At last month’s Women in Food Safety meet-up, industry veteran Jill Hoffman took the mic and brought with her something rare: candor, clarity, and 23 years of hard-won experience in food manufacturing. Her message wasn’t sugar-coated, and it wasn’t filled with empty mantras. It was the kind of career advice that sticks, the kind you wish someone had told you on day one.

1. Be Resourceful

Nobody hands you all the answers in this industry, or in life. Jill learned this the hard way when FSMA regulations were first released. Instead of waiting for a company memo or a training session, she took it upon herself to dive into trade groups, study the material, and figure it out. That kind of initiative made her the go-to FSMA expert in her organization.

One of our members chimed in during the session to mention that she prefers to hire “thinking workers.” Translation: people who problem-solve and learn new things without waiting for direction.

2. Build Your Own Reputation

Merit is non-transferable. Coasting on someone else’s success may get you in the door, but it won’t keep you there. “At the end of the day, your work has to speak for itself,” Jill said. “The house built on someone else’s name crumbles quickly.”

3. Understand the Line Between Confidence and Arrogance

Being visible and being boastful are not the same. You don’t have to broadcast your greatness, but you do have to show up and speak up. Jill encouraged women to stop allowing imposter syndrome to take over, and start owning their accomplishments with humility.

“If you’re good, people will know,” she said. “But don’t let that stop you from sharing the wins you’ve earned.”

4. HR is Not Your Therapist

This one hits hard but needs to be said. HR is there to protect the company. They weren’t hired to be your emotional safety net. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t speak up when something’s wrong, but temper your expectations. Know what HR’s actual job is, and act accordingly.

5. Mean Girls Don’t Retire After High School

Toxic behavior doesn’t magically disappear in the workplace. Grown-up versions of Regina George could very well walk the floor of your facility. It’s unfortunate but not entirely shocking that women in male-dominated industries often feel it from both sides. The important thing is to not play into the Cady Haron role in this scenario. Stay professional, be kind, and, most importantly, don’t let their behavior shake your confidence.

6. Fair or Not, You’re Judged on Appearance

Like it or not, women are judged differently based on how they look or what they wear. The age-old advice to “dress for the job you want” holds even more weight for women in this field. Jill’s message: Show up polished, not to impress others, but because perception still plays a role in opportunity. Dress the part, then be the part.

7. Respect People’s Time

Being busy is no excuse for being unprofessional. If you’re out of the office, say so and don’t forget to set your automatic replies. If you can’t make it to a meeting you’ve been invited to, decline it with context. Avoid the ‘reply all’ button unless it’s necessary to keep all of your colleagues in the loop. These basics in business communication show respect, and in a fast-paced field like food safety, they separate the pros from the amateurs.

8. Rejection = Redirection

Jill shared two rejections that changed her life: one from a sorority in college, and one from a women’s leadership group years into her career. Both hurt—at first. But the outcomes led her to places she never would’ve reached otherwise.

“Rejection isn’t personal,” she said. “It’s a pivot point.”

Instead of spiraling and questioning your self-worth, ask: Where is this redirecting me?

More often than not, the answer is better than where you were headed.

9. Listening Is a Superpower

In a field full of talkers and problem-solvers, listening is underrated. Active listening involves really hearing someone, not just preparing your response. By harnessing listening as a true superpower, you’ll not only earn respect, but you’ll make better decisions.

Speak when it adds value. Listen like it matters…because it does.

10. Let Them

Say you’re in a conference room brainstorming approaches for improving food safety for your next product launch. You’ve been sitting on an idea that you’ve been wanting to bring to your boss’s attention. After explaining your idea, the room goes silent until one of your colleagues suggests another idea that’s very well received, sweeping your idea gets swept under the rug. Instead of sulking and feeling like a failure, try applying the ‘Let Them Theory,’ created by bestselling author Mel Robbins. If your colleagues want to go with another idea that isn’t yours, let them.

Jill emphasized that trying to change people is futile. It’s impossible to control what other people think, say, or do. Instead, focus on what you can control: your standards, your response, your boundaries. Don’t let others make you feel less than.

11. Giving Back is Good for Your Soul (and Brain)

Volunteerism leads to a higher level of satisfaction, according to a BMC Public Health study. Jill credits volunteering with changing the trajectory of her life. After that sorority rejection, she joined a service fraternity, and giving back became a core element of her identity. For teens, it’s an antidote to toxic comparison online. For professionals, it’s a reminder that we’re more than our job titles.

12. Stop Trying to Make Everyone Like You

You don’t need to win everyone over. As author Dave Ramsey says, “Stop spending money you don’t have to buy things you don’t need to impress people you don’t like.” The same goes for emotional energy. Not everyone will like you. That’s fine. Do your job. Be kind. But stop performing for approval that doesn’t matter.

Jill didn’t sugarcoat the realities of being a woman in food safety, or any career path, but she also didn’t play the victim. Her career is proof that grit, curiosity, and professionalism still matter, and that showing up as yourself, unapologetically and consistently, is the best strategy of all.

So whether you’re navigating your first role or you’re the only woman at the leadership table, consider these tips not just advice, but survival tools. Use them wisely and share them with your female colleagues in an effort to build them up and be a cheerleader, not a ‘mean girl.’

And when in doubt? Be the resource.

Editors Note: The Food Safety Consortium and Food Safety Tech supports WIFS and for five years has published a dedicated Women In Food Safety column.