As a food services manager, you may not pull the french fries out of the fryer or cook the hamburgers to go with them, but you're just as responsible for getting food onto diners' plates as the cooks who do. To prove you've got the organizational skills, big-picture thinking and logistical abilities needed to thrive in this role, you're going to need an excellent food services manager resume.
Luckily, Resume.io is here to help. With 300+ resume examples and writing guides for every field and career level, we've got the resources and insights to make writing your application as easy as pie. Here's what we'll cover in this guide along with our food services manager resume sample:
- What does a food services manager do?
- How to write a food services manager resume (tips and tricks)
- The best format for a food services manager resume
- Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional resume layout and design hints.
What does a food services manager do?
Food services managers are professionals who oversee all aspects and operations of food preparation and service in a dining establishment that serves food. Food services managers have many different responsibilities including managing employees, hiring and training staff, ordering and maintaining inventory, making schedules and handling customer service issues. A food services manager position is typically physically demanding and may include long hours of being on your feet. The main goal of a food services manager is to increase the success and revenue of a food service establishment by working to improve day-to-day functions and achieve customer satisfaction.
Food services managers may work in a variety of locations including:
- Hospitals and medical institutions
- Schools and universities
- Corporate cafeterias
- Cruise ships and other forms of transportation
- Hotels and resorts
- Amusement parks and recreational facilities
Food services managers work with a variety of kitchen and service staff. You may find more useful writing tips in our related hospitality and catering resume examples including our food and beverage director resume sample, cook resume example, restaurant manager resume sample and food service worker resume sample.
How to write a food services manager resume
Just like a kitchen has a clear organizational system that allows every chef to find the tools they need, your resume should contain certain elements that allow a hiring manager to find what they're looking for. Here are the essential components:
- The resume header
- The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The resume skills section
- The education section
A food services manager resume should clearly exhibit a candidate’s ability to oversee all operations and procedures related to food service in a restaurant or organization. An impressive food services manager resume calls attention to strong organizational and multitasking skills, necessary for the management of food services. Your resume should highlight excellent interpersonal communication skills, as working with and directing staff is a large part of this position. Your resume should showcase strong leadership and problem-solving skills as well. Focus on emphasizing your powerful skillset that allows you to effectively manage food service operations and achieve high levels of customer satisfaction. Although a higher degree or certifications are not required, any voluntary certifications that support managerial skills are impressive to hold.
Choosing the best resume format for food services managers
Most food services managers with at least some degree of experience will want to opt for the reverse chronological format when writing their resume. This structure centers on an employment history section where you can show off your biggest accomplishments and most relevant positions. Reverse chronological is the format preferred both by hiring managers and by the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) in place in most medium and large companies.
Other resume formats such as functional or hybrid may be good options in rare cases where the applicant doesn't have enough experience for a full-blown work history section. You can read more about these structures in our guide to resume formats.
Feed the ATS.
Hiring managers have full plates. To help reduce their workloads, algorithms called ATS often scan resumes when they are uploaded to online application portals. The resume scanners look for keywords from the job description and pass on only the most qualified applicants to the HR manager. While there is no sure-fire way to beat the ATS, there are a few steps you can take to avoid being filtered out.
- Read the job description closely and look for duties and skills emphasized by the employer.
- Place these abilities in the appropriate sections of your resume – without adding them in places where they don't make sense.
- Use common section titles like "Education" or "Summary" so that both the ATS and hiring manager can find the information they're looking for.
Resume summary example
The summary of your resume is like the appetizer – it should be appealing in and of itself and also a good indicator of what's to come. In this section, you'll want to give the hiring manager a taste of your experience, accomplishments and skills. Highlight your selling points and add a data point to quantify your impact. Save the details for the rest of the resume – if you've done the summary right, the hiring manager will want to keep reading. Check out the summary from our adaptable resume example below.
Experienced food services manager adept in all aspects of managing food and beverage service. Adept in effectively directing staff and overseeing operations to ensure optimal productivity and high levels of customer satisfaction. Bringing forth several years of industry experience and expertise in managing staff and restaurant functions. Equipped with a diverse skill-set, conducive to achieving positive team relationships and the accomplishment of goals.
Employment history sample
The employment history section is the place to list all experiences that are relevant to the role. Make sure to include the job title, employer name, start and end dates and location. List work experiences in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. Include 4-5 bullet points that describe your duties and achievements as they relate to the role you are applying to. Use action verbs and descriptive language wherever possible. Check out the following adaptable resume sample.
- Effectively coordinated daily dining banquet operations, resulting in greater productivity and higher levels of customer satisfaction.
- Created menus based on seasonal offerings and customer feedback.
- Directed staff to achieve ultimate workflow and effectiveness.
- Addressed any problems or customer concerns appropriately.
- Maintained and managed inventories and scheduled orders accordingly.
- Evaluated staff performance and provided constructive feedback.
CV skills example
An outstanding food services manager CV should include a number of impressive skills that your employer or interviewer is looking for in a candidate. A combination of personality traits, or soft skills, and technical abilities (hard skills) is recommended. This is a great place to add in some of the keywords the ATS will be looking for. Make sure to choose specific areas of expertise that you want to call attention to on your CV. Here is the skills section from our adaptable resume sample.
- Interpersonal communication skills
- Customer service skills
- Managerial skills
- Problem solving skills
- Leadership skills
- Food safety awareness
Food services manager resume education example
While food services managers aren't required to have formal degrees, any education you can list in this section gives the employer a better sense of your background and expertise. List all degrees and certifications here in reverse chronological order. Any honors or distinctions should be noted here as well. If you hold a degree higher than a bachelor's degree, you may leave out your high school. This is a great place to mention any certifications or memberships you hold, as well. Here is the education section from our adaptable resume example.
- 2001-2005 Hofstra University, Associate of Communications Hempstead, NY
- 2005- 2009 Loyola High School, High School Diploma NY, NY
Resume layout and design
Just like a restaurant's exterior says a lot about the quality and type of food you'll be eating before you walk through the door, a resume's layout and design tells a hiring manager what type of candidate you are. Make sure to choose a layout that matches the feel of the environment in which you plan to work. An ivy league university will call for a different design than a family-oriented cruise ship.
Make sure to keep a balance of white space and text and stick with just one or two professional font styles. You'll also want to create a header that draws attention to your name and contact information. Don't forget to add your LinkedIn or any other relevant online presence.
If you're not a graphic design genius, you may consider using a professionally-designed resume template which will allow you to spend more time focusing on the writing.
Key takeaways for a food services manager resume
- A great resume is essential when it comes to highlighting the skills and experiences that make you the right candidate for the role.
- Don't forget to create a great summary that showcases your key selling points along with a bit of personality.
- Use numbers and action verbs to show the impact you had in your employment history section.
- Check out our food services manager resume example for more ideas on creating a professional page layout.
