Bay 12 Games Forum
Finally... => Life Advice => Topic started by: abculatter_2 on November 30, 2010, 09:17:03 pm
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I hate that sentence. So. Freaking. Much.
Somewhat recently, I've discovered how fun and easy it is to make food, and began realizing how great this would be as a career. Unfortunately, I've already chosen to major in Fine Arts for High School, and don't want to just fudge that since it's the only AP class I'm going to be able to take. Plus, it's always good to have a fall-back. However, I'd also like to get started on an apprenticeship/internship/employment/anything which may help me prepare for and achieve a culinary career before this year's done.
And every single program I find is either out-of-state, college, or has that freaking sentence attached to the requirements. On top of that, who's really to employ someone who hasn't even finished high-school yet, and has no prior culinary background what-so-ever?
This is really more a rant (a pathetically short one at that) caused by THAT F*CKING SENTENCE once again crushing my feeble hopes that I can finally stop searching for something to do with my life and actually start doing something, but if you can help me in any way find something please do so.
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Have you tried just looking for a job instead of an internship program per se? Also, your HS major means basically nothing, the arts aren't that great of a fallback, and the AP art exams are a bitch, unless you mean art history or something.
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Depending on what grade you're in I wouldn't worry too much about it.
As far as working goes, try working at a local restaurant or pizza place, if you can find one that does real restaurant food as well. You'll probably start as a dishwasher, but make sure you show them that you're interesting in being a cook. They'll likely train you a little bit in preparing simple foods like salads or poutines or pastas, and gradually let you cook more and more. You could be a short order cook in a couple months. Then you use this job as your "prior cooking experience".
Regarding needing to be a High School graduate: High School is going to be over sooner than you'll know. I found that in the last couple years of High School time seemed to be passing faster and faster. I would blink, and a week would pass, or so it seemed. Besides, once you're in post-secondary school, maybe you can take a culinary arts course or two.
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If you can't commit yourself to something as boringly linear and socially awful as High School, odds are you wouldn't last long in any kind of workforce anyway.
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our school had a restaurant program that would train you for a year in the culinary arts and then place you in a exceptional restaurant for your internship. i think you were guaranteed to enter Johnson And Wales if you finished the course. now colleges want the GED and diploma requirements because they want to make sure you can handle the workload, why do you care? are you failing?
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If you can't commit yourself to something as boringly linear and socially awful as High School, odds are you wouldn't last long in any kind of workforce anyway.
it sounds like he's in the middle of high school, not that he's dropped out.
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Indeed, wanting to gain practical experience while in highschool certainly doesn't show a lack of commitment or work ethic.
Mantisman makes a fair point, you can just take a crap job making pizza's or something while you're in highschool. It's experience at least vaguely related to your field, and a lot of employers appreciate seeing that sort of thing on a resume. Same goes for any job you can land in the kitchen of a real restaurant, even dishwashing. Highschools not that long and not that hard, it'll be over quick and you can move on to bigger and better things.
This probably isn't typically how it plays out, but my buddy took a two-year culinary arts course and got a snazzy hotel restaurant gig right out of the gate, and his only experience was 3 years at Boston Pizza.
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Talk to your guidance counselor, if your school can afford them. They often have means of connecting students with opportunities (which is a big reason for that sentence, as there are easier ways of hetting HS interns than advertising.) In fact, it's kind of their job.
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Talk to your guidance counselor, if your school can afford them. They often have means of connecting students with opportunities (which is a big reason for that sentence, as there are easier ways of hetting HS interns than advertising.) In fact, it's kind of their job.
My school's a big, and apparently pretty high-class school (I heard once that it's the third top high school in the entire United States), so we actually have... I think 4 or 5 guidance counselors, each with their own section of students based on their name's first letter and if they're in 9th or 10th, or in 11th or 12th grade. And yes, I've talked to mine, along with the culinary teacher and the secretary in a special college and career room we have. None of them had any thing related to what I was looking for, but the guidance counselor said she'll look around for me.
Also, for working at a local restaurant, I have no idea where to start. I'm sure there's an opportunity out there somewhere but the only way I know of how to look for it myself is a long, soul-destroying and hope-crushing process which I really, really don't want to do again... though I know I have too.
And the people who are saying High School is fast; maybe I don't want to join the workforce so quickly if this is what you consider fast.
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And the people who are saying High School is fast; maybe I don't want to join the workforce so quickly if this is what you consider fast.
In retrospect, it's fast. At the time, it's the longest thing in the world. It's a weird thing.
Also, for working at a local restaurant, I have no idea where to start. I'm sure there's an opportunity out there somewhere but the only way I know of how to look for it myself is a long, soul-destroying and hope-crushing process which I really, really don't want to do again... though I know I have too.
What, like...handing out resume's and stuff? Describing that as soul-destroying and hope-crushing is a little...dramatic. I need a little background here. Have you ever had a job before? Are you in your last year (sounds like it) of highschool?
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First of all, take a deep breath and relax. You're in highschool. You've got your entire life ahead of you. To be completely honest - what you do now is going to have almost no bearing on the rest of your life.
Sure, you want to show up, get decent grades, graduate, all that stuff. I'm not suggesting that you spend all day getting drunk because it won't matter.
But your choice of classes in highschool? Nobody cares. Your GPA in highschool? Nobody cares.
Hell, once you've had a job or two... Nobody even cares about what you did in college.
You think you want to get into culinary stuff? Fine. Go get a job. Apply around town. I wouldn't recommend anything like McDonald's as that's barely food, much less cooking... But I'm sure there's a family-owned restaurant or a little pizza shop or something like that. They probably won't let you start out cooking right away. You'll wash dishes for a while, maybe work your way up to peeling vegetables, eventually you might be doing some prep cooking. But it'll be experience, and it'll show that you've got an interest.
And the people who are saying High School is fast; maybe I don't want to join the workforce so quickly if this is what you consider fast.
I'm sure there's an opportunity out there somewhere but the only way I know of how to look for it myself is a long, soul-destroying and hope-crushing process which I really, really don't want to do again...
Oh, man, are you in for a rude awakening...
I know you don't want to hear it. I didn't want to hear it at the time, either. But seriously - enjoy it while you can.
Highschool is nothing.
It's only four years of your life. That goes by in a flash. My wife and I have been married for 8 years and it seems like the wedding was just yesterday. Time flies.
And it's likely that the only responsibility you really have is school. I remember that. Just having to wake up in the morning, go to class, do some homework, pass some tests... Maybe take out the trash or clean my room... Sure, at the time I thought I had it rough. These days I have more responsibility than that when I'm on vacation.
So... Yeah... Relax. You've got your whole life ahead of you. Do what looks interesting, what seems fun. Make some mistakes. Learn from them. Don't worry so much.
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I'm in my junior year of high school, and perhaps I was being a bit dramatic with the description. I've never had a job before, and it's rather intimidating when you have no idea what the hell you're supposed to do and have little if any support whatsoever.
Also, I'm 17, if I haven't already stated it.
Also also, I seem to keep getting the same advice over and over again... maybe I should stop making these threads, expecting someone to pull a magic employment-bunny out of their ass.
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I'm in my junior year of high school, and perhaps I was being a bit dramatic with the description. I've never had a job before, and it's rather intimidating when you have no idea what the hell you're supposed to do and have little if any support whatsoever.
Also, I'm 17, if I haven't already stated it.
Also also, I seem to keep getting the same advice over and over again... maybe I should stop making these threads, expecting someone to pull a magic employment-bunny out of their ass.
im 18 and without a job, my best course was getting back into school and get a degree.
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I don't know where you've been looking and seeing that sentence pop up, but if it's on a regular job posting then it's probably just there to weed out the drop-outs. Since you're not a drop out I'd take a chance and apply anyway. The only thing you're out is postage for the resume, or less if you email.
In my experience it's really easy getting a job. It's much harder than you'd think finding responsible people who show up for work sober most of the time. The hard part is getting a job you like that pays well, but if you want to work with food then I can guarantee that your first job will include neither good times nor good pay.
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Another suggestion for getting some cooking experience is in a supermarket; apply as a checkout chump and say during your interview that you'd also be happy to work in the Bakery/Deli/Whateverthefuck section.
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Kudos to the OP for thinking and planning ahead.
As far as the "you must have a high school degree" - job ad "requirements" are rarely set in stone. They're just trying to describe their ideal candidate and weed out undesirables.
What you really need to do is read between the lines. Why are they saying "must have high school degree?"
It may be that they only want people who have the mettle to complete high school. If you can demonstrate that you have decent grades (I mean, hell, you ARE taking an AP class) and are on TRACK to graduate, that may be enough.
If they're posting it because of some kind of union/industry/local laws and regulations, then you're shit out of luck, but at that point it's not their fault.
If it's that they want someone who can work 9-5, again, you're out of luck unless you can negotiate a weekend, evening deal.
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High school doesn't matter. Once you have some college or a job history, it just doesn't matter anymore.
At your age you probably won't find much better than a McJob, but thats okay. Everyone needs to start somewhere. Apply for a local pizza place, fast food place, or grocery store.
No one will hire a high school kid as anything but entry level at minimum wage. You have no practical experience and next to no work history. You're a n00b.
But everyone needs to start somewhere. :D You just need to be patient, work yourself up from the McJobs which will be the only places that will hire you at first.
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Also also, I seem to keep getting the same advice over and over again...
That's the #1 thing I've noticed about asking people for job advice. It's like they all subscribe to the same 'Unemployment Advice Monthly' or having a job connects them to a very unhelpful hive mind.
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Also also, I seem to keep getting the same advice over and over again...
That's the #1 thing I've noticed about asking people for job advice. It's like they all subscribe to the same 'Unemployment Advice Monthly' or having a job connects them to a very unhelpful hive mind.
The #1 thing I've noticed about people starting these "how do I get job?" threads is that it's like they all have this bizarre delusion that there's some secret technique that people who get jobs are withholding from them. In fact we do, and I am about to break all the rules, all of them, by sharing it with you:
Write out a resume. Get a counselor/teacher/parent/etc to make sure it's not crap. Use coach/teacher/etc as reference.
Print out a shit load of them.
Make a list of places you would be able to work, starting with the most desirable.
Go to as many places as you can on this list in one day. Apply everywhere, whether or not they require experience you don't have.
Go in, ask if they're hiring. If they say yes or I don't know, ask if you can talk to the manager. Chat for a few minutes and leave your resume. If they say no, ask if they'll take a resume anyway.
Repeat this process, at least weekly, working down the list.
Don't take it personally if they don't call you back.
Revisit the places at the top of your list, asking if they're hiring yet/if they've hired someone/etc.
BAM YOU'VE GOT A JOB VIOLA FLOURISH BOW
Basically, for most jobs you'd be looking at in highschool, all you need to do is prove you're reliable, personable, and hygienic. They can teach you the rest. If you've got those down you've just got to hand out a flurry of resumes. It actually is that simple.
Edit: Sorry abculatter for the tone. Euld set me off I guess. The advice is still valid.
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That's... perfect, actually.
Now I just need to do it. I'll see if I can polish up my resume (http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=71502.msg1747210#msg1747210) and I've already told my guidance councilor I'm looking for an internship/job. I'll just ask if she can review it and if I can use her as a reference.
Now if only I hadn't decided to start having a friend this weekend... I suppose there should be next week. Monday would do nicely.
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People lie to get what they want.
This is why a job ad will say "we want you to have a Bachelor's degree" when really they will take anyone with an Associate's. They know they will get underqualified people applying. So if they want someone with 2 years of college, they ask for someone with 4. That way, people with 2 years apply.
In many cases, I'd say most cases, the requirements have wiggle room. Be more impressive than they asked in some other way to make up for it. Mention the classes you took in High School. Mention extracurricular stuff. In the end, regardless of what they want, nobody is going to arrest you if you apply. Worst case scenario you get ignored. Try anyway. You'll eventually succeed.
Until then, if you want to get into culinary, train yourself. Don't let people cook for you, cook it yourself, but if they do cook you should watch what they do. Check out tutorials online. Library books and videos. Volunteer at a soup kitchen as a cook. Most people want to be the guy ladling out the soup and beaming at all the homeless people. Far fewer people are willing to be in the back cooking. Investigate interesting recipes. Write recipes. Write menus as if you had your own restaurant! Try to cook everything, it doesn't cut it to say "I'm not a cake person".
If you can do that, nobody is going to turn you away from a job in a kitchen because you don't have a high school diploma.