17 AGCAREERS FOOD & AGRICULTURE CAREER GUIDE PHOTO: Enrique Ortega M. – stock.adobe.com Curious how hiring managers evaluate your resume or why you did not land that interview? We’ve got answers. In a special FoodGrads That’s a Food Job! podcast mini-series, three food industry Human Resource leaders shared what stood out when hiring students and new grads. Here is what we learned. THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET. BUT THERE IS A WRONG WAY. As a new grad, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by what you should and shouldn’t do. Here is some reassurance: there is no single formula for getting hired. What impresses one hiring manager may not resonate with another. Some companies expect a cover letter, while others do not. Hiring practices vary across the industry, so stop searching for the one perfect approach. It does not exist. However, there are clear things you should avoid. Typos and grammatical errors signal carelessness and can cost you the role. Additionally, showing up late or low-energy to an interview sets the wrong tone immediately. As Steve MacIntyre, VP of People and Culture at Fine Choice Foods, puts it, “on time means ten minutes early”. These may seem like small details, but they matter. The good news is that these simple actions are within your control, and you do not need experience or education to get them right. YOUR RESUME IS BEING READ BETWEEN THE LINES When posting entry-level positions (or co-op positions for that matter), hiring managers already expect that those applying will have little to no experience. They are not looking for years of experience. Instead, they are looking for clues in your resume that show who you are, how you think, and what kind of employee you will become. That part-time job you had through school matters. The volunteer project you organized matters. The self-directed project you completed matters. Even a cooking Instagram post where you share your creations can matter. Olga Cenic, Hiring Manager at Voortman Bakery, looks for students with retail or fast-food experience who have shown small career progression in the company. To her, these roles demonstrate dedication and responsibility, which are traits that would be valuable for the food and beverage industry. Volunteer experience also gives her insight into your values and what you care about beyond the classroom. What about technical skills? Include them, but remember they are the baseline, not what sets you apart. If you and a classmate have the same education and no added experience, your resumes will look the same. That is why it is important to find ways, both inside and outside of school, to stand out. If your experience feels limited, group your resume by skills such as communication, leadership, and project management. Support each with a clear example and outcome. Hiring managers are not just looking at what you did. They are using your WHAT FOOD & BEVERAGE EMPLOYERS ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR IN NEW GRADS BY VERONICA HISLOP, MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST, FOODGRADS
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