Food and Beverage Jobs

Get things cooking with jobs in the food and beverage industry
By Shannon Tani Food and beverage careers are great for many people. This is an industry where people often can work their way to the top as they gain experience. While food and beverage jobs may be very physical, the work is usually steady.

There are many different types of jobs in the food and beverage industry, from wait staff to gourmet chefs. There are also managerial positions that do not have as much direct contact with food or customers.

If you are interested in a career in the food and beverage industry:

1. Attend culinary school if you are interested in food and beverage director jobs. This will prepare you from both a food preparation angle and a business angle.

2. Be willing to start at the bottom of food industry employment. Today's fry cook can become tomorrow's executive chef. People in the restaurant industry value experience and you simply need a foot in the door.

3. Don't job-hop. If you constantly change jobs, it will reflect badly on your resume. Additionally, restaurant owners talk with each other and you may get a bad reputation in your town.

Search the job boards to find a basic food and beverage job

If you're just starting out, it's always good to look at online job boards to find that first job. These boards are convenient because they allow you to search for jobs in every state.
Try:  Foodservice.com is an excellent resource for those looking for food and beverage industry employment. You can search for jobs or post your resume. Hcareers focuses on the entire hospitality industry, which includes the food and beverage industry. It is another great resource for jobs, especially if you are interested in working at gourmet hotel restaurants.

Use a headhunter to find executive food industry employment

Wait staff and fry cook jobs may be a dime a dozen, but if you need an executive chef positions, the options become more limited. By using a recruiter that specializes in the food and beverage industry, you can find jobs that are more suited to your skills.
Try:  Hospitality Executive specializes in placing high-end hospitality staff. They always have a number of positions that are ideal for an executive chef. If you live outside of California, you may want to check out HospitalityHR.com. They list a number of restaurant recruiters within each state.

Teach others to enter food and beverage industry careers

Food and beverage industry jobs aren't only in the restaurants. If you are a successful chef, you can take those skills to the classroom to teach younger students how to achieve the same success.
Try:  The Culinary Institute of America is one of the best schools for the culinary arts. If that's not right for you, CulinarySchools.com can lead you to other culinary schools throughout the world.

• Always look your best when applying for food and beverage industry jobs. Because people view these jobs as casual, some people make the mistake of not properly dressing for the interview. You should still wear a suit and carry a copy of your resume.