Working with a Recruiter or Talking with Myself

Yesterday I got a call from a recruiter who was seeking help for a friend in the wine business. This recruiter has been recruiting in a separate technical field for the last 20 years. When her friend returned from an international stint she started to think about how he could find a job in the wine industry. Talking to her on the phone yesterday was a breath of fresh air, and a bit like talking to myself. I noticed some great traits that transfer well to job hunting.

1. Leave a message with the reason for calling, your phone number, and repeat the information. Yes, I've written about it before, but there is an art to leaving a good phone message. Always give your name and reason for the call. Let the person know when you are calling. Then leave your phone number, and if necessary a good time to reach you. Then repeat your name and number. With the wide-spread use of cell phones, bluetooths and call waiting, it isn't unusual for a blank spot to hit right when you are leaving those final digits of your phone number. It might seem trivial, but your phone number is very important to get right if you expect a return call.

2. Be responsive when you get a call back. When you get your message returned, appreciate the call. My contact let me know she was doing some research on WineTalent and explained why she had reached out to me.

3. Be prepared to explain your situation. My recruiter was calling on behalf of a friend, and she quickly caught me up to speed on her search. If you are calling to find out how to work with a recruiter, let them know that. If you are following up on a resume submitted, let them know...etc. A few things that are worth mentioning is if you were referred by a colleague, if you are currently working but looking for a new position, or if you were just laid off. Make your case with the recruiter, concisely.

4. Ask for advice if you want it. Being in the recruitment business, this woman and I look at resumes constantly. She wanted to find out if wine industry resumes were different from other industry resumes, and we discussed it. If you have a burning question or need advice, now is the time to ask. Recruiters are in the business because we love helping people advance their careers. We know what works, and are happy to talk about it. Just ask.

5. Plan next steps. This could be sending a resume, setting up a call for later to discuss options further, or getting references to your recruiter. Make sure you know what your recruiter is looking for, and do it.

6. Schedule a time. This is when I knew I was dealing with a professional. When I advised my contact to have her friend get in touch with me, she scheduled a time with me that worked for both of us. Recruiters are experts at this--nailing down a time when a client and a candidate can interview is crucial to moving the process forward. By doing a "presumptive close" me on a time, I knew when I would be talking to her friend, I was sure to make myself available then. This helps avoid a long game of phone tag. I cannot stress enough how important and helpful this is--try it.

7. Follow up. Nothing can get accomplished if you don't follow through with your side of the equation. If you said you would send a resume, do it. If you are gathering names of references, get those sent along as soon as possible. Success has always come to people I know who are masters of following up on things--myself included.

8. Keep it personal and professional. When I was talking to my fellow recruiter, we were both interested in each others' business while maintaining a professional demeanor. Job hunting and career advancement is a very personal matter. Recruiters understand that, and knowing a bit more about you helps. While we want to know what makes you "tick", you need to make sure you present yourself in a professional light.

9. Network. Yes, I got the call from this recruiter because she had been talking to her friends about her friend's job search. This is networking 101 and crucial to a job search.

Just looked at my watch and it is time for that call that she booked. Gotta Go.

Unified Wine and Grape Symposium: Follow-up

The whirlwind of the Unified Wine and Grape Symposium is over now, and I'm catching up with lots of new contacts and old friends. The State of the Industry meeting was informative. As I mentioned, the economic downturn was reflected in forecasts for 2008. The wine industry has been expanding in the last several years, and things have been very positive for wineries. Sales have increased, price points have risen, new wineries have been opening up, and corporations have continued with their acquisitions.

One of the telling indicators was the data from restaurant sales. One of the best performers in restaurant sales has been Cabernet Sauvignon, often at high price points. The presenter mentioned that one of the reasons is that these wines are bought often by bankers and other executives during business meals on their expense accounts. As the economy, and specifically banking, is hit, those dinners will be curtailed by both the individual and the companies footing the expense check. There was caution expressed about sales going forward--so the wine industry is understanding that consumers may have less money to spend on special occassions, higher prices luxury items and related purchases. But consumers are buying wine in the US like never before, and younger people, namely the "millenials" are buying lots of wine.

Trends in wine drinking are reflecting the health benefit findings from 2007 of compounds in red wine. Red Wine consumptions has continued to increase. Wine drinkers are also becoming more willing to try new varietals, with lighter red wines seeing more sales, as well as different varietals including Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio seeing big increases in restaurant purchases.

Pinot Noir is still the biggest winner in the varietal category. Merlot and blush wines are still the ugly stepchildren of the wine world. Surprisingly, as long as you are a Rose wine and not a blush wine, things look rosy for you. So those of use who like a good pink wine can drink it knowing it's still cool!

The falling dollar has also had an effect on wine sales of imports. Spain and Italy have done very well marketing to US consumers, reflected in their increased sales figures.

Although everyone is screaming recession in the popular media, indicators show continued consumer spending in wine. So smart wineries should be able to take the Unified data and make educated decisions to continue strong wine sales.

Wet Dog and Cat Pee: An Innocent Palate Lost

A few years ago I swore off Chardonnay and discovered the joys of Sauvignon Blanc. Many enjoyable evenings were spent outside sipping the fruity, lively wine.

Then one day I was interviewing a man who had put his winery's Sauvignon Blanc on the map. I of course mentioned how I thought it was an underappreciated wine. With his great success with it, he aggreed, and felt more people would be drinking it over Chardonnay. And then he mentioned that he didn't agree that the varietal frequently had a cat pee aroma. What?

This was quickly followed by my signing up for a wine tasting class, where we were taught the characteristics of various wines. The cat pee issue wasn't brought up when we got to the Sauvignon Blanc--hmmm. So I went to my favorite wine shop after class and asked my tasting teacher to give me a bottle that had the cat piss aroma. The lovely New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs had been one of my favorites (and still is incidentally). I took it home and under "perfect conditions" tasted it. Low and behold, the wiff of cat pee was there. What I had always just thought of as a smell of the wine, had a characteristic odor.

So, going over my aroma wheel and looking at some of the defects, I came across mousy and wet dog--both smells I long to forget but come across on a regular basis with smelly gym socks and a large, water-loving Labrador Retriever. Can you smell these odors in run of the mill wine--or simply in cheap bottles of wine? Soon I learned that these smells are common in wine. I went to a high-end industry wine tasting and after tasting an unpleasant Pinot Noir, pulled my wine expert to the side and slyly asked her what she smelled in the glass. "Wet dog" was her immediate response. Ah-ha--it was there.

Ignorance is bliss--and sometimes very helpful when you are a social wine drinker. Once your palate gets exposed to all of these flavors and odors, you can never go back to casually tasting wine. So dear wine enthusiast, take heed before you try to find out all there is to smell and taste in that glass of wine--it is both good and bad.

But surprisingly, I keep right on trying new wines--and fall in love with several of them.

Becoming a Wine Expert

Last night I went to a local charity wine auction hosted by family friends. It was a fun event and was for a very good cause. I am quite curious to find out the amount of donations the charity received. It was a fun night of wine tasting and food pairings, and some good natured bidding.

Working in the wine industry has caused me to be the neighborhood wine expert. Friends pull up to arrange children's play dates, and end up having me inspect their recent Costco wine purchase. At the wine dinner, friends had fun following me around the silent auction and asking why I liked the wines I bid on. And I recently found out one neighbor stops by specifically for the "free wine tastings".

Okay, I do read a lot about wine. Everyday I look at my top wine blogs, and frequently comment. I blog about careers in the wine industry. I visit new wineries and meet industry people weekly. I'm talking to winemakers, salespeople, owners and managers on a daily basis. I go to wine tastings. I've completed a wine tasting class. I have made friends with my wine merchants. I tag along with real experts at wine industry special events.

But does this make me a self-anointed wine expert?

Although I know my way around a wine label and can hold up in a wine sensory analysis, I am by no means a wine expert. I can talk about wine, know a lot about different wineries and types of wine, and know what trends are coming in wine. But wine is still a mystery to me. I feel that winemaking is an art, and I enjoy seeing what a winery has done with the fruit they had available. The mystery of wine is part of it's allure to me and I think to most wine lovers.

And soon I hope to see what mystery my winning bid wine has in store for me. First I have to buy a wine fridge to keep it in good shape until I can have the mystery unfold. That wine auction is turning out to be very expensive after all.