Wine Industry Career Series: Jumpstart Your Wine Career Here

Wine Industry Career Series

Wine Industry Career Series: Jumpstart Your Wine Career Here

This series of articles is penned by longtime industry expert Karen Wetzel, exploring a wide variety of topics, industry insights, guidance, and tools to help you find your career in wine.

By Karen Wetzel, WSET 3, NVWE, AWE

At the Napa Valley Wine Academy, we are dedicated to educating you and feeding your passion for wine. To that end, we launched the Wine Industry Career Series.

Led by Karen Wetzel, an Instructor, Career Coach, and host of the Wine, Work & Passion podcast for the Napa Valley Wine Academy, Wetzel began her career in the wine industry several decades ago, starting out in restaurants, then becoming a sales consultant with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (SGWS). This ultimately led her to the education team at Constellation Brands before landing at The Napa Valley Wine Academy.

A note from Karen:

“I’m very excited to bring you this series, with a wide variety of topics, offering industry insights, guidance, and tools to help you enter our amazing field or grow in your current role.

“I remember my very first day as a wine rep in Cleveland, Ohio—yep, Cleveland, Ohio. It was training day, and I was sitting at a restaurant overlooking the river. I was with an experienced sales rep and his client, tasting wine that was under consideration for his new wine list. I couldn’t believe this was my new life. I thought I was dreaming. Well, I eventually woke up and discovered that working in the wine industry is not all swirling and sipping—it can be hard work and long hours—but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I often hear, ‘You have the best job—how do I get in on that?’ So, that’s the question we’re going to try to answer for you in this series. How to get in—and how to succeed.”

Working in the wine industry is more than just a job…it’s a lifestyle. It becomes a part of who you are and shapes your world as no other industry can. Once you’re in, you’re ALL in. Other job opportunities may come and go, but they don’t have the fringe benefits you’ll find here like wine dinners, travel, and, of course, WINE!

So many of you have trusted us with your wine education, and we are very appreciative. To return the favor and help you find your dream job, dive into our Career Series articles. Remember, Karen started as a sales trainee in Cleveland and that led her to a Wine Educator role in Napa Valley — she’s proof positive that, with enough determination, all things are possible.

What You Can Do Right Now to Jump-Start Your Career:

Follow @napavalleywineacademy on LinkedIn and keep watching for Career Series posts—chock full of information to help you find the right job, enhance your resume, and grow your career.

NOTE: The first article in our Wine Industry Career Series: “How to Start Your Job Search,” was published on Thursday, October 29, 2020. To see the series, simply head here and enter “wine industry career series” in the search by keyword section in the top left corner.

For personal, one-on-one coaching, visit our Expert Coaching page to schedule a session with one of our experienced mentors.

You can also book a session with me—Karen Wetzel—directly. Book Now.

Be sure to check back in for my next article in this career series, and never hesitate to reach out to myself, or any of our talented, expert staff here at Napa Valley Wine Academy.

Cheers!
Karen

The views expressed by the author are hers alone and may not reflect the views of the Napa Valley Wine Academy.

 

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WSET Certified Educator, Instructor

Karen Wetzel

Karen Wetzel is a highly regarded, experienced Wine & Spirits Industry professional and a well-credentialed Wine & Spirits Educator. With over 30 years in the industry, she has experience in most every aspect of the distribution and supply chain and her expertise can help you jump start or advance your career. Starting as a sales rep, Karen has held key positions within the distribution and supplier network including Category Manager, National Accounts Manager, Director of Sales and Director of Wine Education. She has helped countless others advance their careers through mentorships and best-in-class sales training courses. She has also developed wine & spirits education programs for employees, distributors and restaurant/retail trade partners with the goal of helping them thrive in our industry. Karen is a WSET Certified Educator, has her WSET Level 3 in Wine & Spirits and WSET Level 2 in Spirits and holds expert certifications for Napa Valley, Rioja and American wines from the Napa Valley Wine Academy. Today, Karen teaches at the Napa Valley Wine Academy. She also develops career development content and coaches Wine & Spirits Industry Professionals.