Wine Industry Career Series: Resume Makeover

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By Karen Wetzel, WSET L3, NVWE, AWE
December 9th, 2020

Is your resume in desperate need of a makeover? Is the word “wine” even mentioned? Does it tell a prospective employer what you bring to the table, or does it read more like a laundry list of your life’s work?

Your resume should be more than a historic timeline of past positions and old skills. It’s a reflection of you, an insight into who you are and what relevant qualifications you hold. Don’t make a prospective employer dig through endless bullet points to find a few nuggets that are valuable to the job they are trying to fill. Tell them upfront why you’re the right person for the job.

To get started, find multiple listings for the wine job you want. (Check out our resource for tips on the best ways to conduct a job search). Once you have a few job posts to work with, compile a list of common responsibilities and qualification requirements so you have a clear picture of what most employers need and want in a candidate.

Then, think about the things you’ve previously done that check each box and write a simple, one-page, easy to read resume that spotlights these attributes. List them in order of importance or relevance to the job you want, not necessarily chronologically. Even without wine experience, you will be surprised to find that many of your skills match those of the jobs you want. Try condensing past jobs, focusing on skills that are relevant to the job you want, not the job you had. Tie this all together in an eye-catching format. Check out a few free resume-building sites such as Resume Build and Resume Now to help modernize your resume so it gets noticed.

Next, showcase your wine chops by grouping your “Wine Credentials,” “Special Skills,” or “Other Experiences.” When it comes to wine jobs these categories can be extremely valuable. Finally, tweak, adjust, or in some cases, rewrite a new resume for every job you want. Each job is slightly different, and the extra effort is worth it.

It’s a new year ahead with endless opportunities. So, out with old, in with the new. Give your resume a much-needed makeover and find the wine job of your dreams.

We hope you’re enjoying our Wine Industry Career Coaching Series. Our next article will point out quick ways to gain new skills that will make your resume more wine-centric. Until then, check out our most popular courses at Napa Valley Wine Academy.

For personal, one-on-one career coaching visit us at www.napavalleywineacademy.com to schedule a session with one of our experienced mentors. To book a session with Karen Wetzel directly click here.

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.