In the summertime four years ago I was planning my escape from corporate America. Being a member of the re-engineering team for my old employer, I saw firsthand what direction the company was going in. At a meeting in the summer of 2004 my colleagues and I were given a financial analysis of our business centers, and told that the majority of our business was not desirable going forward. I remember reviewing my data, and feeling nauseous. Much of the business I had built over the last 9 years was deemed unfit. These were clients I had brought in to the company and developed a great relationship with. I just couldn't see how I was going to go to my clients and tell them that I was no longer going to work with them. And in my mind, most of the business was solid and highly desirable.
For years I had dreamt of being a headhunter in the wine industry. My old boss could even see the glimmer in my eye, and told me to wait awhile. So once he left and the company quickly went downhill, I knew the time was right. I started to plan my exit.
I left in the fall of 2004. Right as I was wrapping up my corporate life, the movie "Sideways" made its debut. This independent film stole the show. Not only did it make a great profit for the producers, it also brought attention to a previously underrated winemaking area. If this quirky friendship movie set in the quiet winemaking area of the Central Coast could do so well, the time must surely be perfect to start up my own winery recruitment company. So WineTalent became a reality.
As I started contacting my old friends in the business, I also spoke to a lot of aspiring winemakers who were looking for a new position. Everyone wanted to get a position making Pinot in Paso. My positions in Napa and Sonoma just weren't as attractive as they had been a year earlier. So if people wanted a job in Santa Barbara, I had better get some positions down there. Calling on friends who had moved down there was helpful, but there just wasn't the same infrastructure in place down there as there was up in Northern California. Wineries were mostly small, and there wasn't much staff change going on.
Things have changed over the years. A couple of years ago my Sonoma openings were very easily filled. People didn't want to take positions in Napa due to the high cost of living there. This year I'm getting a lot more Central Coast positions, and have found that people are leaving their geographic preferences fairly open. Could this be a sign of the economy, the cost of housing, or the fickle tastes of the wine world? I am sure it's a bit of all three. So as a good service provider, I will continue to anticipate the needs of my clients and candidates, geographically, varietally and economically.
But I still think that "Sideways" was an omen. Wine has become the drink of choice of America, new winemaking areas are attractive, and business has been very good. What wine movie will come up to make and impact on WineTalent next? Hopefully I'm ready.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Managing Your Job Search
I've been working on several job orders, some that have filled quickly, and others that have been in the works for months now. I have been working with candidates who are experienced in the job search and those who aren't. Thinking about the job search from the candidates perspective, here are some things to do to keep you moving forward in the job search process.
-Get your resume in order
-Get your references picked out, contact them, and have their current contact information at the ready
-Send your resume to open positions and follow up with a phone call
-Contact recruiters and let them know you are looking for a new opening
-Start networking with your colleagues
-If you are in the process of being put up for a position by a recruiter, follow up with them every few days. The people who keep contacting me are more likely to be put up for additional positions
-When you get an offer, keep your recruiter involved. Your recruiter helps navigate the offer process, and can find out information for you so you can make an educated decision. If you have questions, ask--that's what we're here for.
-Of course, as the recruiter, we always want you to take the job--but make a decision that will further your career--not just get you out of a bad situation today
-Once you start your new job--keep in contact with your recruiter. We like to know how you are doing at the new employer--and enjoy keeping the relationship alive
-And of course--do a good job--the best way to get a good job next time too!
Gotta run, lots of phone calls to return from candidates who are checking in on the status of their job search
-Get your resume in order
-Get your references picked out, contact them, and have their current contact information at the ready
-Send your resume to open positions and follow up with a phone call
-Contact recruiters and let them know you are looking for a new opening
-Start networking with your colleagues
-If you are in the process of being put up for a position by a recruiter, follow up with them every few days. The people who keep contacting me are more likely to be put up for additional positions
-When you get an offer, keep your recruiter involved. Your recruiter helps navigate the offer process, and can find out information for you so you can make an educated decision. If you have questions, ask--that's what we're here for.
-Of course, as the recruiter, we always want you to take the job--but make a decision that will further your career--not just get you out of a bad situation today
-Once you start your new job--keep in contact with your recruiter. We like to know how you are doing at the new employer--and enjoy keeping the relationship alive
-And of course--do a good job--the best way to get a good job next time too!
Gotta run, lots of phone calls to return from candidates who are checking in on the status of their job search
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Winemaker: Dream Job?
I've decided I have information overload. I was thinking about a survey I read recently, and for my readers I wanted to quote the source. After scouring my usual list of reading, I can't find it anywhere--so here goes a completely unsubstantiated post!
Recently I read that winemaker ranks second to movie producer as a dream job. This surprised me--but not completely. Although I can't talk about life as a movie producer, I know enough winemakers to have insight into their job. I think winemakers have similar joys and hassles that the rest of us have. First of all, winemaking can be a very physical position. At the winery you can be dragging hoses, shoveling out tanks, sanitizing the cellar and moving barrels, often times in very chilly conditions. I always joke that winemakers have a uniform: Fleece pullover, polo shirt, jeans and sturdy work shoes--with rubber boots when needed. Not everyone would like to be hauling heavy stuff around a cold cellar day in and day out.
Then there are the marketing requirements for many winemakers. "Meet the Winemaker" dinners, wine tasting events, winery dinners and tours. Often times winemakers want to make the wine, not go on the road to meet and greet their customers. Every winemaker is different, and some love the marketing side of the job, but there are many who don't, and have to be cajoled into going on the road. Eating wonderful meals at fancy restaurants would seem exciting, but after enough of them, you just want to get home and relax.
Along with these "complaints" there are the usual day to day hassles we all face. Technology upgrades don't go well, suppliers need to be paid, employees have issues, the winery owners are difficult, you have to head out to the vineyard in the rain and mud, and yes, possibly, the wine has gone bad.
The upside for many winemaker positions is getting to do something you really enjoy. Being involved in the transformation of grape juice into wine can be very magical. Carrying out all the steps and being able to put your art into the finished product can be very satisfying. Educating your palate by sampling wines from around the world is very important, and enjoyable. Heading out into the vineyard on a beautiful spring day or early summer morning can be a spiritual experience. These are all huge positives to the job.
So go ahead and dream. It can be fun and give you something to hope for. But although the grass may seem greener on the other side of the fence, or the wine better if you were able to make it, there could be some negatives to that dream job for you to consider.
Recently I read that winemaker ranks second to movie producer as a dream job. This surprised me--but not completely. Although I can't talk about life as a movie producer, I know enough winemakers to have insight into their job. I think winemakers have similar joys and hassles that the rest of us have. First of all, winemaking can be a very physical position. At the winery you can be dragging hoses, shoveling out tanks, sanitizing the cellar and moving barrels, often times in very chilly conditions. I always joke that winemakers have a uniform: Fleece pullover, polo shirt, jeans and sturdy work shoes--with rubber boots when needed. Not everyone would like to be hauling heavy stuff around a cold cellar day in and day out.
Then there are the marketing requirements for many winemakers. "Meet the Winemaker" dinners, wine tasting events, winery dinners and tours. Often times winemakers want to make the wine, not go on the road to meet and greet their customers. Every winemaker is different, and some love the marketing side of the job, but there are many who don't, and have to be cajoled into going on the road. Eating wonderful meals at fancy restaurants would seem exciting, but after enough of them, you just want to get home and relax.
Along with these "complaints" there are the usual day to day hassles we all face. Technology upgrades don't go well, suppliers need to be paid, employees have issues, the winery owners are difficult, you have to head out to the vineyard in the rain and mud, and yes, possibly, the wine has gone bad.
The upside for many winemaker positions is getting to do something you really enjoy. Being involved in the transformation of grape juice into wine can be very magical. Carrying out all the steps and being able to put your art into the finished product can be very satisfying. Educating your palate by sampling wines from around the world is very important, and enjoyable. Heading out into the vineyard on a beautiful spring day or early summer morning can be a spiritual experience. These are all huge positives to the job.
So go ahead and dream. It can be fun and give you something to hope for. But although the grass may seem greener on the other side of the fence, or the wine better if you were able to make it, there could be some negatives to that dream job for you to consider.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Call Your References Before Anyone Else Does
When I graduated from college I worked on campus in one of the labs. From all reports I did a good job. When I left the managing professor said I could always use him as a reference. Therefore, for years I listed his name on my reference list.
Years later I saw him speak at an industry conference, and said hello afterwards. He remembered me, and was happy to see me.
I wonder now if he did get calls by my potential employers. I probably listed him as one of my main references for up to six years after I left. During that time I'm sure he had a lot of interns go through his lab.
Now that I call references regularly, I can tell those who were recently contacted to give them a heads-up about a reference call. I can also tell those references who haven't heard anything about the candidate in years.
When you are listing references, always give them a call to let them know they may be getting a call. This allows them to be ready, and also to catch up with you on what you are doing. A prepared reference can think over what they remember, and many times give a more accurate account of your tenure with them. This in turn leads to a better reference for you.
Years later I saw him speak at an industry conference, and said hello afterwards. He remembered me, and was happy to see me.
I wonder now if he did get calls by my potential employers. I probably listed him as one of my main references for up to six years after I left. During that time I'm sure he had a lot of interns go through his lab.
Now that I call references regularly, I can tell those who were recently contacted to give them a heads-up about a reference call. I can also tell those references who haven't heard anything about the candidate in years.
When you are listing references, always give them a call to let them know they may be getting a call. This allows them to be ready, and also to catch up with you on what you are doing. A prepared reference can think over what they remember, and many times give a more accurate account of your tenure with them. This in turn leads to a better reference for you.
Monday, April 14, 2008
LinkedIn in the Wine Industry
After a quiet weekend I logged into my email this morning to several invitations on LinkedIn. If you are unfamiliar with LinkedIn it is a professional networking site. I have been using LinkedIn for the last year, and previously thought it was mostly for technology based colleagues. In the last few months, more wine contacts have been popping up on it, and I've signed up for the Wine & Spirits group.
LinkedIn is an online business networking site. You can create a free profile of yourself, your work experience, educational background and community involvement. Once you create your profile, you invite business associates to "link" to you. Through these links you can find mutual acquaintances and get introduced to people you might want to network with. You can also put in recommendations for your business partners and colleagues.
There is also a subsciption service they have where you can gain introduction to LinkedIn users and post jobs on the site. So far I haven't done that, but it very well might be a useful addition for my business.
Several job hunting articles have recently mentioned LinkedIn. I do encourage anyone to take a look at it, and create your profile on it. It can be a great calling card for you, and also may allow a hiring manager to get a better picture of you and the network you have.
LinkedIn is an online business networking site. You can create a free profile of yourself, your work experience, educational background and community involvement. Once you create your profile, you invite business associates to "link" to you. Through these links you can find mutual acquaintances and get introduced to people you might want to network with. You can also put in recommendations for your business partners and colleagues.
There is also a subsciption service they have where you can gain introduction to LinkedIn users and post jobs on the site. So far I haven't done that, but it very well might be a useful addition for my business.
Several job hunting articles have recently mentioned LinkedIn. I do encourage anyone to take a look at it, and create your profile on it. It can be a great calling card for you, and also may allow a hiring manager to get a better picture of you and the network you have.
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