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.
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.
In Case you Missed it — Other helpful articles from Karen Wetzel:
