

What does a food service worker do?

How to write a food service worker resume.

• The five crucial ingredients of any resume
• Best format for a food service worker resume

Now let’s put on our aprons, wash our hands and get started.

Resume.io is a resource for job seekers in every field and at every step of their careers. For even more expert tips and writing advice, check out our 300+ resume examples written for specific job titles and companies.

We’re tempted to say that even Gordon Ramsay is a glorified food service worker, but we’re a bit afraid he would start screaming at us in Scottish: “What the &@%# were you thinking, you donkey?!?”

So we’re going to go with a narrower definition. Food service workers are not really chefs, or even cooks, though they assist cooks with food and beverage preparation, and may perform chores like dishing up salads or serving desserts. Food service workers often perform dining room setup, act as servers bringing food to guests, bus tables and operate cash registers. And when it comes time to clean up after everyone and take out the garbage, guess whose job that is?

The term “food service worker” is often used in settings like schools, hospitals and retirement homes where buffet-style meals are served to large populations, and fast-food workers such as McDonalds employees also qualify. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , “food and beverage serving and related workers” in 2020 earned median pay of $11.63 an hour, or $24,190 a year. On a brighter note, jobs in this category are expected to grow at a dramatic 10% through 2029, much faster than the average of 4% for all occupations.

If you're looking for a similar job in the hospitality or catering sector , you may find these related resume examples also helpful: 

• Server resume sample
• Pastry Chef resume sample
• Barista  resume sample
• Hotel Management  resume sample 
• Doorman resume sample
• Cook resume sample
• Restaurant manager resume sample
• Hostess resume sample
• Caterer resume sample
• Waitress resume sample
• Recreational Facility Attendant resume sample
• Food and Beverage Director resume sample
• Food service manager resume sample
• Concierge resume sample
• Bartender resume sample
• Hotel Front Desk Employee resume sample
• Sommelier resume sample

A food service worker resume actually contains fewer elements (five) than a basic McDonald’s hamburger (six), so let’s not overthink this. We won’t say that writing a resume is necessarily easy , but the ingredient list is pretty simple:

• Resume header with contact info
• Summary/profile
• Employment history

What else should you add? Nothing! Not even chopped lettuce. 

A food service resume should be one page only, so don’t supersize it. Containing these five elements to one page, in fact, may be your biggest challenge, but consider it a must. 

Choosing the best format for a food service workers

Good formatting for a food service resume sample involves issues of structure, design and layout. We’ve already covered the basic structure: header, summary, experience, education, skills.

Now to put all that on one page with an eye-pleasing design and layout. This can be a bit tricky, but still, it’s not rocket science.

Among the design considerations that go into a resume are choice of fonts, font sizes, margin sizes and an appropriate use of white space. Your page needs to look good at a glance, before anyone even starts reading it. It should be balanced visually – not text-heavy at the top and empty at the bottom, nor with a bunch of type on the left and gaping holes on the right.

Check out our hospitality and catering resume samples for even more ideas of how to format your food service worker resume.

Resume header: Who are you?

The resume header is the space at the top of the page where you list your name, occupation, address, phone number and email. That’s all you really need, though you may opt to include a LinkedIn page or even a photo of yourself. (But be aware that while photos on resumes are common in Europe, they are sometimes frowned on in the U.S.)

The header is essential for obvious reasons – so the employer knows how to contact you – but it also serves as an important design element. Good resume headers often involve creative use of typography, layout and an accent color, and they give the overall resume an eye-pleasing look.

While you could design your own header and every other part of your resume, the easiest way to handle this is to use a resume template that’s already designed for you. Look through the hundreds of options at Resume.io, and when you find one you like, click on it. A builder tool will walk you through the simple steps to replacing the existing text with your own info. And voilà, you have your own professionally designed resume.

Food service summary sample: What can I do for you?

The resume summary is a summation in your own well-chosen words of the top reasons you would be a great hire for this job. If it’s unclear exactly what kind of job you’re seeking, you may also need to specify that here, which is why this is also sometimes called a job objective.

Lead with your strengths, whether that’s experience, education, training or personal qualities like a strong work ethic and a dedication to customer service. Use the most captivating language in your vocabulary to intrigue the hiring manager to keep reading. Check out the summary from our food service worker resume sample for more ideas of how to accomplish this.

Skilled and reliable Food Service Worker committed to supporting the ultimate customer experience. Adept in performing all tasks related to food service including food surface sanitation, preparation, and adherence to all food safety protocols and guidelines. 

Resume employment history: Your work experience

If you have experience in food service, then list your past jobs in the employment history section in reverse chronological order (last job first, first job last). List each company where you worked and its location, your job title and the period you worked there. 

Under each of these past jobs, add bullet points to specify what you did there. Be specific, using facts and figures where possible, like how many customers you served per day. 

And what if you have no experience? Don’t feel lonely. Food service is often an entry-level job, so nobody is going to ask how many Michelin stars you have. If you do have internship or volunteering experience, mention that here.  Check out the employment history section from our food service resume sample.

Food Service Worker, The Culinary Experts, Chicago  Feb 2017 - Jun 2021 

• Served as a dedicated and punctual Food Service Worker in one of the area's most popular dining halls.
• Properly sanitized food stations and dining areas to meet safety guidelines.
• Complied with all state, Federal, and local health department requirements for safe food handling.
• Prepared and served food according to menus and customer requests.
• Attended all mandatory training classes.
• Checked inventory and made note of needed supplies.  

Cashier, ABC Market, Chicago  Apr 2015 - Dec 2016 

• Worked to ensure an accurate and pleasant check-out experience.
• Adhered to all company rules and policies.
• Utilized excellent customer service skills to achieve high customer satisfaction rates.
• Ensured compliance with sanitation and safety requirements.
• Interacted with customers and resolved customer complaints in a friendly and helpful manner.
• Performed accurate and fast sales transactions.

Food service worker education: Your schooling

You may or may not need even a high school diploma to get a job as a food service worker. But here you should list the highest educational credential you’ve attained in the education section, along with any notations for special academic achievement, and any special training related to food service. Here’s an idea of how to format the education section from our food service worker resume sample.

Libertyville High School, High School Diploma, Libertyville Sep 2011 - May 2015 

CV skills example: Where you excel

Finally, your food service worker CV should include a list of the skills that set you apart. These often include a mix of hard skills (technical skills acquired in training or on the job) and soft skills (people skills like friendly customer service with a smile). Check out the skills section from our resume sample below.

• Effective Time Management
• Adaptability Expert Fast Learner
• Ability to Work in a Team
• Food Preparation
• Customer Service
• Food Safety

Key takeaways

• Food service workers should have a resume just like everyone else, and the better yours is, the more opportunities will open up to you.
• Be sure to include the five essential ingredients of every resume, nothing less but nothing more.
• Choose an attractive design and layout for your resume, ideally by using a proven resume template.

Now get out there and find the job that’s right for you! 

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates

Food Service Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

• Resume Examples
• Resume Text Examples

How To Write a Food Service Resume

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

Food Service Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Oliver Brown (888) 888-8888 | [email protected] | 920 Windy Hill Street, Green Bay, WI 30611

Motivated Food Service Professional specializing in resort hospitality.

Professional Experience

Assistant Restaurant Manager, Marriott Resort, Green Bay, WI | July 2020 to Present

• Organize and store vendor contracts and invoices
• Oversee and motivate restaurant staff to ensure quality dining service
• Coordinate communication between front-of-house and back-of-house staff
• Monitor compliance with safety and hygiene regulations
• Ensure guests receive prompt, courteous service at all times

Server, Green Bay Resort, Green Bay, WI | April 2018 to July 2020

• Served up to 10 tables at a time
• Familiarized guests with menu and daily specials
• Helped customers with food allergies and diet restrictions in selecting meals
• Accurately recorded food and drink orders

Education & Professional Development

Associate of Science in Food Service Management, Madison Community College, Madison, WI | June 2020

Certificate in Hospitality & Tourism Management, University of Central Florida, online | November 2020

• Employee Interviewing & Scheduling
• Inventory Monitoring
• Product & Service Upselling
• Reporting & Documentation
• Team Collaboration

Certifications

• ServSafe Food Safety Manager | 2018
• ServSafe Food Handler | 2018

Charlotte Cardoza 512 Brewer Street, Hartford, CT 86106 | [email protected] | (860) 888-8888

Enthusiastic Food Service Professional & Leader with demonstrated success running large events.

Catering Coordinator, Extreme Cuisine Catering, Hartford, CT | March 2019 to Present

• Use scheduling software to book catering events and confirm with clients
• Coordinate and oversee event infrastructure, set-up, and breakdown
• Liaise and negotiate with various vendors
• Schedule and oversee 15-20 catering and kitchen staff
• Help managers set and execute food and decor budget

Lead Banquet Server, Urban Taste, Springfield, MA | September 2016 to February 2019

• Prepared and double-checked each banquet for accuracy, making additions as needed
• Supervised all servers on the floor throughout each function
• Inspected all aspects of table place settings, including silverware, china, glass, and condiments for correct placement by servers
• Prepared tables, action stations, buffets, service carts, dessert table/carts, and cordial carts
• Informed kitchen staff of any food allergies, dietary needs, or special requests

Banquet Server, Black Dog Catering, New Haven, CT | June 2013 to August 2016

• Served plated dinners to guests, and responded to requests for beverages or appetizers
• Helped prepare food and tables before each event
• Set up buffets in accordance with food safety and presentation standards
• Opened wine and took drink orders

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Food Industry Management, Arizona State University, online | 2020

• Conflict Resolution
• Inventory Management
• Menu Planning & Development
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Payroll Processing & Review
• Multi-Course Meal Running
• Supply Management
• Team Supervision

Certification

ServSafe Food Manager | 2019

Liam Jackson (512) 333-3333 | [email protected] | 414 Shiloh Street, Austin, TX 78613

Skilled Food Service Leader with 8+ years of experience. Committed to driving gains in both guest satisfaction and restaurant profitability. Demonstrated success managing and motivating a 30+ member team.

General Manager of Food Service, Bucee’s, Austin, TX | June 2018 to Present

• Oversee food prep methods, portions, and presentation
• Train and supervise employees to ensure optimal efficiency and service quality
• Manage budgeting and payroll operations
• Ensure employees comply with all health and food safety standards
• Set schedules and assign duties for 50+ employees per week

Kitchen Manager, The Cheesecake Factory, Temple, TX | May 2015 to May 2018

• Supervised kitchen staff and organized food orders
• Recruited and trained new hires on food safety, health standards, and company policies
• Assessed inventory weekly
• Cut supply costs 15% by negotiating new vendor contracts

Assistant Kitchen Manager, The Melting Pot, Oklahoma City, OK | March 2014 to May 2015

• Managed daily operations and 8 kitchen staff under direction of general manager
• Ensured adherence to all health and safety guidelines
• Evaluated guest feedback and resolved 70% of in-person complaints without supervisory intervention
• Streamlined food prep procedures, increasing profit by 5%

Line Cook, Whiskey Cake, Oklahoma City, OK | June 2012 to April 2014

• Member of a 60-person restaurant team
• Trained new workers on food prep, storage, safety, and sanitation
• Prepared simple dish components by chopping vegetables, cutting meat, and preparing sauces
• Named “Employee of the Month” twice for high efficiency and work quality

Associate of Applied Business in Hospitality Management (concentration in Culinary Arts), Tri-County Tech, Bartlesville, OK

• Staff Supervision
• Task Prioritization & Sequencing

During your job search, a standout resume can be the secret ingredient that propels you toward success. Crafting an outstanding food service resume that showcases your skills, experience, and passion for the industry. Learn expert advice, tips, and real food service resume examples. We’ll lead you through creating an impactful resume that opens doors to exciting opportunities in the world of culinary arts and hospitality.

1. Summarize your food service qualifications in a dynamic profile

A robust resume profile is essential to making a lasting impression on potential employers. Use two to three sentences to highlight your most impressive experience, skills, and accomplishments. To make it specific to the position, pull keywords from the job description that reflect the qualities and requirements the organization is looking for.

Feature your expertise in food preparation, menu development, or compliance with health and safety regulations. Emphasize your ability to deliver exceptional dining experiences, handle high-volume service, and ensure customer satisfaction. Your resume profile should hook readers and entice them to continue exploring your professional background.

Senior-Level Profile Example

Skilled food service leader with over eight years of experience. Committed to driving gains in both guest satisfaction and restaurant profitability. Demonstrated success managing and motivating a more than 30-member team.

Entry-Level Profile Example

Motivated food service professional specializing in resort hospitality.

2. Create a powerful list of your food service experience

This section of your resume is essential for showcasing the impact and value you’ve brought to your roles. One of the best ways to approach writing this section is to highlight your accomplishments instead of just listing responsibilities. Quantify what you did in previous positions to provide context for readers. Incorporate specific numbers, percentages, or metrics to illustrate your contributions and achievements tangibly.

For example, mention the number of customers served per shift, the average order accuracy rate, or the increase in customer satisfaction scores during your tenure. Another strategy is to use action verbs to begin each bullet point. These words add a dynamic element and bring your accomplishments to life, showing readers how you executed your duties and achieved results.

Senior-Level Professional Experience Example

General Manager of Food Service, Buc-ee’s, Austin, TX | June 2018 to present

• Set schedules and assign duties for over five employees per week

Entry-Level Professional Experience Example

• Recorded food and drink orders accurately

3. List any education and certifications relevant to food service

In the competitive world of food service, including relevant education, coursework, and certifications on your resume demonstrates your specialized knowledge and expertise in the industry. Your culinary degrees, hospitality courses, or nutrition certifications provide potential employers with valuable insights into your foundational skills. Starting with your highest level of education, list the degree name, institution, location, and completion date.

With certifications like ServSafe, Allergen Awareness, or specialized training programs, you convey your dedication to maintaining high-quality standards, safety, and customer satisfaction. Hiring managers value candidates who continuously invest in their education and possess the qualifications to excel. Create another section and format it similarly, providing the certificate name, issuing organization, and date received.

• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
• Associate of Science in Food Service Management
• Madison Community College, Madison, WI | June 2020
• [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]

4. Outline your most useful food service skills and proficiencies

One of the critical components of a standout resume is a key skill section. This list is a powerful testament to your ability to thrive in a fast-paced and customer-oriented environment. When incorporating a key skills section into your resume, focus on those directly applicable to the food service industry and the position you’re applying for. Highlighting these proficiencies will draw readers to your culinary expertise and versatility. Here’s a list of skills you could use on your food service resume:

How To Pick the Best Food Service Resume Template

Before you assemble your resume, you’ll need to select a template. This document is the framework and foundation for your resume content, so choose wisely. The best resume template for a food service professional is clean, organized, and effectively showcases your most relevant professional accomplishments and skills.

Consider those with a clear and easy-to-read format with all the basic sections. Keep the fonts and style simple, and avoid overly decorative designs. Ensure your template balances professionalism and visual appeal, ultimately presenting you as a standout candidate in the competitive job market.

Frequently Asked Questions: Food Service Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for food service resumes -.

Crafting the professional experience section of a resume can sometimes leave you searching for the right words. It's common to feel like you've exhausted your vocabulary when describing your responsibilities.

Consider using some of these carefully selected words on your food service resume to articulate your accomplishments with precision and impact:

How do you align your resume with a job description? -

The food and beverage services industry is expected to see a faster-than-average growth of 9% between 2021 and 2031. Over the decade, over 370,000 new jobs are projected to enter the workforce. As applicants work to fill these new positions, you'll need a standout resume to land the job you want.

Customizing your resume for the targeted job will increase your chances of standing out as a strong candidate. To do this effectively, carefully review the job description and identify the key skills, qualifications, and requirements sought by the employer. Then, align your resume by highlighting your relevant experience and emphasizing the specific skills and accomplishments that match the job requirements.

What is the best food service resume format? -

The most suitable resume format for food services often depends on your specific circumstances and career progression. For most food service professionals, we generally recommend the chronological resume format.

This format showcases your work history in reverse chronological order, highlighting your career advancement and demonstrating your continuous experience in the industry. Chronological resumes are an excellent option for professionals with a record of stable and long-standing positions.

However, there are instances when alternative formats may be appropriate. The functional resume format focuses on skills and abilities rather than the chronological timeline. This format can be beneficial if you're transitioning into the food service industry or have gaps in your work history. Alternatively, the combination resume format blends elements of both chronological and functional.

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Increase your chances of securing an interview by writing a compelling cover letter. The best approach for creating your cover letter is to customize it for the establishment you're applying to. Learn how to create your own with our comprehensive food service cover letter guide . You can also explore our server and bartender cover letter guides for other relevant examples.

Jacob Meade

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW, ACRW)

Jacob Meade is a resume writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience. His writing method centers on understanding and then expressing each person’s unique work history and strengths toward their career goal. Jacob has enjoyed working with jobseekers of all ages and career levels, finding that a clear and focused resume can help people from any walk of life. He is an Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW) with the Resume Writing Academy, and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.

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Food Service Resume Guide [w/ Objective, Summary, Skills Examples]

You'll learn:

How to write a great food service resume?

What is a good food service resume objective, how to write a professional food service resume summary, what are some great food service resume skills, how to write an entry-level food service resume with no experience, food service resume sample.

Food is a basic need for human survival, making the foodservice industry a crucial industry worldwide. Depending on the type of job, a candidate might be required to prepare food for consumption, serve food to customers, keep kitchens and dining areas clean, or wash dishes for future use. 

Because of how crucial this industry is, depending on the type of job, it can be very cut-throat. If you’d like to land a great job within the foodservice industry, you first have to make sure that you have a stellar food service resume that will impress recruiters.

Tip 1: Adopt an ATS-friendly food service resume format .  

Competitiveness in the industry means that recruiters will try to simplify the recruitment process by employing tools and technology. Software that they might use to help ease the recruitment process is the ATS (applicant tracking software), which filters and ranks the food service resume they receive.

💡 Tip : To ensure that your resume won’t be discarded by the software, choose an ATS-friendly food service resume format (i.e., little visuals, adopting keywords from the job ad).

Tip 2: Refer to online food service resume templates and food service resume examples .

It’s a good idea to find food service resume templates and food service resume examples from the internet to serve as a guide. These online templates and examples may contain great points that you can implement on your own food service resume.

Remember to tailor them according to your background and the job context though!

Tip 3: Tailor your food service resume for the job position and adopt keywords.

As previously mentioned in Tip 1, adopting keywords and implementing them into your food service resume can help you bypass the filter. Keywords can make your resume more relevant to job ads.

Another way to increase your food service resume relevancy is to tailor it for the specific job position you’re applying for instead of having an all-purpose resume.

Tip 4: Quantify results on your food service resume .

Employers aim to hire candidates that can bring value and help their business improve. One way to show that you are that candidate is by quantifying your previous results and achievements on your food service resume. Numbers can make them look more convincing and apparent to recruiters.

Tip 5: Show that you are capable of working in a fast-paced environment.

Jobs in the foodservice industry tend to put a lot of focus on customer service. Most customers would want their food to be delivered or prepared quickly. Thus, this will affect the working environment as well.

Your knowledge of the business is one thing, but if you fail to show that you are a candidate capable of working in a high-pressure and fast-paced environment, recruiters may be more reluctant to proceed with the hiring process.

Whether it’s from your extracurricular activities or even personal hobbies, you need to highlight in your food service resume how you can fit and work effectively in such a demanding environment.

A food service resume objective is designed to convey your career objective and aspirations to recruiters, allowing them to get to know you through your food service resume better.

Keep your food service resume objective concise and remember to highlight your positive traits and the career goals you wish to achieve.

Food service resume objective examples:

• Customer-oriented waitress with 2+ years in fine dining restaurants. Seeking to leverage my customer service skills and wine knowledge for the head waitress position in Fuchsia Gardens.
• Motivated and responsible culinary graduate seeking a position as a chef in Le Bistro.
• Experienced food server seeking to deliver outstanding service as a head server in Blue Plate.

A food service resume objective is too short to fully convince recruiters of your ability and potential. Aside from a resume objective, you should also include a food service resume summary.

Your resume summary should be within one to two sentences long and should include a brief description of yourself, your qualifications, skills, and background. 

As with your food service resume, you should always tailor your food service resume summary for every job position you apply for.

Food service resume summary examples:

• Efficient and friendly hostess offering more than 4 years of experience working in a Michelin star fine dining restaurant. Proven ability to maintain professional relationships with regular customers.
• Professional and skilled chef with 5 years of extensive experience preparing authentic French cuisine. Awarded the Outstanding Chef award by the James Beard Foundation.
• Reliable hostess with proven ability to seat guests 25% faster than the average hostess. In-depth knowledge of wine and spirits.

Cake provides the best food service resume templates & examples for talents to demonstrate your qualifications. Let us help you land the dream as a food service with a strong resume (free download)!

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Your food service resume skills will be closely examined by recruiters. The skills that you possess can serve as an indicator of your fit in the position and your performance level.

There are four ways you can structure your food service resume skills section, they are:

• Simple bullet list: S imple and easy to craft, desired skills are very visible. Its simplistic format, though, limits further explanation of your skills. 
• Expanded bullet list: The simple bullet list with extra explanation of your skills. This format consumes more space so you should limit it to listing 5 skills. 
• Integrated with work experience: This format can explain your food servicing competency well because it integrates your work experience section with your food service resume skills. However, it requires you to possess extensive employment history, so it’s unsuitable for an entry-level food service resume.
• Categorized skills section: This format helps with organizing your skills by categorizing them. Like the integrated work experience format, though, a food service resume with no experience or an entry-level food service resume might not benefit much from it.

As with other section formats, there’s no one best format. Specific formats will suit different people according to their skill level, their background, and job context. Before you settle on a format for your food service resume skills, make sure you go over the job ad thoroughly.

💡 Tip : Keep your skill section short and coherent, and remember to include both hard skills and soft skills.

Food service resume skills examples:

• Hard skills - Menu knowledge - Resolving complaints - POS system - Knife work - Knowledge on wine and spirits
• Soft skills -  Time management - Stress tolerance - Communication - Multitasking - Leadership

✅ Advice 1: Choose the right food service resume format .

Choosing the right food service resume format can help accentuate your strengths, making your food service resume look more appealing to recruiters.

There are three food service resume formats you can choose to adopt, they are: chronological, functional, and hybrid/combination. As with most things, there is no one-size-fits-all format, its suitability will differ from candidate to candidate, depending on their skill level, background, and previous experience.

✅ Advice 2: Adopt a career objective for your food service resume .

It’s understandable for someone with an entry-level food service resume to feel nervous about their lack of experience. Instead of fretting over it, you can choose to adopt a food service resume objective to redirect the recruiter’s attention to your career aspirations. Convey your passion and enthusiasm for the job and industry and highlight your most defining skills.

✅ Advice 3: Highlight your education.

Some jobs in the food service industry won’t require you to possess a postgraduate degree, although some do. If you happen to possess one though, be sure to highlight it in your food service resume. An education degree, especially if it’s related to the industry, can help in instilling confidence in your skills and knowledge.

Here, list your:

• educational institution
• year of graduation
• honors & awards
• extracurricular activities (when applicable)

✅ Advice 4: Include your portfolio, side project, or personal website.

If you have a side project, personal website, and/or portfolio that is food-related, including them in your food service resume can be a testament to your knowledge and passion.

✅ Advice 5: Write a sincere food service cover letter.

Due to limited space, your food service resume should only contain necessary and relevant information. Of course, this won’t be enough to fully convey your potential to recruiters. This is where a food service cover letter will come in useful for you.

Your food service cover letter should be a page long and should contain a short introduction of who you are, your contact details, and a brief summary of your qualifications, background, skills, interest in the job or industry, and your motivation for applying. Close off your food service cover letter politely, thanking the recruiter for taking the time to read your cover letter.

👍 Reminder: As with your food service resume, your food service cover letter should also be tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Jean McIntyre

Adaptable Fine Dining Server with 5+ Years of Experience in Delivering Excellent and Prompt Service

+1- 415-523-3462  [email protected] linkedin.com/in/jeanmcintyre

Professional Summary

Adaptable and extroverted server with 5+ years of experience working in fine dining restaurants. Proven history of delivering excellent and prompt service and extensive knowledge of wine and spirits.

Work Experience

Head Server  La Planche  Jan. 2018 – Present     

• In charge of training newly hired servers.
• Consistently earned 97% positive customer feedback by establishing professional relationships and rapport with regulars.
• Has been awarded the best staff award for 6 consecutive months.

Server  Blue Plate  Jan. 2015 – Dec. 2017

• Greeted guests warmly, took orders, and suggested food and beverage pairing.
• Quickly cleaned and cleared tables 10% faster than average.

2010 – 2014, B.S. in Hospitality & Tourism Management San Diego State University 

Minor: Restaurant Management  GPA: 3.84/4.0

• Extensive Knowledge of Wine and Spirits
• French (fluent)
• Menu Knowledge
• Food and Beverage Pairing
• Communication
• Stress Tolerance
• Adaptability

--- Originally written by Patricia Rosita ---

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• • Increased clients retention by 10% via updating customer service procedures
• • Worked with 2 teams to increase food sales by 23%
• • Guaranteed food quality and 100% customer satisfaction by auditing menu items and food service performance
• • Managed and grew a $2m branded food portfolio by 7%
• • Collaborated with 4 team members daily to deliver food orders based on customers’ choice
• • Accumulated $725,000 in food & beverage sales for 2019
• • Helped a team of 13 staff to find deeper workplace engagement and improved customer service metrics and productivity
• • Assisted the Food Service Director with the day-to-day operations at this 1,100 enrolled student facility
• • Oversaw and optimized work of 10 waiters performing high-quality work
• • Achieved food safety audit every year from 2012-2015
• • Maintained high standards of customer service during high-volume, fast-paced times, prepared all food orders within a 2-3 minute time frame
• • Delivered all food in under 1 and a half minutes
• • Helped create and maintain 75% of the food bank
• • Memorised 50+ item food menu

5 Food Service Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your food service resume must highlight your experience with food preparation and customer service. It should showcase your ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment. Ensure that your resume includes any relevant certifications, such as food handling or safety. Demonstrating a commitment to hygiene and quality standards will appeal to potential employers.

All resume examples in this guide

Traditional

Resume Guide

This food service resume guide will help you, looking for related resumes, how to whip up an irresistible food service resume, setting the table: what should the food service resume header look like, how to make your food service resume summary appetizing, cooking up the experience section of your food service resume, what is the perfect skills cocktail for your food service resume, food service resume: should the education section be on the menu, spicing up your food service resume with a pinch of certificates, what about desserts other sections to sprinkle on your food service resume, key takeaways: how to make recruiters come back for more.

“Restaurants will need to be able to cater to guests both in-restaurant and in their home to be successful as we move forward. We are always learning, and we have learned a lot because of the pandemic.”

Joel Yashinsky, Chief Marketing Officer at Applebee’s

The food and hospitality sector took the brunt of the pandemic. Along with many other industries.

Businesses are always trying to offer new experiences. But this time, experts had to adapt to the new normal.

And quickly.

Quirky restaurant trends of the past 5 years suddenly became more popular. As a result, ghost kitchens, al fresco and solo dining are here to stay.

How can you show recruiters you can tackle these challenges on your food service resume?

Which skills are currently in demand?

How can you stand out among the thousands of candidates? Especially those applying for entry-level jobs in the food sector.

What about if you have more experience under your apron?

Read on to find out the answers to these and other questions!

• Tailor your resume according to the job posting and your experience
• Effectively showcase the range of your hard and soft skills
• Choose extra resources to supplement your resume
• Draw resume-worthy achievements from your experience. Even if you’re not sure if you have any. And include them appropriately.
• Show you follow current trends and can adapt to the new normal
• Baker resume
• Fast Food resume
• Cook resume
• Server resume
• McDonald's resume
• Line Cook resume
• Busser resume

What are the main components of a good resume? It’s simple - the right format and a memorable personal statement.

Food service is an umbrella term. It covers many professions - waiters, baristas, chefs, etc.

That’s why it’s important to read the job posting carefully and then:

• Evaluate your level of expertise
• List all your past positions, achievements and skills
• Include only the most relevant information

As with any other resume, you need to tailor it to the particular job position to stand out.

If you’re just starting out, think about your employment history. Have you ever worked in a similar position? Are any of your skills transferable?

Even if you’ve only ever worked as a customer service representative, it still counts. It means you have people skills. You know what sells and how to approach customers.

Use the hybrid or functional resume layout and lead with an attention-grabbing objective.

The resume objective is your personal statement . Explain what makes you think about switching careers. Recruiters want to see enthusiasm.

What about those of you who are already in the industry? The reverse-chronological order is your top choice for resume layout.

Pair it with an enticing resume summary. Again, hiring managers are searching for motivated candidates. Even if you’re more experienced.

Here is what the general layout looks like:

Key sections for your food service resume

• A professional-looking header to show you mean business
• Gripping resume objective or summary to get recruiters interested
• Experience section to display your relevant work history
• Skills section to boast your abilities and show versatility
• Education and certificates to explain what you specialize in

Regardless of which resume format you select, keep in mind the following factors:

Here is how to sweeten the deal for hiring managers

• Which career path do you ultimately wish to follow? How do you see yourself in 5 years?
• Are you more interested in the back of the house duties? Or are you an extrovert, willing to flaunt your social skills?
• Are you a team player? Or do you prefer to lead?
• Do you plan on obtaining specific certifications? Which ones?
• What other interests do you have? Do they inspire you to be more creative at work?

As you can see, it all boils down to which aspect of the food service sector is the most appealing for you.

Also, recruiters want to test how well you work with other professionals in the industry. Even if you’re leading a team.

Learn more about the different resume formats and pick what best fits your needs.

Imagine expecting to have a fancy night out only to sit down at the restaurant and find out:

• The chair is wobbly
• There is lipstick on your glass
• Oh, and what’s this? A spelling mistake in the menu.

The same goes for your resume header . Many applicants overlook it because the header shows your basic personal information. And it’s true.

But if it looks unpolished, error-ridden and out of place, your chances of an interview are slim to none.

2 food service resume header examples

Here is Hallie’s first attempt at framing the header of her resume:

It feels bland, doesn’t it? It needs more ingredients:

• At least one additional method of contact and location
• Something more to spice up your titles
• A personal blog or a social media account

Food service professionals are often on the go. And picking up your phone while serving tables or cooking is not an option. Include your email so recruiters can reach you.

Secondly, think about what else you can add to your title besides your last occupation.

Are you a student of culinary arts or a cocktail master? Brag about your diverse skills!

Finally, the hospitality industry relies on visuals to appeal to its customers. If you have a personal food blog or an Instagram/Pinterest profile with photos, include them!

Here is the revised version of Hallie’s resume header:

Much better! Now recruiters know that Hallie is determined to become a chef who serves healthy meals.

Plus, there are enough ways to contact her, so hiring managers have no excuses not to do so.

You do know the purpose of a good apéritif or a starter, right?

To stimulate the appetite.

Well, this portion of your resume has to make recruiters even hungrier to learn more about you.

As such, the next question on your mind may be what is better for your food service resume - a summary or objective?

If you have a long work history, summarize your achievements and put your best foot forward .

Otherwise, use an objective. Explain what benefits you can bring to your potential employer.

2 food service resume summary examples

Let’s see how Hallie has managed this part of her resume:

It leaves a bad aftertaste, doesn’t it?

Hallie has displayed her ambitions to become a cook. But, the phrasing sounds crude. Also, she hasn’t hinted at why recruiters should consider her for the position.

More importantly, Hallie hasn’t mentioned anything about previous work experience or specialization. Information about certificates and extra training is missing, too.

How can Hallie edit the objective?

Hiring managers know exactly how much Hallie has been a part of the food service business. They can also refer to past employers.

And recruiters see she abides by her industry safety regulations. All the while being able to cook for many people at the same time. Now this requires skills!

What’s next? The main course!

The employment history section is not that difficult to concoct.

All you need is the right recipe!

Keep in mind to avoid recording your experience as a list of instructions. Hiring managers know your job entails many duties. Show them the results, instead.

What’s more, you need to keep it diverse. Tell the story of how your career started and how you got to where you are now. Continuous personal development is key.

Finally, introduce various aspects of your job:

• Your contributions to the back of the house team
• How you handle problematic customers
• How you cultivate relationships with vendors

Food service resume experience examples

Let’s have another look at Hallie’s first resume draft:

• • Introduced new cocktail recipes.
• • Negotiated vendor contracts.
• • Worked with event planning companies.
• • Trained staff.

Oh, cool! Hallie is a Certified Cicerone and Mixologist at a trendy bar in Dallas. And she supposedly makes custom drinks.

But then, it fizzles out. How did this happen?

That’s because a to-do list follows a great introduction.

What can Hallie do to change this?

• • Expanded the customer pool by 45% by introducing custom-made cocktails for clients with dietary restrictions.
• • Increased customer satisfaction by 63% by re-negotiating new vendor contracts to diversify the lounge's selection of drinks.
• • Secured 5 ongoing beverage vendor contracts with various wedding and event planning agencies, which led to a 54% increase in revenue.
• • Educated new staff members on how to safely prepare flaming drinks, thus reducing workplace accidents by 20%.

Hallie shouldn’t have any problems grabbing the recruiters’ attention at all. Her talents have:

• Brought many additional clients
• Increased customers’ satisfaction and employer’s revenue
• Helped colleagues stay safe

Not only has she shown versatility, her actions and skills bring results.

Speaking of abilities…

• Half a pint of technical expertise
• Another half a pint of social prowess
• A dash of verifiable accomplishments

Food service professionals have a long list of responsibilities. So, it’s not difficult to balance your resume with equal parts hard and soft skills.

Select those you excel in and corroborate them with results.

But what are considered food service skills?

Let’s explore them by type.

How to present hard skills on your resume

Depending on the career path you’ve chosen, your skills list will vary.

If you’re a chef, you will have to know your way around the kitchen. Preparing dishes, safely using equipment and maintaining cleanliness is a must.

By contrast, if you manage the customer side of the business, you need to be able to operate POS systems. And mobile booking apps.

Running a bar? Then you need to keep track of inventory, mix drinks and handle the cash register at the very least.

With that in mind, some of the essential hard skills include:

Top technical skills for food service professionals

• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds
• Ability to stand for long periods of time
• Coordination, dexterity and balance
• Taking directions
• Reading Comprehension and Basic Maths
• Interpretation and language skills
• Knowledge of kitchen layout, supplies and services ordering
• Ability to safely handle restaurant equipment
• Inventory management
• Adherence to safety procedures and quality standards
• Safe use of cleaning equipment and supplies
• Knowledge of temperature requirements and food safety
• OSHA regulations
• HACCP guidelines
• Good understanding of food allergens and accompanying dietary restrictions
• Food preparation mastery (including recipes, techniques, presentation methods)
• Ability to work in a hazardous environment
• Ability to operate POS systems and cash registers
• Accounting, inventory management, and restaurant management software

How to dish out soft skills on your resume

Before we get to the list of all the soft skills you can add in your resume, it’s important to know how to describe them.

Remember to tie in your talents to measurable outcomes. Employers are hiring for potential results. They want someone they can rely on.

Going back to Hallie’s resume, the soft skills section looks a little something like this:

Notice how each of her strengths is backed by a definitive result?

It’s even better, if you have a certificate or a prize, awarded by a third party. This means that an unbiased jury of your peers has fairly judged your abilities.

So, what are the soft skills you can boast on your resume?

The main soft skills a food service expert should have

• Strong work ethic
• Willingness to learn new skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to organize, educate and lead staff
• Adaptability
• Flexibility
• Organization skills
• Time management and prioritization
• Negotiations skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Resourcefulness
• Communication skills
• Decision-making skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Being personable
• Customer service skills
• Strategic planning
• Knowledge of restaurant etiquette and cultural eating habits

Of course! Every resume should have an education section because it provides context.

Hiring managers get an idea of your personal development. Combine it with your experience and you get a well-rounded story.

Even if the requirements for an entry-level position are usually:

• A high school diploma or a GED
• At least 6 months of related business experience
• Home economics classes

It means there is room for growth. If you show you’re motivated and willing to learn, then there’s nothing stopping you.

But the higher you go up the career ladder, the more evidence of further training you have to add.

This includes the following degrees:

• Culinary Arts
• Hospitality and Management
• Business Administration
• Strategic Management

The world is your oyster!

Much like the education section, what you add in this part of your resume depends on your career path.

Research job ads to find out what hiring managers and employers are looking for. Then, explore which reputable institutions for further education are providing these certifications.

Curate your assets and tell your story the way you like it.

These usually provide the icing on a nicely-baked resume.

Because the supplementary information makes your story believable. It helps you exhibit character traits and interests you haven’t listed on your resume yet.

Here is what else you can add to your resume:

• A letter of interest ( cover letter )
• Certifications and awards
• Key achievements
• Volunteer work
• Personal blog

Although many job ads don’t say this explicitly, employers expect a letter of interest. They want to know how invested you are in what they have to offer.

Also, they want to see what you can give in return.

• Read job postings carefully and tailor your resume to the position
• Emphasize how you are involved with different aspects of your profession
• Lead your experience and skills sections with results
• Both technical and soft skills are important - balance them out
• Write a letter of interest to supplement your resume and show how serious your are about the job

Looking to build your own Food Service resume?

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Top 12 Food Server Skills to Put on Your Resume

Crafting an impactful resume as a food server requires highlighting a blend of technical proficiency and exceptional interpersonal skills that cater to the dynamic demands of the hospitality industry. Demonstrating a carefully curated list of relevant skills on your resume can distinguish you as a versatile and capable candidate, ready to elevate the dining experience in any establishment.

Food Server Skills

• POS Systems
• Time Management
• Customer Service
• Upselling Techniques
• Multitasking
• Conflict Resolution
• Menu Knowledge
• Wine Pairing
• Food Safety
• Cash Handling

1. POS Systems

A POS (Point of Sale) system for a food server is a digital platform used to manage orders, payments, and sales transactions in a restaurant or food service establishment, streamlining the ordering process for both staff and customers.

Why It's Important

POS (Point of Sale) systems are crucial for food servers because they streamline the ordering and payment process, ensure accurate transactions, track sales and inventory in real time, and improve customer service by reducing wait times and errors.

How to Improve POS Systems Skills

Improving POS (Point of Sale) Systems for a food server involves enhancing efficiency, user experience, and data management. Here are concise strategies:

Integration with Other Tools : Ensure your POS can seamlessly integrate with inventory management, customer relationship management (CRM), and accounting software. This creates a unified system that improves operational efficiency and provides valuable insights. Square offers robust integration capabilities.

Cloud-Based Technology : Adopt cloud-based POS systems for real-time data access, updates, and backups. This allows for better flexibility and access from any device. Toast is a popular choice in the food service industry.

User-Friendly Interface : Opt for POS systems with intuitive, easy-to-navigate interfaces to reduce training time and minimize errors. This enhances the user experience for both staff and customers. Lightspeed is known for its user-friendly design.

Mobile and Contactless Payments : Incorporate mobile and contactless payment options to cater to customer preferences for quick and safe transactions. Square again is a leader in this area, offering versatile payment solutions.

Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics : Choose a system that provides detailed reports and analytics to track sales, inventory, and customer preferences. This data can help in making informed decisions to improve service and profitability. TouchBistro offers insightful analytics tailored for the food service industry.

Customer Management Features : Implement POS features that support loyalty programs, personalized marketing, and customer feedback. This can enhance customer satisfaction and retention. Loyverse specializes in customer engagement tools.

Scalability : Ensure the POS system can scale with your business, accommodating more locations, menu items, and transactions without compromising performance. Shopify POS is an example of a scalable solution suitable for various business sizes.

Implementing these strategies can significantly improve the functionality and efficiency of POS systems for food servers, enhancing both operational performance and customer satisfaction.

How to Display POS Systems Skills on Your Resume

2. OpenTable

OpenTable is a real-time online reservation service that allows customers to book tables at restaurants, facilitating efficient table management and guest accommodation for food servers.

OpenTable is important for a Food Server because it streamlines the reservation process, allowing for efficient table management, reduced wait times for guests, and a smoother service flow, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and potentially increasing tips and repeat business.

How to Improve OpenTable Skills

To enhance the OpenTable experience for food servers, consider implementing the following improvements:

Training Resources : Develop and provide comprehensive training materials on how to use OpenTable's features efficiently, focusing on reservation management, guest preferences, and seating arrangements.

Real-Time Alerts : Integrate a real-time notification system that alerts servers about special guest requests, allergies, or occasions, enabling personalized service.

Feedback Mechanism : Offer a direct feedback channel within the app for servers to report issues or suggest improvements, fostering a culture of continuous enhancement.

Performance Analytics : Provide analytics tools that help servers track their performance, guest satisfaction scores, and tip averages, promoting personal growth and service quality.

Flexible Scheduling : Incorporate a scheduling feature that allows servers to swap shifts or request time off directly through the app, improving work-life balance.

By focusing on these areas, OpenTable can significantly improve the working experience for food servers, leading to better service for guests.

How to Display OpenTable Skills on Your Resume

3. Time Management

Time management for a food server involves efficiently organizing tasks such as taking orders, serving food, clearing tables, and attending to customers' needs, ensuring all duties are completed promptly and accurately to provide excellent service and maximize table turnover.

Time management is crucial for a Food Server as it ensures efficient service, maximizes table turnover, enhances customer satisfaction, and minimizes stress during peak hours by effectively prioritizing tasks and managing the flow of orders.

How to Improve Time Management Skills

Improving time management as a food server involves prioritizing tasks, staying organized, and efficiently managing your time to ensure excellent customer service and productivity. Here are concise steps:

Prioritize Tasks: Start your shift by identifying high-priority tasks such as setting tables, taking orders, and serving food. Focus on completing these tasks efficiently. MindTools offers strategies for prioritizing work.

Use a Planner: Keep a small notebook or use a digital planner to jot down tasks and reminders. This helps ensure you don't forget any responsibilities during your shift. Todoist is a great tool for managing tasks.

Effective Communication: Communicate clearly with your kitchen staff and fellow servers. This ensures orders are accurate and served promptly. Here’s a guide on Effective Workplace Communication.

Learn to Multitask Wisely: While multitasking is essential, doing it wisely is key. Group similar tasks together and complete them in batches to save time. Verywell Mind discusses how to multitask effectively.

Take Short Breaks: Short breaks during your shift can boost your efficiency and prevent burnout, keeping you focused and energetic. Science of People explains the science behind taking breaks.

Reflect and Adjust: At the end of your shift, reflect on what tasks took the most time and identify areas for improvement. Adjust your strategy for the next shift accordingly.

Remember, time management is a skill that improves with practice and adjustment based on your work environment and duties as a food server.

How to Display Time Management Skills on Your Resume

4. Customer Service

Customer service for a food server involves promptly and courteously taking orders, serving food and beverages, addressing customer inquiries or concerns, and ensuring a satisfying dining experience.

Customer service is crucial for a Food Server because it directly impacts the dining experience, influencing customer satisfaction, repeat business, and word-of-mouth recommendations, ultimately affecting the restaurant’s reputation and profitability.

How to Improve Customer Service Skills

Improving customer service, especially for a food server, involves enhancing the dining experience through attentive, efficient, and friendly interactions. Here are concise strategies:

Active Listening : Ensure you listen carefully to customers' requests and preferences. This improves accuracy and satisfaction. Active Listening Techniques

Knowledge of the Menu : Be well-versed with the menu to offer recommendations and answer questions confidently. Menu Knowledge

Prompt Service : Aim to serve customers promptly to avoid unnecessary waiting. Efficiency is key. Improving Service Efficiency

Address Issues Promptly : Quickly resolve any issues that arise to maintain customer satisfaction. Handling Customer Complaints

Personalize the Experience : Remembering repeat customers’ preferences can make them feel valued. Personalizing Customer Experience

Follow-up : Asking for feedback after the meal can show that you care about their experience. Customer Feedback Importance

By implementing these strategies, food servers can significantly enhance the customer service experience.

How to Display Customer Service Skills on Your Resume

5. Upselling Techniques

Upselling techniques for a food server involve suggesting higher-priced items, add-ons, or upgrades to customers to enhance their dining experience and increase the restaurant's revenue. Techniques include recommending premium dishes, offering additional sides, suggesting drink pairings, or promoting special desserts.

Upselling techniques are important for a food server because they increase the average order value, enhance customer satisfaction by suggesting complementary items, and boost the restaurant's revenue.

How to Improve Upselling Techniques Skills

Improving upselling techniques as a food server involves enhancing customer experience by thoughtfully suggesting additions or upgrades to their orders. Here are concise strategies:

• Know Your Menu : Be knowledgeable about your menu items to make confident and relevant suggestions.
• Listen to Your Customers : Tailor your upsell suggestions based on the preferences your customers express.
• Suggest Pairings : Recommend food and drink pairings that complement each other, enhancing the dining experience. Wine Pairings Guide
• Highlight Specials and Bestsellers : Draw attention to daily specials or popular items that can intrigue the customer. Best Practices for Specials
• Be Enthusiastic and Genuine : Your genuine enthusiasm about the menu can be infectious, encouraging customers to try your suggestions. Influence of Server Behavior

Remember, the key to upselling is not just increasing sales but enhancing the customer's dining experience by making thoughtful suggestions.

How to Display Upselling Techniques Skills on Your Resume

6. Multitasking

Multitasking for a Food Server involves simultaneously managing multiple tasks such as taking orders, serving food and drinks, clearing tables, and providing customer service efficiently and effectively to ensure a positive dining experience for all guests.

Multitasking is crucial for a Food Server as it enables efficient handling of multiple customers simultaneously, ensuring timely order taking, serving, and addressing queries, leading to improved customer satisfaction and dining experience.

How to Improve Multitasking Skills

Improving multitasking, especially for a food server, involves developing skills that enhance efficiency and accuracy while managing multiple tasks simultaneously. Here are concise strategies:

• Prioritize Tasks : Quickly assess the importance and urgency of tasks to determine the order of execution. MindTools provides a guide on prioritizing effectively.
• Organize Work Space : Keep your work area organized to minimize time spent searching for items. The Culinary Institute of America offers insights on kitchen organization.
• Develop a Routine : Establish a consistent routine for common tasks to improve speed and reduce mental load. Harvard Business Review discusses the impact of routine on performance.
• Use Technology : Leverage technology, like digital order taking systems, to streamline tasks and reduce errors. Toast specializes in restaurant management software.
• Practice Active Listening : Enhance your ability to listen actively to customers while performing other tasks to ensure accurate order fulfillment. Mindful explores techniques for mindful listening.
• Stay Calm Under Pressure : Develop stress management techniques to maintain high performance during peak times. Mayo Clinic offers strategies for stress relief.
• Continuous Learning : Seek feedback and learn from each shift to improve multitasking abilities. Indeed provides tips on improving multitasking skills.

By focusing on these areas, food servers can enhance their multitasking abilities, leading to improved service efficiency and customer satisfaction.

How to Display Multitasking Skills on Your Resume

7. Conflict Resolution

Conflict resolution for a food server involves quickly and effectively addressing and solving disputes or complaints from customers or between staff members to ensure a positive dining experience and maintain a harmonious work environment.

Conflict resolution is crucial for a Food Server as it ensures a positive dining experience by swiftly addressing and resolving any issues between staff or with customers, maintaining a harmonious environment and ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.

How to Improve Conflict Resolution Skills

Improving conflict resolution, especially for a Food Server, involves a few concise steps:

• Listen Actively: Understand the customer's issue without interrupting. ( Active Listening )
• Empathize: Show you comprehend their feelings. ( Empathy )
• Apologize Sincerely: Regardless of fault, a sincere apology can defuse many situations. (The Power of Apology)
• Find a Solution: Offer solutions or alternatives to resolve the issue. (Problem-Solving)
• Follow Up: Ensure the solution was satisfactory and learn from the experience. ( Customer Follow-Up )

By applying these steps, a Food Server can effectively manage and resolve conflicts, enhancing customer satisfaction and dining experience.

How to Display Conflict Resolution Skills on Your Resume

8. Menu Knowledge

Menu knowledge for a food server refers to a thorough understanding of the restaurant's menu, including ingredients, preparation techniques, potential allergens, and pairing recommendations, enabling effective communication and recommendations to customers.

Menu knowledge is crucial for a food server as it enables them to accurately describe dishes, answer customer queries, make recommendations based on preferences or dietary needs, and ensure a satisfactory dining experience, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat business.

How to Improve Menu Knowledge Skills

To improve menu knowledge as a food server, follow these concise steps:

Study the Menu : Dedicate time to studying the menu outside of work hours. Focus on ingredients, preparation methods, and potential allergens.

Taste the Dishes : Whenever possible, taste the dishes on the menu. Understanding the flavors and textures can help you describe them better to customers.

Ask the Chef : Use any opportunity to ask the chef about the dishes, including special techniques or ingredients used.

Learn from Others : Observe and learn from experienced colleagues. Their insights on popular dishes and personal recommendations can be valuable.

Utilize Flashcards : Create flashcards for each menu item, including key ingredients and pairings, to test yourself during downtimes.

Stay Updated : Menus often change. Stay informed about any updates, specials, or seasonal items.

Online Resources : Utilize online resources for further learning. Websites like ServSafe offer courses on food safety, while Coursera and Udemy provide courses on culinary skills and hospitality.

Practice Descriptions : Practice describing dishes in a way that is appealing and accurate, focusing on the senses: taste, smell, and texture.

By following these steps and utilizing resources effectively, you can significantly improve your menu knowledge, enhancing both customer satisfaction and your professionalism as a food server.

How to Display Menu Knowledge Skills on Your Resume

9. Wine Pairing

Wine pairing is the practice of matching wines with specific dishes or food flavors to enhance the dining experience, aiming for a harmonious balance between the taste of the wine and the food.

Wine pairing is important for a food server because it enhances the dining experience by complementing the flavors of the food, elevating customer satisfaction, and potentially increasing sales through recommendations.

How to Improve Wine Pairing Skills

To improve wine pairing as a food server, focus on these concise tips:

Understand the Basics of Wine Pairing: Learn the fundamental pairings such as white wines with lighter dishes like chicken or fish, and red wines with heavier dishes like red meat. Wine Folly offers a great introduction.

Consider the Dominant Flavor: Match the wine to the most dominant flavor in the dish, not just the main ingredient. For guidance, Decanter provides insights into matching flavors.

Balance the Weight: Pair light dishes with light wines and heavy dishes with fuller-bodied wines. Vinfolio has a beginner's guide that explains this concept well.

Contrast or Complement Flavors: Decide whether to contrast (e.g., sweet with salty) or complement (e.g., earthy wine with earthy food) the flavors. MasterClass offers advice on how to choose between contrasting and complementing.

Consider Acidity, Sweetness, and Tannins: High-acid wines go well with fatty and sweet dishes, while tannic wines pair with high-protein foods. Sweet wines balance spicy and salty flavors. For more detail, refer to Wine Enthusiast .

Always Be Willing to Experiment: Not every pairing needs to follow the rules. Encourage guests to explore their preferences. Serious Eats emphasizes the importance of experimentation.

Educate Yourself Continuously: Stay informed about new trends and wines by following reputable wine education sites like The Wine Institute and GuildSomm .

Practice and Experience: The best way to learn is through practice. Try different wines with different foods and take note of what works and what doesn’t.

By following these tips and continually seeking knowledge, you can significantly improve your wine pairing skills, enhancing the dining experience for your guests.

How to Display Wine Pairing Skills on Your Resume

10. Food Safety

Food safety involves handling, preparing, and storing food in a way to best reduce the risk of individuals becoming sick from foodborne illnesses. For a food server, it means ensuring that food is served and maintained at the correct temperatures, avoiding cross-contamination between foods, and maintaining personal hygiene to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses.

Food safety is crucial for a food server as it ensures the health and well-being of customers by preventing foodborne illnesses, maintaining customer trust, and upholding the restaurant's reputation.

How to Improve Food Safety Skills

Improving food safety, especially for a food server, involves adhering to key practices that prevent foodborne illnesses. Here are concise steps with relevant resources:

Personal Hygiene : Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling food and after using the bathroom, changing tasks, or handling garbage. Handwashing in Food Service .

Cross-Contamination Prevention : Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meats and ready-to-eat foods. FDA on Cross-Contamination.

Proper Food Storage : Store food at the correct temperatures; refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours, and maintain the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. USDA Food Storage .

Cook Foods to Safe Temperatures : Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to the right temperatures to kill harmful bacteria. Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures .

Stay Informed on Food Allergies : Understand common food allergens and always communicate with guests to avoid allergic reactions. FDA on Food Allergies .

Implementing these practices consistently ensures the safety and satisfaction of your customers, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses.

How to Display Food Safety Skills on Your Resume

11. Cash Handling

Cash handling, in regards to a food server, involves accurately receiving, processing, and securing payments from customers in the form of cash, ensuring correct change is given, and managing receipts.

Cash handling is crucial for a Food Server as it ensures accurate financial transactions, maintains trust with customers, and prevents revenue loss due to errors or theft.

How to Improve Cash Handling Skills

Improving cash handling for a food server involves adopting practices that ensure accuracy, security, and efficiency. Here are concise tips:

Use a Money Belt or Apron with Pockets : Keep cash organized and secure on your person. Select an apron that suits your needs.

Verify Amounts : Always count cash in front of the customer when receiving and giving change to prevent discrepancies. Learn quick money counting techniques .

Daily Reconciliation : At the end of each shift, reconcile your cash with sales records. This guide can help you understand the process.

Use a Cash Drop Safe : For larger amounts, immediately drop them into a cash drop safe to minimize loss or theft risk.

Implement a Cash Handling Policy : Follow and understand your establishment's policies on cash handling. Here's a sample policy to get an idea.

Continuous Training : Stay updated on best practices through regular training sessions. ServSafe offers courses that include cash handling principles.

By adhering to these practices, food servers can minimize errors, prevent theft, and ensure a smooth operation.

How to Display Cash Handling Skills on Your Resume

12. Teamwork

Teamwork for a Food Server involves collaborating effectively with kitchen staff and other servers to ensure prompt, accurate, and courteous service to diners, enhancing the overall dining experience.

Teamwork is crucial for a food server as it ensures efficient service, improves communication, and enhances the dining experience by coordinating tasks, sharing responsibilities, and promptly addressing customer needs.

How to Improve Teamwork Skills

Improving teamwork, especially for a food server, involves communication, collaboration, and mutual respect. Here are concise steps with resources:

Effective Communication : Ensure clear and concise communication among team members. Utilize tools like Slack for instant messaging and Trello for task management.

Set Common Goals : Align everyone towards common objectives. MindTools provides strategies for goal setting.

Distribute Tasks Evenly : Ensure tasks are fairly distributed based on skills and availability. Learn more about effective delegation from Indeed.

Encourage Collaboration : Foster an environment where team members openly share ideas and solutions. Asana is great for project collaboration.

Provide Constructive Feedback : Offer regular, constructive feedback in a respectful manner. Harvard Business Review discusses the art of giving feedback.

Celebrate Successes Together : Recognize and celebrate team achievements. Reward Gateway outlines ways to celebrate success at work.

Continuous Training : Invest in training and development. ServSafe offers courses specific to the food service industry.

Implementing these steps can significantly improve teamwork among food servers, leading to better service delivery and customer satisfaction.

How to Display Teamwork Skills on Your Resume

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46 Must-Know Resume Phrases That Earn Interviews

3 key takeaways

• Resume phrases highlight your skills, knowledge, and experience on your resume.
• There are three different types of resume phrases: action phrases, power phrases, and descriptive phrases.
• Teal’s AI Resume Builder can help you put these phrases to work and create your most impressive resume.

An impressive resume isn’t just about what you say— how you say it matters too. You can have a strong work history, relevant responsibilities, impressive accomplishments, and undeniable expertise under your belt. But none of those matter if you can’t summarize them in a way that captures the attention of potential employers.

That’s why it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with some of the best resume phrases and action words. While your resume content will be as unique as you are, these reliable phrases can give you some new ideas, help you write about your qualifications and abilities, and impress recruiters.

Ready to beat the blank page and put some sentences down on paper? This detailed guide (and long list of resume power phrases) will get you started.

Struggling to land interviews with your resume? Sign up for Teal to create a free resume .

Understanding resume writing phrases: What they are and why they matter

Resume phrases are specific words or combinations of words used to highlight your skills, abilities, knowledge, and achievements on your resume.

Understanding the job market can help you choose the right phrases that align with industry expectations and employer needs.

It’s tempting to think the language you use on your resume doesn’t carry much weight, but choosing the right phrases and verbs can make or break your resume in the eyes of a potential employer. For example, take a look at this comparison:

• Handled customer questions and complaints
• Resolved customer inquiries and complaints with a 95% satisfaction rate, resulting in a 20% increase in customer retention

It’s not hard to see that the second option is far more impressive. And though there are other creative strategies and resume best practices at play in that example (such as quantifying accomplishments), the resume writing itself also makes a world of difference. The second bullet includes several powerful phrases and action words:

• Resulting in an increase
• Satisfaction rate

What are the different types of resume phrases?

There’s no shortage of ways you can categorize these phrases, but this guide covers three common types of resume phrases:

• Action phrases: Describe specific actions you took
• “Implemented a new inventory system…”
• Power phrases: Describe results you achieved or an impact you made
• “Reduced costs by…”
• Descriptive phrases: Describe your role and responsibilities
• “Managed a team of 10 customer service representatives”

There’s a lot of overlap between those categories—especially between action phrases and descriptive phrases. The main difference is that action phrases highlight what you actually did while descriptive phrases focus on your responsibilities.

Especially if you opt for using the STAR method on your resume , many of your bullet points will incorporate all three types of phrases at once.

Good resume phrase example

“Led a cross-functional team of 10 to develop and launch a new customer relationship management (CRM) system, resulting in a 30% increase in customer satisfaction and a 20% boost in sales within six months.”

• Action words or phrases: Led, develop, launch
• Power phrase: Resulting in a 30% increase in customer satisfaction and a 20% boost in sales
• Descriptive phrases: Cross-functional team of 10, new customer relationship management (CRM) system, within six months

That example illustrates the importance of the right phrases for your resume, but choosing them involves more than opening up a thesaurus while you’re writing. The best resume phrases are:

• Concise: Your document shouldn’t be stuffed with resume buzzwords and cliches . Get to the point and cut out fluff or unnecessary words.
• Specific: It’s tempting to over exaggerate your responsibilities, but big words aren’t always better. Phrases should clearly describe your role and achievements and increase understanding.
• Action-oriented: Particularly in your work experience section, each of your bullet points should start with a strong resume action verb to demonstrate how you achieved results.
• Relevant: Your resume isn’t intended to be a rundown of all of your tasks and positions throughout your career stages. Relevance is key. The job description will provide helpful clues and valuable insights to guide your resume writing.
• Quantified: Resume phrases are intended to kick start your writing process and not be copied and pasted exactly as they are. Customize them to your experience and supplement them with metrics and real-world examples to add extra impact. 

Where should you use resume phrases?

Wondering where to use these short snippets on your document? Most resume phrases are incorporated in two different sections of your resume:

• Your resume summary (sometimes called your resume personal statement )
• Your work experience section

These phrases can also be effectively used in your LinkedIn profile.

In your summary, these phrases can call attention to your overall career highlights, relevant skills, and the success you’ve achieved. In your job history bullet points, they’ll better describe your contributions and achievements in previous roles.

46 resume phrases you need to know

Now that you have the lay of the land, it’s time to look at some resume power words and phrases you can lean on during your resume writing process to effectively convey the skills, value, and solutions you can bring to a job. 

The best resume phrases start with action verbs—words that describe an action while emphasizing your contributions and achievements. Need help coming up with some? Check out this comprehensive guide to resume action verbs before you get started.

Action phrases for resumes

Use resume action verbs and phrases to describe the specific actions you took and contributions you made in a previous position.

• Assisted clients
• Created reports
• Designed and executed
• Developed a process
• Developed content
• Drafted documents
• Facilitated meetings
• Generated ideas
• Identified opportunities
• Implemented a new system
• Monitored progress
• Organized events
• Prepared resources
• Resolved issues
• Spearheaded an initiative
• Streamlined operations
• Trained staff

Power phrases for resumes

Use strong power words and phrases in your resume to describe the impact you made and the results you achieved (including specific metrics).

• Achieved top performance
• Boosted customer satisfaction
• Drove significant growth
• Elevated team performance
• Enhanced product quality
• Exceeded targets
• Expanded service offerings
• Improved accuracy
• Improved efficiency
• Improved retention rates
• Increased market share
• Increased revenue
• Maximized resources
• Minimized downtime
• Optimized processes
• Reduced costs
• Reduced turnaround time
• Strengthened client relationships

Descriptive phrases for resumes

Use these to describe what you were responsible for in a previous position.

• Collaborated cross-functionally
• Conducted research
• Coordinated efforts
• Coordinated team activities
• Ensured compliance
• Handled customer inquiries
• Maintained relationships
• Managed projects
• Oversaw operations
• Provided support

Resume phrase examples by job

The phrases above are flexible enough to be used in a variety of career paths. But it’s helpful to get a little more specific and look at phrases that apply to a certain job. Here are five different types of roles and examples of key phrases to use for each. 

1. Project manager resume phrases

• Achieved organizational goals
• Determined cost-saving initiatives
• Developed project plans
• Ensured smooth project execution
• Identified and mitigated project risks
• Implemented streamlined processes
• Led cross-functional teams
• Monitored project budget and timeline
• Reduced project costs
• Successfully managed multiple projects

2. Administrative assistant resume phrases

• Assisted in preparation of reports
• Coordinated office operations
• Handled correspondence and communications
• Managed schedules and appointments
• Maintained confidential files and records
• Prepared and organized meetings
• Provided administrative support
• Responded to client inquiries and requests

3. Data scientist resume phrases

• Analyzed datasets
• Automated data collection processes
• Cleaned and processed data
• Communicated data findings
• Created data visualizations
• Developed predictive models
• Extracted insights and trends
• Identified opportunities for improvement
• Implemented algorithms

4. Sales representative resume phrases

• Attended industry events
• Cultivated relationships
• Developed and implemented sales strategies
• Exceeded monthly targets
• Managed a pipeline
• Negotiated contracts and sales
• Prospected and generated leads
• Provided tailored solutions

5. Marketing professional resume phrases

• Analyzed market trends
• Conducted market research
• Created compelling content
• Drove brand awareness
• Executed marketing strategies
• Increased customer acquisition
• Monitored campaign performance
• Planned and executed events
• Reduced customer acquisition cost

Ready to write your own? Check out this guide to resume bullet points to make your snippets short and strong.

5 Essential tips for crafting effective resume phrases

The above phrases will get your creative juices flowing as you start writing your resume. But as you continue getting your skills and accomplishments down on paper, here are a few best practices to keep in mind when using common phrases.

1. Refer to the job description

Think your next best step is to pick out a few of the above phrases that sound the best to you? Not quite. Your goal is to use phrases that are the most relevant to the role you’re applying for to demonstrate how your qualifications and expertise match the position’s requirements. Understanding the job market can help you select the most relevant phrases.

Return to the job description and stay focused on finding key skills and words. Then, select words and phrases that are the best fit. For example, if the job posting mentions leadership several times, then you’ll choose phrases that use words like “led,” “managed,” “supervised,” “owned,” and “spearheaded.”

Struggling to figure out which words get a lot of importance in the job posting? Attach a job description in Teal’s AI Resume Builder to see your match score and determine how well your resume aligns with the language and skills from the job description.

2. Quantify your achievements

If you only rely on common phrases, your resume likely won’t stand out from the crowd—after all, everybody will describe themselves as a “go getter” or a “team player” on paper.

Employers want to see proof not only of the work you’ve done, but why it mattered. Adding metrics to your accomplishments and bullet points shows recruiters the results you’ve achieved in your past jobs.

This is another area where Teal can help with its resume bullet point generator . In your resume, click “add an achievement” and then the “write with AI” button. Teal will automatically come up with three options for metric-driven bullet points you can customize and use on your resume.

3. Use time-based statements

Reducing costs? That’s impressive. But reducing costs in only three months? That’s sure to get a hiring manager’s attention.

That’s why it’s helpful to use time-based statements that describe a certain period of time (for example, “in five weeks or within six months”). These also count as descriptive phrases on your resume.

In Teal’s AI Resume Builder, use the Analysis Score to see a detailed breakdown of issues on your resume—including where you’re missing time-based statements.

4. Check your verb tense

Most of the best phrases start with strong verbs, but don’t get so caught up in the language that you forget about using the right verb tense. On your resume, use:

• Present verb tense (e.g. “manage”) for jobs you currently work
• Past verb tense (e.g. “managed”) for jobs you worked previously

It’s a small change that can make your resume clearer and more polished.

5. Rely on tools to help you

Even with the best phrases to guide you, developing your resume can still feel daunting. Fortunately, you don’t have to start from scratch.

Use Teal’s AI Resume Builder to get over your fear of a blank page and create your strongest resume yet. It can help you:

• Automatically generate metric-rich achievements and contributions
• Compare your resume to the job description and identify keywords
• Provide suggestions to make strategic improvements to your content

Additionally, these tools can also help improve your LinkedIn profile, which complements your resume.

Something as simple as a prompt or an example bullet point can spark your creativity and ease the burden of writing your own resume. With Teal in your corner, you’ll feel more confident throughout the writing process so you can craft a resume that does your experience justice and makes a positive impression on an employer.

Ready to put these phrases and best practices to work on your own resume? Get started with Teal for free today .

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good lines for a resume.

Good lines for a resume effectively highlight your skills, achievements, and contributions. Examples include "Implemented a new inventory system, reducing operational costs by 15%" and "Led a cross-functional team to launch a new product, resulting in a 20% increase in sales."

What are key phrases in a resume?

Key phrases in a resume are specific words or combinations of words that highlight your skills, abilities, knowledge, and achievements. They fall into three categories:  strong verbs and phrases (e.g., "Implemented a new system"), power phrases (e.g., "Increased revenue by 20%"), and descriptive phrases (e.g., "Managed a team of 10").

What are some good words to use in a resume?

Good resume words are strong verbs that demonstrate your contributions and achievements. Action verbs include "Led," "Developed," "Implemented," "Achieved," "Optimized," and "Streamlined." These words help to clearly and concisely communicate your impact in previous roles.

Kat Boogaard

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Turkish, Armenian special envoys resume talks aimed at reconciliation, reopening border

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Special envoys from Turkey and Armenia convened at the countries’ shared border on Tuesday to resume discussions aimed at normalizing ties between the historic foes.

Turkey and Armenia have no formal relations, and their border has been closed since the 1990s. They agreed in late 2021 to improve relations and appointed special envoys to discuss ways toward reconciliation and the opening of the border.

Turkish Ambassador Serdar Kilic and his counterpart, Armenian parliament deputy speaker Ruben Rubinyan, met at the Alican-Margara border crossing, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said. It marked their fifth meeting since the launch of reconciliation efforts.

The Turkish ministry statement said the envoys agreed to streamline visa procedures for holders of diplomatic or official passports and to evaluate the technical requirements for operating a railway border gate.

They also “reemphasized their agreement to continue the normalization process without any preconditions,” the ministry added.

World & Nation

Armenians who fled Turkish rule decades ago despair over Nagorno-Karabakh. ‘This appears to be our fate’

In 1939, Armenians of Musa Dagh fled to Lebanon rather than submit to Turkish rule. Now they despair over the exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

Oct. 5, 2023

Turkey shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of solidarity with close ally Azerbaijan, which was locked in a conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In 2020, Turkey strongly backed Azerbaijan in its six-week conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh , which ended with a Russia-brokered peace deal that saw Azerbaijan gain control of a significant part of the region. Azerbaijan used Turkish military equipment, including combat drones, in the conflict.

Turkey and Armenia also have a long and bitter relationship over the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in massacres, deportations and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey.

Historians widely view the event as genocide. Turkey vehemently rejects the label, conceding that many died in that era but insisting that the death toll is inflated and the deaths resulted from civil unrest.

HaberTurk television said the two envoys on Tuesday exchanged handshakes at the border before visiting the Turkish and Armenian sides of the frontier.

Armenia’s prime minister meets Putin in Moscow at time of tension between allies

Armenia’s ties with longtime sponsor and ally Russia have grown increasingly strained after Azerbaijan waged a lightning campaign to reclaim the Karabakh region.

May 9, 2024

Kilic and Rubinyan met in Moscow in January 2022, followed by three meetings in Vienna that same year.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held their first face-to-face meeting in 2022 on the sidelines of a European Political Community meeting in Prague.

Last year, Pashinyan traveled to Ankara to attend Erdogan’s inauguration following an election victory.

This is Ankara and Yerevan’s second attempt at reconciliation. Turkey and Armenia reached an agreement in 2009 to establish formal relations and open their border, but the agreement was never ratified.

The border gate was briefly opened in 2023 to allow in aid after a devastating earthquake hit parts of southern Turkey and northern Syria.

More to Read

Armenia and Azerbaijan move closer to normalizing ties as the first border marker goes up

April 23, 2024

As Ukrainian president visits, Turkey’s Erdogan offers to host a peace summit with Russia

March 8, 2024

Germany hosts the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan for peace talks

Feb. 28, 2024

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The Conversation

Harris vs. Trump Is Taking Shape. And Then There’s Vance.

By Gail Collins and Bret Stephens

Ms. Collins and Mr. Stephens are Opinion columnists. They converse every week.

Gail Collins: Bret, we’re beginning a whole new era in presidential politics, and before we get rolling, I want to give you ample opportunity to retract your threat not to vote in a Trump versus Harris election.

Bret Stephens: My feelings about this election are approximately what Henry Kissinger’s were about the Iran-Iraq war: It’s a pity both sides can’t lose. You know that I will never, ever vote for Donald Trump. But I can’t quite see why I should cast my New York vote — a meaningless vote, as we both know — in favor of a politician whose views I oppose and whose judgment I doubt.

Persuade me that I’m wrong.

Gail: Democracy is ideally about voting for the good guys and rejecting the bad, but we’re all well aware of the many, many elections that feature two unwelcome options.

Refusing to pick a less-bad choice is being, well, a kinda snob.

Bret: Guilty as charged.

Gail: And when you’ve got a choice between a woman who you don’t agree with about taxes and spending versus a man who’s shown himself perfectly capable of trying to overthrow the government if he loses, the options are pretty obvious.

Bret: That was pretty much my reasoning when I cast my votes for Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden: two liberal Democrats who nonetheless struck me as safe pairs of hands, particularly when it came to world affairs.

I just don’t have the same faith in Kamala Harris. She’s given no indication that she can run a campaign or an office competently, much less a country. She frequently speaks in inanities. Her contribution to fixing the border crisis was less than zero — in fact, she publicly denied there was a crisis. I doubt she strikes fear in the hearts of the tyrants in Tehran, Beijing or Moscow at a moment when all of those dictatorships are on the march.

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