Congratulations, you’re now a CFS!
Congratulations on becoming a CFS! Earning the CFS credential is an important personal and professional achievement
that also has the potential to help raise the visibility and global recognition of our profession. As a new CFS, you have a
unique opportunity to share this important achievement with others, and in doing so, increase their awareness of both
the importance and the value of the credential and the profession you serve.
We’d like to make it easier for you to communicate about your achievement to people within your own professional
community by making available to you the tools within this document.
Share your news…
Use e-mail to get the word out within your organization
Within your organization, there may be colleagues who are not aware of the CFS certification, its importance to the profession,
and the value it provides to your organization. You can help increase their understanding and possibly encourage others to
become interested in the CFS.
Send an e-mail to your HR team: Reach out to colleagues in your human resources department. There may be
opportunities to share your having earned the CFS through your company newsletter, at staff meetings, or through the
website or intranet. Whether in a corporate, university, or government setting, HR professionals are looking for internal staff
news and ways to recognize their achievement and commitment.
•
Take just a few minutes to share your personal goals and why you thought it was important to achieve your CFS. You can
use the following sample e-mail as a first step...
Dear [HR contact]:
I realize that you are occasionally in search of examples of ways in which [company name] employees are
demonstrating their commitment to both our organization and to their profession. I’m not sure if you were aware of it,
but I recently earned my Certified Food Scientist (CFS) credential through the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).
The CFS certification recognizes the applied scientific knowledge and skills of food scientists like me. It also serves
as a means for reinforcing the importance of continuing education to keep skills current, which I know is something
we take very seriously here at [company name]. There are a number of additional benefits to organizations that
choose to encourage their employees to become CFS certificants or that recruit specifically for those with a CFS
designation. If you’re interested in learning more about this, please feel free to contact me or visit
www.ift.org/certification.
I’m very pleased to be part of the distinguished group of Certified Food Scientists from 55 countries around the
world. It’s an important professional honor, and one for which I hope you will share my enthusiasm. I’d be happy to
talk with others who may be interested in the CFS program.
Please let me know if you have any questions that I can answer for you.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
For more information, go to ift.org or call +1.312.782.8424.
Celebrate achieving your CFS with others…
Take advantage of social media
This is your opportunity to celebrate your accomplishment and share the news with friends and colleagues. What
better way to do this than through social media channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Read on for helpful
tips and sample postings.
Proudly post the CFS logo
Click here to access the CFS digital logo and upload it to all your social media accounts. Don’t forget
to check the CFS Logo and Usage Guidelines document for general usage rules.
Enhance your professional profile
Update your profile:
• After you’re signed in to LinkedIn, click on Your Profile. Once you’re on the Profile page, update your
information below with your new “CFS” designation.
• Consider updating the following areas:
o Your Name: Add CFS after your Last Name (e.g. John Smith, Ph.D., CFS)
o Your Photo to include the CFS logo at the bottom, using free apps such as InstaFrame
o Your Experience and Education
o Your Certifications
o Your Honors & Awards
• Feel free to use the following in the “Description” field:
Long version: The Certified Food ScientistSM (CFS) credential is a global certification program that
recognizes the applied scientific knowledge and skills of food science professionals. CFS credential
holders must pass a rigorous exam that tests them on the core professional competencies of a food
scientist, and their ability to put that knowledge and skills into practice in a work
environment.
Short version: The Certified Food ScientistSM (CFS) credential focuses on the practical knowledge
and current real-world skills necessary in today’s challenging food science profession.
For more information, go to ift.org or call +1.312.782.8424.
Share your information:
Whether you’re posting to your employers LinkedIn account or to your own personal LinkedIn profile,
here are a couple tips to get you through the process:
• Your LinkedIn account makes it easy to share links:
Sample LinkedIn posts to customize and use:
(We’ve made it easy for you to refer people to the IFT website for more information. Just copy and paste
the hyperlinks/URLs provided below.)
• I’m proud to have just received my Certified Food Scientist certification from the International Food
Science Certification Commission (IFSCC). I’m looking forward to many more years in food science.
Anyone who wants to check out the program should go to ift.org/certification!
• After [insert number] years in food science, I’m proud to be an official Certified Food Scientist. If
you’re interested in learning more about the program, go to ift.org/certification.
IFT also has a group on LinkedIn. If you aren’t already in it, please join and share information about the
CFS: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Institute-Food-Technologists-IFT-36409
Ask your organization to post your news on its LinkedIn Group:
Sample LinkedIn posts to customize and share with your employer:
• Congratulations to [Insert Name] on earning the Certified Food Scientist (CFS) certification. Much
like, [Insert Name], our organization is committed to keeping up-to-date on the latest science
knowledge, which ultimately benefits consumers. Learn more at ift.org/certification.
• Many of our staff have certifications in their areas of specialty. W e’re now proud to have a Certified
Food Scientist (CFS) on our team. Congratulations [Insert Name] for acquiring this new credential
and committing to lifelong learning. Learn more at ift.org/certification.
Update your social profile
Update your name:
• After you’re signed in to Facebook, click on
, then on “Account Settings.”
• Once you’re on the General Account Settings page, update your name by adding your new “CFS”
designation after your last name.
Update your status:
Whether you’re posting to your organizational Facebook account or to your own personal Facebook
profile, here are a few tips to help you through the process:
• Your Facebook status makes it easy to share your news:
For more information, go to ift.org or call +1.312.782.8424.
Sample Facebook posts to customize and post:
• I’m proud to have received my Certified Food Scientist certification from the International Food
Science Certification Commission (IFSCC). I’m looking forward to many more years in food science.
Anyone who wants to check out the program should go to ift.org/certification.
• After [insert number] years in food science, I’m proud to be an official Certified Food Scientist. If
you’re interested in learning more about the program, go to ift.org/certification.
Ask your organization to post your news on its Facebook Page:
Sample Facebook posts to customize and share with your employer:
• Congratulations to [Insert Name] on earning the Certified Food Scientist (CFS) certification. Learn
more at ift.org/certification.
• We’re proud to have a Certified Food Scientists (CFS) on our team. Congratulations, [Insert Name],
on this accomplishment. Learn more about the CFS at ift.org/certification.
IFT has its own Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/IFTfoodscience. Please feel free to share
views on the CFS program and your experiences as a CFS certificant.
Tweet about it
Update your profile:
• After you’re signed in to Twitter, click on your Profile. Once you’re on the Profile page, update your
information below with your new “CFS” designation.
• Consider updating the following areas:
o Your Job Title
o Your Bio
For more information, go to ift.org/certification or call +1.312.782.8424.
Share your good news:
• If you have a Twitter account, feel free to tweet about your certification accomplishment (remember to
keep your tweets under 140 characters). Sample Tweets:
• Proud to receive my Certified Food Scientist certification from @IFT. Looking forward to many
more years in #foodscience! http://bit.ly/128jKBh
• I’m a Certified Food Scientist…are you? @IFT #foodscience
• After [insert number] years in #foodscience, I’m proud to be an official Certified Food Scientist by
@IFT http://bit.ly/128jKBh
Additional tips:
• Be sure to follow @IFT
• If you are linking to a webpage, use www.bitly.com to shorten your website links so they don’t take up
as many characters. Just copy and paste the link you’d like to share, press “Shorten,” and you’re
done!
Questions? Need Help Spreading the Word?
We want to help you spread the word of your accomplishment! If you have any other questions
about getting the word out about your CFS credential through social media or other channels, please
contact Stephanie Callahan, Media Relations Specialist, at +1.312.604.0273 or scallahan@ift.org, or
Mindy W einstein, Director of Media Relations, at +1.312.604.0231 or mweinstein@ift.org
Or, Connect Us with Your Communications Team
If you have an internal communications contact who we may reach to help them draft messages to
announce your accomplishment for your company newsletter, website, press release, social media posts,
etc., please let us know and we would be more than happy to work with them directly on any
communications about your accomplishment.
Q&A: More information about the CFS
Q: How many other Certified Food Scientists are there to date?
A: There are more than 1,600 and counting…Certified Food Scientists from 55 countries across the world.
Q: What are the eligibility requirements to become a CFS?
A: Food professionals have a wide variety of backgrounds. Since the CFS exam tests applied food science
knowledge, candidates may need to have up to six years of work experience before they can take the exam. Please
refer to http://www.ift.org/certification/forcandidates/eligibility.aspx to view the full eligibility requirements.
Q: When and where is the exam being held?
A: The CFS exam is a computer-based test that you may take at any of Pearson Vue’s (our test partner)
5,000 testing centers across the world. The exam is offered during designated testing cycles. For a list of
upcoming testing dates and to search for testing centers near you, please visit
http://www.ift.org/certification/forcandidates/application-and-testing.aspx
Q: Where should CSF applicants, and others interested, go to get answers to CFS-related
questions?
A: All questions about the CFS should be directed to ifscc@ift.org.
For more information, go to ift.org/certification or call +1.312.782.8424.