Executive recruiter Moira McGrath underscores the importance of crafting an effective résumé and offers guidance on how to do it.

As a recruiter, I have rewritten hundreds of résumés. Writing a résumé sounds easy until you start the process. Despite my years of experience, the toughest one I ever wrote was my own. When a women's group that I wanted to join required my résumé, I was stumped. I could write only half a page about myself and was lost after that. As a result, I withdrew my application out of embarrassment. So, how do you talk about yourself without sounding arrogant but presenting yourself in the best light?

The goal of your résumé is to get an interview. It does not need to be long; in fact, as a student, your résumé should be only one page. As a scientist with from three to 30 years of experience, it should be two, maybe three pages. Patents, presentations, and publications do not belong there and should be listed on a separate document that can be presented if and when requested.

First and foremost, start with a summary or an objective: a summary for those who have industry or academic experience or an objective if you are a student or someone who wants to change career direction.

If you have experience in industry or academia, your summary should outline that experience in a few sentences. The summary could start with something like this: "Results-driven food industry professional with 10-plus years of experience in innovation, renovation, and product development of cultured dairy products." The second sentence should be about your nontechnical abilities; you could list your excellent communication and/or leadership skills. Point out that you are a fast learner, that you are a multitasker, and anything else that could enhance your capabilities in the eyes of the interviewer.

If you are a student or want to change your career focus, your objective could start like this: "MS level scientist with a passion for new technologies seeking an entry-level research position in plant-based protein products." Or it might read like this: "Senior food scientist with 10 years of product development experience seeking a technical services or sales role." The objective's second sentence also sells your nontechnical skills as in the summary, and nothing sells better than passion. In either case, only two or three sentences are necessary. But those sentences -- which appear in the top one-third of the first page -- are critically important and always the first part of the résumé to be read. So sell yourself in those sentences.

The mistake that most people make is that they write as their job description defines them. The winning résumés are the ones that focus on accomplishments. For example, a quality manager could say, "Manage four technicians." Yes, this is part of the job requirements, but instead, how about saying, "Manage four QA technicians while chartering six food safety culture initiatives to incentivize and build food safety and quality awareness"? Did you implement policies and procedures? Which ones? As a result of your training of others, did your team pass audits that the team had failed in the past? These are the kinds of expectations that the hiring company might have.

Remember, the reader does not need to know your life story. Keep your personal information to yourself if it does not apply to your qualifications for the job. Your life away from work is your own. Do not let anyone judge you for qualities that do not apply to the position at hand.

In 2024, the food science job market tightened up. I am hopeful that will change this year. Whether you are happy in your current role or not, having a strong résumé is critical. If you are seeking a new job and are networking at various events, take your résumé with you and do not be shy about sharing it. In job markets, whether good or bad, networking is always the best way to find a new position. You never know who you might meet. They could be an influencer or a mentor who could lead you into a great position and further your career. Introduce yourself to people you do not know, or ask a friend or associate to make an introduction for you. Even if you are not currently seeking new employment, building your network is always advantageous. You never know when it might pay off in the future.

Based on more than 30 years of experience, I can assure you that these steps are the right ones to take control of your career. Be prepared. Plan ahead. And craft a résumé that will set you apart from other candidates.ft