Heading Up the Corporate Ladder? . . . Now Is Your Time!

The demand for employees skilled enough to oversee and manage workers is very high. Recruiters are constantly and aggressively looking for experienced talent.

Low unemployment and rapid job growth are just two of the factors that make TODAY a great time for professionals looking for promotions into management. In fact, recruiters say that their premier candidate is the middle manager, an experienced worker ready to head up the corporate ladder.

Top recruiters offer these five tips for people interested in moving into management:

1. Don’t quit. Stay employed while you search.

2. Register with just two recruiters to avoid looking desperate and having multiple resumes sent to a company.

3. Diversify your skills. Specialists in the latest technologies get noticed.

4. Make sure resume is up to speed. It must be oriented toward management.

5. If you’re out of work, consider getting an advanced college degree.

It’d interesting to note that when recruiters seek out top executives they focus on one or two candidates who meet the company’s specific needs. On the other hand, recruiters targeting middle managers collect and offer pools of talent that meet a company’s general purposes.

So, if this sounds like a good time to make your move, take the time to get prepared.

The first step is to study and list all the strengths, capabilities and assets you’ve acquired over the years. Do not rely exclusively on your work history to prepare this list.

You come away from your work life with talents and useful experiences that go way beyond what’s typically contained in your resume. And, frankly, it’s these workstyle qualities and values that employers appreciate more than a boring presentation of what you used to do for someone else.

The good news if there’s an exciting job change system that can help you manage this important career move. It can show you how to land a high-paying management job in as little as two weeks!

Article Source: http://www.articlesauce.com

Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: “How To Lock Up A High-Paying Job In 14 Days (Or Less)!” Click on RSS. www.fastest-job-search.com

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Five Quick Steps to Becoming a Bartender

While it may seem too easy, the key to finding a bartender job is to focus your search and redouble your efforts. Getting a bartending job has often been shrouded in mystery but it really can be achieved in just 5 easy steps. Follow this outline and you will get a bartending job in no time.
You should focus your job search to places where you would hang out even if you didn’t work there. This will insure that your personality is a match to the establishment and provide some good motivation during your search. Working in a place where you would like to hang out is a great thing and will make you a better bartender.
You will need to write resume for your bartending job search. And not just any resume. The resume should be written exclusively for your bartending job search. Irrelevant details like a mastery of powerpoint presentation will do you no good here. Include only skills that a relevant to bartending. Skills like customer service, money management, conflict resolution and sales are essential to being a good bartender. A good bartending resume will include all of these skills even if you weren’t bartending when you got them.
You should always write a cover letter to go with your resume, even for just a bartending job. Many candidates will not go this extra mile so you separate yourself from the crowd simply by having a cover letter. This letter should be good of course, but the mere act of having one will gain you recognition. A good cover letter should show the reader how you handled a tough situation or how you grew at one of your previous jobs. Be as specific as possible, tell a story if you want to. Its alright to put your personality on display a little bit in your cover letter. Have fun with it and tell a good story. An engaged reader is a hiring reader.
A laborious but completely necessary step is pounding the pavement. You will need to contact the managers of the places on your target list and probably show up at these places in order to do so. Restaurant and bar managers are very busy people. Employees, customers and vendors are all battling for their time. It would be wise to show up during the bar’s slow hours. For a typical restaurant or bar this would be between 2pm and 5pm. The afternoons are usually a slow time where a manager will be able to speak to you.
If you are going to get a bartending job you are going to need to master a bartending job interview. Job interviews are enough to make anyone’s palms a little sweaty and a bartending job interview is no different. You have to fight through that nervousness and put your personality on display. Service jobs are about having a great attitude and personable personality, everything can be taught. Without going out on the limb a little bit you will not get a bartending job.
I hope these tips have illuminated the bartending job search process for you. It really isn’t nearly as difficult or mysterious as bartenders make it out to be. If you develop a plan, show initiative and persistence, and maintain a positive attitude you will easily get a bartending job. I wish you luck o your search. Happy Hunting.

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Mad tv – job interview.

A manager must deal with an insane, prospective employee who constantly plays the race card to justify her actions. ~One of my favs!!…

Different Generations Boost Quality Executive Coaching!

You want your organization to function as a team. Executive coaching can help. Senior employees’ understanding of generational differences among members of the team can significantly upgrade productivity and motivation.

Different age groups within your operation can bring different benefits and skills to the table. Managing those distinctions can make a huge difference. Tapping the natural, inherent qualities and capabilities of each age group can turn executive coaching into powerful addition to your overall management objectives.

So what are these natural age groups and what makes them tick?

Among your workforce there are typically four groups:

1. Veterans–61 years old and up. To them work comes first. They’re dedicated and can be counted on to follow the rules.

2. Baby Boomers–42 to 60 years old. They’re optimistic. They tend to be political at work. But they value teamwork.

3. Generation X–24 to 42 years old. Work is just a job to this generation. They’re self-reliant and seek immediate feedback.

4. Generation Y–6 to 23 years old. They’re highly multi-tasking. They’ll have multiple careers and are globally oriented.

Put them all in the same room together and you have an amazing stew of talent and perspective which must be harnessed and encouraged in any intelligent executive coaching program.

Cindy Krischer, in Knight Ridder Newspapers, tells about the value of understanding each generation and the contribution it can make. She reports that Alicia Bain, vice president of information systems for Visa International in Miami, says that managers must understand what motivates each generation.

For example, Blain practices informal reverse mentoring as part of an executive coaching effort and taps her GenY workers when she wants to improve on how she finds and book venues for group events. “They always have a faster, better way of getting the information,” she says.

Astute executive coaching utilizing generational differences is just one of the alternative career advancement that a job-seeker can bring to the table that will capture the attention and interest of a decision-maker.

Hiring decision-makers are not interested in what you used to do for someone else. They want you to come forward with a proposal for addressing their needs and the needs of their organization. The extra time you spend researching those needs and preparing for a face-to-face meeting far outweigh whatever time you think you need to spend on your resume.

Executive coaching using generational distinctions will get you noticed. Just like the many other innovative non-traditional career advancement strategies!

Article Source: http://www.articlesauce.com

Paul Megan writes for EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and non-traditional career advancement strategies . . . since 1985. Grab our stunning FREE REPORT: “How To Find A Job In As Little As 14 Days!” Click on RSS for instant info! www.fastest-job-search.com

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4 Steps to Increase Your Confidence During Job Interviews

So, you have finally moved beyond the prescreening phase and have landed the job interview! Your resume set the stage to get you in the door, and now here is your chance to ice the cake. The interview, as you are well aware, is what will either move you towards completion of your goal – or it will be the last step in a lengthy series of steps you have already undertaken. Question: how can you succeed within the interview?

Assuming that you have appropriately prepared yourself for the interview, then the interview should be easy. However, despite all of the preparation, even the best falter when sitting down face to face with a hiring manager or human resources staff. It is one thing to outline who you are on a piece of paper (the resume), it is something else to actually explain who you are in person and face-to-face with another person. The one question most of us dread having to answer is: “Tell me about yourself.” Do they want to know where you previously worked..or where you were born? I mean, there are just so many ways to go with that unbelievably dreaded question. Here is a quick tip: the “tell me about yourself question” is simply asking you to “tell me why you are sitting here, today, interviewing for this specific job?” That is it, nothing more.

So, what are the 4 steps to succeed within a job interview? The best career advice, as it relates to job interviews, career development, etc., is one that encourages the candidate to creatively customize the steps. So the following steps below apply regardless if you are seeking a position as an educator or a computer programmer, a manager or a salesclerk. The most important thing to remember is that every interviewer has a particular goal in mind. If you use these 4 steps, then you are likely to cover all the bases.

The four steps specifically deal with how you manage your response to the interviewer’s questions. Did you catch the word “manage” as it was used in the previous sentence? Yes, I am talking about how you manage the process – - take control of the interview – -. So, when the interviewer asks you a question (i.e., tell me how you handle an angry customer) here are the four steps, as promised:

1) Provide a brief description of the situation: “One of my customers was unhappy with our XYZ widgets.”

2) Add some detail to describe the specific task or role you were assigned to deal with the situation: “I was responsible for dealing directly with our department’s major clients and so, I was charged with turning the situation around for this unhappy customer.”

3) Provide one or two key action steps you took to handle the situation: “I contacted the customer directly and requested feedback. I authorized a refund or future discounts to this particular customer.”

4) As a RESULT of your action steps, what happened? “As a result of the refund and discount, the customer increased their orders by 25%.”

The four steps may be interchangeable – - you describe step 4 (the results) prior to step 1 (the situation), however, the key is to be able to list specific results that were gained. Most importantly, the results have to be tied directly to your action steps. Interviewers are looking for RESULTS, not just generalities (”I think I would make a good employee for your company”; or worse yet, “I am good with clients because I enjoy relating to others.”). They need hard facts, verifiable data. And you are the most qualified candidate who is prepared to give it to them.

A bit of caution: please do not create a script to memorize these 4 steps. Ok, if it makes you feel comfortable, and better prepared, then you can write specific responses to the typical interview questions and follow the 4 steps above. Review it, then throw the script away. What is important is that you remember the 4 steps and can apply them to your own career success stories.

The best type of job interview is one that unfolds into a content-rich discussion of how your specific qualifications match the needs of the company. It is important for the interviewer to be able to see how you fit within the company environment and culture. Of course, one interview may not provide all of this detail – - but you want to give yourself a good head start. Succeeding within the interview requires extensive preparation, an understanding of how to tailor your capabilities within the scope of the company’s needs, and your ability to provide details related to how you can provide desired results as a future employee.

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Fool Me Once, Shame on You; Fool Me Twice, I’m an Idiot

I got a call earlier today from Robert, a candidate I met a few months ago while conducting a search for a Vice President of Marketing in South Florida. “A recruiter out of L.A. called me about a Director of Marketing position and I have a phone interview scheduled this afternoon with their Human Resources Manager,” he said. “The recruiter told me to be prepared to discuss my work history because she’ll want to go over it with a fine tooth comb. How should I address the fact that I’ve changed jobs several times over past few years, because I know it’s going to come up.”

Looking at Robert’s resume, he has worked in 5 different positions (and companies) since 1998, which not be that bad were he averaging 2 years at each position. But, alas, the last 5 years goes something like this: 6 months at his most recent position, preceded by 3 years of independent consulting, and before that a 1 year and 3 year stint. Not exactly a model of stability.

Depending on how this HR Manager views self-employment, the 3 years he spent working for himself could be viewed as a positive or a negative. The fact that he only lasted 6 months at the position he accepted immediately after working for himself is definitely an obstacle he’ll need to explain away. The first thing any good recruiter or hiring manager worth their salt should ask themselves when they see this on his resume is, “Is this a guy that got comfortable making his own hours while answering to no one, and then balked as soon as he was thrown back into a structured environment?”

Having gotten the low down on the situation from Robert, I do not believe that was the case. I think the company’s president, to whom Robert reported, had an unrealistic expectations as to what Robert alone could accomplish. However, Robert definitely shares in the responsibility. He did a poor job of determining whether or not the appropriate resources required to accomplish the goals of the position would be made available to him. He made false assumptions as to the capabilities of the individuals that would be reporting to him as well as the level of flexibility he would have to either outsource specific tasks or hire additional personnel.

“And that’s exactly what I would tell the HR Manager or anyone who asks,” I advised him.

Employers have very specific (and generally high!) expectations of the positions they hire for, and unless you’ve got a work history that jumps up off the resume and kisses them on the mouth they’re going to question some of the career decisions you’ve made. Get used to it.

Let’s say a hiring manager’s expectation is to bring a candidate on board, wind them up and let them perform in a particular role for at least 5 years. If the last 10 years of your work history is comprised of multiple 18 to 24 month tours of duty, then you’re going to have to come up with a helluva good story as to why you think you’ll be with their company for the long haul.

Why do we study history? So we’re not doomed to repeat it!

For those of you that feel your most recent work history might be your Achilles’ heel when it comes to interviewing is, my advice is:

1. Take responsibility for bad career decisions.

I get tired of hearing: “I was misled!” or “The job was misrepresented to me!” Were you lied to? Or did you misrepresent your capabilities? I mean, come on, even if the hiring manager blatantly lied directly to your face regarding every single facet of the position, there would be some signs that you were being conned. If you think a sales manager is exaggerating the amount of money you can make in commissions, ask to speak with a couple of their reps regarding the position, then ask them a couple questions “off the record.” It’s called due diligence and it’s your responsibility.

2. Quit blaming other people for your failures or lack of judgment.

“I just didn’t have the team in place to support our goals,” does not get you off the hook. If you’re applying for a management position, ask to meet some of the employees that will be working under you before accepting the position. Find out what flexibility you’ll have when it comes to hiring, firing, outsourcing, etc. After all, it’s your job to manage the team and make the right personnel decisions in order to meet your responsibilities. And if you plan on discussing how diabolical the office politics were at your last job during the interview, you might also want to plan on bursting into tears for dramatic effect. You might as well–you’re not getting the job anyway.

3. Convince them you have learned your lesson(s).

Hey, we all make mistakes. I guarantee you the same HR manager that’s grilling you on why you left some joe-job 10 years ago has a couple of 6-month jaunts in her closet as well. Sometimes we take a job simply because we need a job. No, it’s not a strategy for long-term career success, but it keeps the lights on and the mortgage man at bay for a while. Employers just want to know that you’re not going to bide your time on their job until you find the one your really want, or that you’re taking the position because you’re desperate for money.

It’s important that you recognize and understand why certain job decisions were mistakes and what you could have done differently, either by qualifying the position further or by not taking it in the first place. Show them that you are going to do your due diligence when it comes to their position and then most importantly, DO IT!

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Jumpstarting Your Career In The Restaurant Industry

Studies on the United States’ restaurant and food services sector have shown that the industry is one of the fastest growing, with the number of food managers touted to rise by around 45,000 annually starting the year 2014.

In fact, data from the National Restaurant Association attest to the fact that plenty of job opportunities are available for people both from within and outside the industry. It is for this reason that more and more people are getting interested and increasing their investment on restaurant and food services training and education.

What the Industry is About

The foodservice and restaurant sector covers areas such as catering, casual family diners, fine dining, chef-owned bistros, resorts and casinos, motels and hotels, cruise ships, fast food chains, theme parks, schools, company cafeterias, hospitals and just about wherever the preparation and selling of foodstuff is present.

To date, there are about twelve million jobs in this sector alone. It is one of the most widespread because food is a basic necessity. That’s why many entrepreneurs say you can never go wrong when you enter the food business. Food services exist in every city, state and country, from the most metropolitan of environments to the most quait and far-flung locations. Due to such, employment opportunities in the restaurant industry is always high.

A career in the restaurant and foodservices industry does not mean simply asking the customer if he wants a side of coleslaw to go with his chicken. It is more than that. You will also have to hone your people skills in order to properly interact with the customer, as well as practice stellar hygiene and good grooming. A restaurant that does not demand so from its employees is no good.

In fact, even without the restaurant owner telling you how to conduct yourself on the job, it is your personal responsibility to make sure that customers all satisfied, happy and very much keen on coming back.

What Sort of Training Do You Need?

Most hole in the wall restaurants start from scratch. That is, without the formal education and training to set up and operate such a business. Some of the older and pioneering institutions began from owners’ very own kitchens, without so much as a bachelor’s degree to their names and, still, their restaurants continue to grow and thrive with the times.

However, the industry is growing at around 12% each year and the demands of the customer are getting more and more cosmopolitan. While zero training can be offset by pure dedication and interest in the restaurant and foodservices business, there also are strong arguments in favor of acquiring the right education and formal training needed for the job.

Education is useful given the changing times. With globalization at an all-time high, it is important for those engaged in the food business to keep themselves up to date and knowledgeable with the latest trends. With travel and communications booming at an alarming rate, the restaurant sector has the responsibility to move with it.

Most restaurants provdie in-house training for their personnel, in order for them to more easily advance to supervisory and managerial positions. Hence, it is not unusual for a former dishwasher or table service crew member to be the boss over a period of time. And though a number of food service staff are promoted to higher posts, the job opportunities for those with formal training, whether via an associate or bachelor’s degree, in institutional food service and restaurant management are greater. It will be easier to climb up the ladder if you combine education with solid on-the-job experience.

Why Formal Education is Important

Employment in the food industry is considered a profession. Before, those who simply had ample interest and experienced-based know-how and resources can enter the business. While this is still true today, most institutions prefer that you have a certificate to back your resume.

Programs related to the restaurant and food services sector include food technology, marketing, customer relations, human resources, finance and business management. Institutional food service facilities also provide courses on nutrition, sanitation, record keeping, understanding of policies and procedures, food preparation, reports preparation, and personnel management.

Such hospitality management programs usually run for two to four years, after which you get a diploma or a certification. The more credentials you have, the more you will be perceived of as a professional who is well-trained, highly skilled and motivated. Achieving these credentials only shows how serious you are at advancing the industry and growing with your chosen career.

Thus, formal training is important because:

1. Having specialized qualifications entails that you’re entering the restaurant and food services industry with more than the basic necessary skills to professionally advance

2. Specialized training shows prospective employers that you are motivated enough and have an ample level of maturity to move around such a high-pressure and fast-paced environment

3. People who graduate from hospitality-related programs and courses have turned out to be the ones who do better in their careers, whether they have actually entered the restaurant industry or not, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Studies

4. Highly-skilled staff and those with formal restaurant training will be in high demand because jobs in full-service restaurants are expected to rise at a huge rate compared to other food services units.

Conducting Yourself on the Job

People working in the food services industry are not robots. Their job is not just to take directions and follow t hem to the letter. They must be able to make decisions themselves and have the initiative to address certain issues. A lot of restaurant operators take note of your personal qualities, for instance, problem-solving skills and attention to detail, before they decide if they want you to be part of their team or not. Grooming is also crucial.

A lot of these qualities you will learn while you’re receiving formal training. While traits like leadership and initiative are ingrained, the right way of handling operations and customers if often not found if you just go it alone and rely on your instincts. Opportunities in the restaurant world will continue to rise as the industry grows in conjunction with the population, leisure times and personal incomes.

Whether you’re eyeing a job at a small restaurant or a fine dining place, the amount of dedication you give out should be the same. It is inevitable that you’ll start at the rank and file level, as you will need the experience to gain solid footing in all possible restaurant duties. Coupled with a degree, it won’t be surprise if you find yourself at one of the top positions in six to twelve months’ time. When this happens, relish the moment. You definitely deserve it.

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Freelance writer for over eleven years. Restaurant Uniform Restaurant Linens Uniform Scrubs

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5 Tips When Searching For A Job Online

Online job searches had absolutely revolutionized the usual process of job application and hiring employees. The accessibility of using computer software to create printable and ultra handy resumes that can instantly be downloaded as an email attachment has made the process more convenient to pursue.

With online job searches, job applicants or jobseekers do not have to undergo the tedious job of printing and dispatching numerous resumes to several companies through the dreaded snail mail.

The problem with most jobseekers is that they tend to overlook job searches online. Most people say that online job searches are full of fraudulent activities and scams. Hence, these people fail to notice their benefits.

Even if the Internet is a known reproduction area for scammers and unscrupulous individuals, it is not right to assume that jobs posted in the Internet are not worth the jobseekers time and effort. In reality, it really pays to seek and search online jobs because this will facilitate the possibility of getting hired as soon as possible.

But then again, with the countless cases of frauds such as phishing, email scams, and identity theft, it is still hard to trust every job searches you make online. Whats more, many people are worried about the growing number of job offers sent through mail. Most of them may seem too justifiable and genuine to have doubts, but then, you will never know what they are up to.

That is why, it is very important to learn the right techniques and apply them when searching for a job online. These things may not offer you first- hand protection but they can definitely guide you in looking for the best work you can get online.

Here is how –

1. Optimize your searches

Todays information technology is all about keywords and key phrases. Every bit of information is easily accessed online using keywords.

These keywords refer to words that people use whenever they use search engines. These keywords are the ones embedded within the article or the advertisement. Keywords help search engine spiders locate them faster and more accurate.

So if you want to search for a specific type of job, it is best to narrow down your search in a more specific terminology.

For instance, searching for managerial jobs may consume time and effort without reaching your specific targets. Of course, if you will try to narrow your search to a more detailed and explicit keyword such as account manager or warehouse manager, your chosen search engine will be able to generate more functional leads.

2. Seek online forums and online newspapers

If you are fond of looking for jobs through the classified sections of your favorite newspaper, it is still important that you try to find work through the news, magazines, and online newspapers. Make the most of job listings and online job fairs. Participate in online forums where the topic is all about job searches.

The point here is that the more you can maximize online job searching activities, the more chances you have in landing a job. Focusing on one online job listing or job banks will only condense your online job searches.

3. Be wary of instant email job invitations

Have you ever realized that even emails that contain job invitations are also prone to frauds and scams? If you have not yet, then it means you have been a victim of spasm and frauds.

These kinds of spam do not offer jobs in the first place. They just use such propaganda to lure people to submit personal information such as name, address, or even social security numbers. When this happens, frauds or identity theft may take place.

So the next time you receive a cold- contact email from a stranger, it would be better to confirm and verify its authenticity by visiting its website. Conduct a thorough investigation of the matter. Verify the contact information of the company.

Best of all, never click on the provided link in the email. Spammers use special codes embedded in the link that will generate adequate information about your IP address or anything that will generate your personal information. These things will only be used in unscrupulous intentions.

4. Go for quality

Just because it is so easy to search online jobs means you can drop off your resumes to almost all websites listed in the job listing. Keep in mind that it is still better to send a few resumes on sites that require specific skills that precisely match your abilities than to hoard every job you see online.

5. Keep track of the sites you have visited and submitted your resumes

You will never know when the employer might contact you. Hence, it is unethical to keep on guessing the exact position that you have applied in a particular company.

The Internet can absolutely help you in finding the job you have long been dreaming of as long as you know how to maximize its potential. Just try to take note of these practical tips when searching for online jobs and you will surely end up with your dream job.

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All About Becoming a Sous Chef

A sous chef is a ranking on the chef hierarchy just below an executive chef or chef of cuisine. The word “sous” is French for “under”, related to the word “sub” in English; so a sous chef is second-in-command after the executive chef. The sous chef is directly in charge of kitchen production. Because the executive chef’s responsibilities require spending a great deal of time at a desk, the sous chef takes command of the actual production and the immediate supervision of the kitchen staff and the meals that it prepares.

The career

Aspiring chefs will do well to understand the broad area food service covers. Hospitals, corporate contract, schools, hotels, senior environments, catering, airlines, and many more. Many students might enter this field with the feeling of having to sacrifice all that they love for a job as a chef; the reality is that you can specialize in an industry and also find a wide variety of flexible schedules and options.

Because the food service industry tends to promote from within, expect to start “on the ground floor” in the company, and never stop striving for a better pay or more responsibility. Post-grad career services at your culinary school will be an excellent resource, so you should use that to your advantage. Tell them what you are looking for and they’ll find you the work!

The average salaried Chef is generally paid about $30,000/year. The pay may not be as high as it would be in a restaurant, but your quality of life is above and beyond that of a hotel chef. At the top of this field, you can be expected to hit a peak at about $45,000/year. Just remember, in food service the more responsibility you are willing to take on, the more you should get in return.

An “externship” is when a student works for free in the area which they want to work after graduation, working for the experience and the education. An unpaid externship is very significant in finding a high quality job. Recently cable channel TV has devoted shows to the topic of aspiring chefs, and “Apprentice” style contests are held. Getting a spot on these shows at a young age almost guarantees a successful career.

Education

Education is the most powerful asset in the chef career; although you meet plenty of Chefs who have “worked their way up from the bottom”, there is a distinct advantage in the school-trained chef as well as in keeping your education going. During school you are exposed to many different food styles, including international cooking, new techniques, and nutritional ways of cooking. You might also pick up a Specialized Associates Degree in Culinary Arts, or become certified as a Safe Food Handler. The “Safe Food Handler” certification is something more culinary schools are offering, and is increasing becoming a must-have on your resume. Food safety has been getting a lot of attention in the press.

You should never put a cap on the amount of education or certifications that you wish to achieve. Never stop striving to be better. After starting your career you might go for a Chef Exchange Program, a Masterworks Series, the District Chef, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), and more.

The best-known schools that are held in highest regard include the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales University, and the New England Culinary Institute. But do not think that it is the name of the school that graduates successful students and prospective chefs. It has a lot to do with the quality of the teachers, their communication abilities and how energetic and passionate the students are. It feels good to say that you graduated from a “marque” or famous culinary school, but at the end of the day, it’s all about what you got out of the school that counts.

Being an executive chef is only one avenue which you can take. You can always learn it all, and then decide on a specialty or area to focus on.

Some industry trends

The more energetic you are, and the better you are at expressing it, the more valuable you will be in the industry. Not is it only about skill, but if you cannot speak and satisfy both the customers and your employees, you will not get far. Leadership skills come into play the higher you climb. Thankfully, the industry tends to promote from within, so there’s no “90 day wonder” managers brought in. A good leader in the kitchen is one who has been “in the trenches”, because the kitchen staff will have more respect for someone who knows the job from the ground up.

As for today’s food market, think healthy. People are trying more and more to eat healthier with various fads such as the no-carbs craze coming and going. The challenge is to come up with menus that are balanced, healthy, and tasty all at the same time. Borrow heavily from cooking methods all over the world. In today’s age of instant information, diners are always wanting to try an exciting new recipe or cultural food that they’re hearing about.

Speaking of information, Internet and computer technology have greatly increased the available resources for chefs. The more computer literate you are, the easier your job becomes. Computers have made it very easy to create new menus, even daily menus and have them look very professional without them having cost a fortune or having to be sent out and specially printed. Most questions that you have can be answered within a few minutes with the use of the Internet. There are websites with vast archives of recipes, food articles, cooking discussion groups, and specialty forums for chefs.

Gone are the days when you worked in a cultural vacuum. Trends spread quickly through the world wide web, and you’ll have a fun time keeping up because it always gives you a new technique to try. The worldwide communication network allows chefs to share ideas and pool their resources; through it you have the opportunity to rub elbows with the finest in your industry.

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Does A College Education Help When You Have To Find A Job?

It is the age old question about going to college or not. Will an associate degree or business administration degree help a student find a job? Working backwards from the successful job interview, what does a student have to do to become not just employable but in demand?

The typical cycle from high school-to college-to employment goes something like this:

1. Pick and attend a college where they have programs that are of interest to the student
2. Spend two, four, or more years at college learning the theory of the area of the student’s interest
3. Pick up some part time work along the way—most likely unrelated to the intended career path
4. Prepare a resume
5. Apply for a position
6. If you “make the cut” you will first interview with Human Resources (HR)
7. If you make the “short list” from HR, you get to interview with the manager you potentially will work with
8. Hopefully get the position

Step six is the major hurdle to overcome. It could be said that the purpose of the HR department is to reject resumes. That’s right—rejects them before the manager even gets to talk to you. So what can you do to get to the interview stage?

In short, you have to have the qualifications and experience that the employer organization is looking for. HR is sifting through resumes for education and experience that fit the position you are competing for. If you miss out, you start all over which can be very frustrating to say the least. You could have been the perfect fit for the company but never got past the preliminary HR sorting process.

Students and their parents, who are funding the college education, should look at this from a different viewpoint. Start with what employers need and want, not what might be fun or interesting at college for the student. It is certainly not going to be fun getting a degree that no one is hiring for.

What would work is “Career Education.” In other words, get a college education that is also career education. While it might be difficult for a high school graduate to know precisely his/her career path, however that should not preclude going down the road of making oneself very employable by the time he/she graduates. If someone wants to be a computer programmer, then he/she had better show up at the interview with real knowledge and experience of programming.

A solution is to find a college that offers both career education as well as practical experience in the form of internships or apprenticeships. A career education could be defined as an education where the student can proficiently apply what they learned in class. That is what employers are looking for—employees who can be productive from day one.

Call 888-812-4224 to tour the Hubbard College of Administration for a briefing on your associate degree and apprenticeships options which will make you much more employable when you graduate.

About Hubbard College of Administration

Hubbard College of Administration is a business career college located in Los Angeles, California. The school offers self-paced programs and utilizes a comprehensive study technology, apprenticeships, internships, assistance with job placement and a lifetime guarantee for students. Their degree programs offer excellent career training and step-by-step guidance so that when a student completes their program, he or she will have chosen a satisfying and successful career.

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