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Over 13 million people work in the food service industry. While that number has dipped since its height in 2015, food service still represents one of the easiest ways for part-time workers and career seekers alike to break into the workforce.

If you're thinking about picking up a food service job, no matter where you apply, you're going to need a good resume. A food service resume is similar to a standard resume but does have some nuances that you'll want to be aware of in order to stand out.

Our team walks you through what you should include in your resume and in which order those elements should appear.

86 percent of employers have said that cover letters are instrumental when it comes to picking potential interview candidates. That means that almost nine out of every ten jobs that you send your food service resume into without a cover letter will almost certainly reject you. Fortunately, cover letters are easy to create.

Just pull up a Word document and write three paragraphs or so that introduce who you are and quickly describe your interest in the foodservice industry. This letter should stay attached to the top of your resume when you submit it.

If your resume doesn't have your name, email address, home address and phone number on it, how is an employer going to contact you/verify that you live in the area?

Your basic contact information is one of the most important aspects of your resume so center it and include it at the very top of your page.

Depending on the gravity of the foodservice position you're applying for the importance of your education will vary.

For example, if you're applying to be an associate at a fast-food restaurant, listing your high school education will suffice. If you're applying to be a chef at a major restaurant, you'll want to list out degrees that you've gotten from respected culinary schools and the names of mentors that you've worked with if they're of note.

Keep your education section concise and relevant to the position that you're applying for.

The more relevant your work experience is on a food service resume, the more likely that you're going to get called into an interview. Always remember that employers only want to see four or five relevant positions on your resume.

List out each of your previous positions, when you worked those positions and outline your key responsibilities in each of those roles in one or two bullet-points.

For more guidance, there are free templates for resume builders that you can find online.

Have you worked with people in the foodservice industry that can attest to your expertise? If you haven't, do you have other non-family members in your life that can at least attest to your character if not to your culinary excellence?

Hopefully, you answered yes to one of those questions because every job in the foodservice industry is going to want to see at least two professional references at the bottom of your resume.

Make sure to include your reference's names, phone numbers, email addresses, and their job title.

A great food service resume will boost your chances of getting hired dramatically. Follow our tips above, do whatever you can to make your love of food or the company that you're applying for shine through in your resume's copy and you'll love the results that you get!

For more insight on all things cooking, check out more of the newest content on our blog!