Industry
Outlook for Chefs Jobs
The employment future for
chefs jobs and food preparation workers is expected to be extremely
healthy throughout the next decade or more.
Salary levels for persons
employed in the field of food preparation highly depends on:
- Location
- Employer
- Training / Qualifications
Exclusive restaurants, hotels, resorts and cruise ships tend to pay
much higher wages than smaller establishments.
Depending on the employer, a person engaged in a cooking related occupation may work part time or may work more than one job at a time.
The work of chefs and food
preparation workers may be stressful if they need
to meet rigorous standards set by an employer or clientele. Most people
in the industry typically work evenings as well as weekends and
holidays. This occupation can be hazardous
due to cuts and burns related to kitchen accidents.
Employment
Prospects for Chefs Jobs
Employment prospects are
extremely varied for this industry and can be found in a number of
places such as:
- Exclusive restaurants
- Hotels
- Resorts
- Cruise ships
- Casual dining restaurants
- Private households
- Hospitals
Of the nearly 3 million chef
and food preparation related jobs, almost thirty percent are directly
related to simple food preparation jobs. Chefs and head
cooks comprise approximately four percent of those
jobs and only about 8,000 individuals are employed in private
households.
Persons engaged in food
preparation may specialize in such areas as:
- Baked goods
- Vegetable cook
- Grill cook
- Fry cook
Job Search for
Chefs Jobs
Individuals who are looking
for employment in the field of culinary arts
can find job openings through a number of manners. Persons who attend a
culinary arts school will find that their training program is often
able to help them with placement after graduation.
More elite
positions can be found through networking as well
as through working with an employment and recruitment agency. Food
preparation positions, which do not require as much training and
experience, can often be found through help wanted notices and postings
in classified newspapers.
Resumes for
Chefs Jobs
A chronological, combination
or functional resume may be
appropriate; depending on the job duties for job which the applicant is
applying. For more elite positions that require a greater amount of
experience and training, a chronological or combination resume would
work best. Positions that do not require a requisite amount of
experience or training will do fine with a functional or combination
resume.
Cover Letters
for Chefs Jobs
The cover letter used to apply
for chef and food preparation worker positions should focus on the job
seeker’s commitment to customer service
and back-up their resume in terms of education and experience.
Training and
Qualifications for Chefs Jobs
The amount of training and
qualification required for this industry is greatly dependent upon the
job duties and specifications of the employer.
At a minimum, for food
preparation workers, a high school diploma
is required. More advanced positions will require a greater amount of
formal training, such as graduation from an accredited culinary arts
school.
Following graduation from
such a school, it is not uncommon, for individuals to receive further
on the job training through apprenticeship programs.
Culinary arts program may last
anywhere from a few months to four years in length.
There is room for advancement
within this industry for individuals who are willing to obtain the
necessary training and experience. Chefs may work their way up to a
head chef position and supervise a number of junior chefs. An
individual may start out as an assistant or line chef
and eventually learn their way around all the various cooking stations.
Executive and head chefs
generally are able to take on greater responsibility and take part in
menu planning or even have the opportunity to create their own dishes
and place them on the menu.
In a small number of cases,
chefs may be featured on televised cooking instruction programs and
produce their own line of food products.
Very successful chefs may also
open their own restaurants.
In addition, excellent chefs
often achieve a clientele following
and are able to command larger salaries and generate competition among
employers for their services.
Good luck in your search
for chefs jobs!