Pick a clean, simple template with a reverse-chronological layout. That layout highlights your recent food service and customer-facing roles, and it stays easy for hiring managers to scan.
Keep this to one page if you have under 10 years of experience. Use two pages only if you have long, relevant experience like large-event catering or multiple supervisory roles.
Use ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. Set body text to 10–12pt and headers to 14–16pt. Keep line spacing around 1.0–1.15 and add margins of at least 0.5 inches.
Structure your sections with standard headings: Contact, Summary, Experience, Skills, Certifications, and Education. Put hands-on skills and food-safety certifications near the top. List each job with the employer, dates, and 3–5 bullet points of achievements.
Avoid heavy graphics, tables, or multi-column designs. They confuse applicant tracking systems and often jumble when a manager opens the file. Use bold and bullet points for emphasis instead of color blocks or icons.
Common mistakes include long paragraphs, inconsistent dates, and tiny fonts. Don't cram the page to fit every job. Cut anything that doesn't directly show you can keep food stations tidy, restock quickly, and help guests.