Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Cranky Recruiter: Must Have Wine Experience

Ok, back to work after battling the flu. Yes, hopped up on cold medicine, and maybe just a bit cranky because of it. But I've got something to say today, and it is about people who want to get into the wine industry and send me a resume with no applicable experience.

While I'm a big fan of people who want to make the change into the wine industry, I do preach that you need to get some knowledge behind you. How many of these posts tell you how to get experience, education, a network, etc. When you say you are a hard worker who is ready to take a pay cut to get into the winery world, great! But if I then read your resume and there is not one shred of wine information on it, it makes me read the next resume.

Crankiness aside, do look at your resume with an impartial eye. If you were an employer reading this resume, would it look like you were serious about making a move into the wine industry. If your resume came in along with several wine industry job seekers, why would they look at yours and not the others. I say you have two minutes to make your resume noticed--if that. If your resume leaves them wondering, it's going to be put to the bottom of the pile, if kept at all.

So, go get some wine education. Work in tasting rooms, retail shops, cellars, labs and restaurants. Marinate in the wine world, so to speak. Getting involved will get you knowledgeable about how things work, and about who is who in this biz. Which in turn will lead you to a better job.

They say you shouldn't operate heavy machinery when you are taking medications. Does that include a computer? Read this post quickly, it might come down soon when I'm feeling better.

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