WorkWise Q&A: Foods, online

FOODS

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, My job is a bit specialized; so I’m not really sure where to look. I have great experience with farmers, producers, restaurants and schools, local foods and helping to enhance revenue for these groups. I even wrote a few booklets. I’m in a nonprofit now, but nonprofits dealing with farmers and agriculture are few and far between.

Online has too many other jobs, work-at-home schemes and generalized jobs for all over the country. I have been networking within a great woman's group and have had some interviews. I also sent out feelers to directors of organizations similar to my current job. I have a short time line to find something ... six months or less. Routes

A: Dear Routes, You need to expand your search, because you mentioned in your full e-mail that you don’t want to move.

Everything you’ve done relates to foods. Find manufacturers and producers. Look for wholesalers, distributors and brokers. Find restaurant equipment companies. Find companies selling to the hospitality industry. Who’s manufacturing technology for the industry?

Look through the Yellow Pages, Switchboard.com or Anywho.com in your area for more categories. Go to the library to read journals for ideas and ads that tell you about advertisers for foods and for hospitality. mlc

ONLINE

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, I find that mainstream sites are pretty much useless. Most of what I see there are sales jobs and training offers. The competition for the legitimate positions is keen – hundreds of applicants. Some large companies list jobs for their databases.

I’ve found that certain legitimate niche job sites work, the ones without spam. This week I’ll be going on two interviews for jobs that I found on one.

I’ve applied for more than 300 jobs in the last 18 months. The resume and cover letter I had weren’t doing the job; so getting assistance helped. I don’t think it a coincidence that, less than a month after I made those changes, I received two calls for interviews on the same day. Mark

A: Dear Mark, People do, indeed, get good jobs by applying online. A good resume and cover letter are essential wherever you apply. The sad truth about job hunting is that you have to try everything. The venues span reputable sites targeted to your industry and/or occupation, newspaper ads, references who provide leads, an ever-growing stream of contacts and network-building, a check-in with headhunters. While contacts work the best, some people get jobs other ways. mlc

Dr. Mildred L. Culp welcomes your questions at culp@workwise.net. © 2011 Passage Media.