{"id":14858,"date":"2021-01-20T10:00:13","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T16:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-arts\/how-chefs-can-build-standout-resumes\/"},"modified":"2024-06-28T18:40:34","modified_gmt":"2024-06-28T23:40:34","slug":"how-chefs-can-build-standout-resumes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escoffier.edu\/blog\/culinary-pastry-careers\/how-chefs-can-build-standout-resumes\/","title":{"rendered":"How Chefs Can Build Standout Resumes"},"content":{"rendered":"

The professional kitchen is a very different work environment than a corporate office. But getting a job in both places starts out the same way \u2014 with a resume. As the first point of contact between a cook and the hiring manager, the purpose of the resume is to highlight your experience and culinary education, so that the employer can decide who moves onto the next step \u2014 the interview.<\/p>\n

By following these tips (and avoiding some pitfalls), you can make your resume the best it can be. Plus, you\u2019ll improve the chances that your resume lands in the \u201cto call\u201d pile instead of in the trash.<\/p>\n

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Should I Call Myself a \u201cChef\u201d on My Resume?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s important to remember that the title of \u201cChef\u201d is earned with many years of experience in the industry. Calling yourself a \u201cChef\u201d on your resume without earning the title could be viewed negatively by potential employers. Even getting a degree or diploma from a culinary school<\/a> isn\u2019t enough…though it\u2019s a great start, and can potentially give you opportunities for advancement faster than those who do not have the same credentials.<\/p>\n

The appropriate title for most people starting out in the industry would be \u201cCulinary Professional,\u201d and that\u2019s what we provide in the examples in this article.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Make It Skimmable<\/h2>\n

Unless you\u2019re just starting out in the industry, it\u2019s hard to condense a resume into a single page, as resume experts recommend. But consider it from the hiring manager\u2019s perspective. They could get dozens of resumes to fill a single job opening. If each resume were several pages long, it would take ages to read through them all.<\/p>\n

To make your resume easy to read and absorb, it\u2019s important to keep it skimmable. The goal is to grab their attention when they\u2019re in the first \u201cweeding out\u201d phase. Therefore it\u2019s important to highlight your culinary education and skills on the top third of the page. After the hiring manager narrows down the selection, they\u2019ll probably go back to read the resumes more thoroughly. We want to make sure your resume makes it past the first round of reviews.<\/p>\n

Keep your resume skimmable by breaking it into sections and using bullet points to highlight key experience and accomplishments.<\/p>\n

For each previous role, start with a short description of how you contributed to the overall success of the daily operation of the kitchen. This might include how you helped to increase consistency, improve output, maintain teamwork, reduce food waste or recooks. Anything you did to help improve the overall functioning of the kitchen. Then, call out two or three accomplishments from each position in a bulleted list, like additions to the menu that performed well, positive work with high-profile clients, and other successes.<\/p>\n

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\"pastry<\/a>

Click here<\/a> to view a pastry career changer sample resume<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"culinary<\/a>

Click here<\/a> to view a culinary career changer sample resume<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The further in the past a job is, the less detail you should include. Your current or last job is much more telling about your skills than a job from 10 years ago.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Based on feedback from chefs we recommend a separate \u201cSkills\u201d section. This is another short, bulleted list that calls out some of your specific knowledge like knife skills, ability to follow recipes, knowledge of cooking techniques, baking fundamentals, or knowledge of inventory processes. Be sure to include transferable skills, like \u201cworks well under pressure,\u201d \u201cable to take constructive criticism,\u201d and \u201cteam player.\u201d This makes it easy for the employer to see what cooking or non-cooking skills<\/a> you bring to the table right away.<\/p>\n

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\"Lance“My education with Escoffier has really given me a good foundation. It has filled a resume gap; it\u2019s filled a professional gap and a skills gap. It has helped me in all aspects of my culinary career.”
\nLance McWhorter, Online Culinary Arts Graduate, Food Network \u201cChopped\u201d Contestant, and Chef\/Owner of Culture ETX<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Another important point of skimmability is to give the reader\u2019s eye a place to rest. Don\u2019t cram the single page full of text from edge to edge. Leave some white space on the page to clearly separate each section.<\/p>\n

Tweak Your Resume for Each Position<\/h2>\n

The best culinary resumes are tailored for each position you are applying to. Your resume should contain wording that matches key phases found in the job description and anything else you know about the job setting.<\/p>\n

For example, if you\u2019re applying to work at a steakhouse, call out any details from previous job experience that would apply. Maybe you worked the grill station at a busy American restaurant that had steaks on the menu. If the job description says you\u2019d be writing the schedule for the line and prep cooks, mention any previous scheduling experience.<\/p>\n\"Black\n

Customizing your resumes like this takes a bit more work up front, but it shows the employer that you meet their preferences and may help you to get that interview.<\/p>\n\n\t

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Take the Culinary Career Survey<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t

We\u2019ve compiled a checklist of all of the essential questions into one handy tool: career options, culinary interest surveys, educational opportunities, and more. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

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