Bill van Steenis ⋅ Holland, MI Prosource executive search, inc ⋅ 25 years experience

Julianna, you want to get good information on income before you pursue a culinary education. It's not like the food channel, the hours are very long and the comp is not that great. I'd food is your passion then go for it but know that there are other ways to make a living in hospitality. Ferris State a University in Big Rapids Michigan has an excellent hospitality school. My niece graduated from there in 2012 and joined the Ritz Carlton Corporation. She has been promoted three times in a year. My best advice is be enthusiastic in every interview and strive to under promise and over deliver in every instance. This is an area where you can have a great career as long as you have good interpersonal skills and you have a servant mindset. There are only so many entertainment dollars to go around so you need to work for a quality company and deliver outstanding personal service. Make sure your resume does NOT have the word objective anywhere on the document. I have resume formats available at www.indemandpeople.com, click on about, scroll down to resources and you will find resume formats you can download

Abie Chong ⋅ Mc Lean, VA Hilton ⋅ 35 years experience

Hello Juliana. I recently joined ACP Advisornet so please forgive my response nearly a year after your post. Hilton Worldwide is dedicated to supporting American military veterans and their families. Through our Operation: Opportunity initiative, Hilton Worldwide has made a commitment to hire 10,000 veterans by the end of 2018, and over the past 18 months, over 4,200 military have joined our ranks in a wide range of positions throughout the U.S. We offer training and career advancement opportunities for those who intend to work hard, prove themselves and over time, acquire the needed operational experience and requisite skills for promotion within the ranks of the leading, global hospitality company. Additionally, two new military internship educational programs offered through Kendall College and the University of Phoenix are available to help veterans receive education and experience that can lead to a career in hospitality management with Hilton Worldwide. Contact me at MILITARY@HILTON.COM and we can discuss all this, as well as our new Military Leaders in Training program. --Warm Regards Abie

Bud Roberts ⋅ Pittsburgh, PA Ingersoll Rand ⋅ 40 years experience

I suggest you try Starbucks for experience both in your intended career and your resume. Plus they will often work around your class schedule. They hire Vets as does Marriott. Both exceptional companies to work for.

james klein ⋅ Little Elm, TX U.S. Coast Guard, Lieutenant Commander ⋅ 23 years served

Juliana in addition to LinkedIn you may want to look at the The Ladders or Glassdoor for job opportunities. Good luck.

Steve Carter ⋅ Mesa, AZ U.S. Marine Corps, Sergeant ⋅ 9 years served

There is a company in San Diego called R.W. Smith and Company, right across the street from Miramar Air Station. They service the hospitality, restaurant, resort industry. They provide hardware from small utensils to complete kitchen build-outs. This would be a good place to look for employment and they would have plenty of contacts for you. Look them up on google.

Juliana Kanelos ⋅ Murrieta, CA U.S. Marine Corps, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 9 years served

Thank you Bill. Yes I am well aware that a culinary education is not as easy as the food channel. This is why I am currently on my way to get my Bachelors in hospitality management and plan on transferring to Cal-Polytechnic, which is a great school for the hospitality industry. Thank you for the information on the resume downloads. I will look into those.

Chris Smith- Will do, I will look into him and maybe he can point some things out for me, thanks! I do love it here in Murrieta by the way :) Yes, this area is starting to get heavily populated now. Traffic is ridiculous.

Chris Smith ⋅ Crested Butte, CO MrExcel.com ⋅ 20 years experience

Juliana,

You might want to look up a guy named Craig Gagliardi in San Diego. He's now a realtor, but got his degree in Hospitality Management from UNLV, and his sister is the chef concierge at the Four Seasons Aviara, so he might be able to point you in some good directions.

I don't know if you know the guy who stands over the 15 near San Diego and waves an American flag on July 4th each year, but that's him (you'll find him on LinkedIn, but I'm not going to post his info publicly).

Side note: I worked for the PennySaver for 15 years (and restored the second oldest house in Murrieta with my wife), so it's nice to see someone from a familiar place.

Best of luck!

Smitty

Phil C. ⋅ Fort Worth, TX ⋅ 3 years experience

Juliana,

Make sure you reference your Linkedin website on your resume. This will help put you over the top. I think its the reason I didn't have to do an on-site interview and was basically hired after two phone conferences. If you have a veterans group at your school, that might be a way you can get some experience planning events. It would be worth putting on the resume, too.

Juliana Kanelos ⋅ Murrieta, CA U.S. Marine Corps, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 9 years served

Oh ok. That's great. Will do, thank you!

Tim Kane ⋅ Sun City, AZ U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 10 years served

Do not wait until "after the degree". My best advice is to contact resorts that are in your area and see if they are hiring...for ANYTHING. My best friend left the Army in 2003 and like you, he wanted to work in the hospitality industry. He started as a valet and is now the director of room operations at an up scale resort in Paradise Valley, AZ. He takes on 4 interns every semester...that's another option you may want to ask about.

Juliana Kanelos ⋅ Murrieta, CA U.S. Marine Corps, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 9 years served

I do not have a LinkedIn account actually. I will get one, thanks!

Specifically yet I guess I am not too sure yet. I enjoy anything in the hospitality industry such as the ideas you mentioned. Hotels/resorts/casinos, event planning venues and I definitely enjoy any culinary areas. I know I will have to work up to management level but what I would like to know is where do I go after the degree? I am also interested in any employment opportunities in this field while I attend college. Anything to get my foot in the door with the hospitality industry.

Kirk Singer ⋅ Livingston, TX U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Captain ⋅ 10 years served

give me a better idea of what specific are you are thinking about? hotels, food services, resorts?

Phil C. ⋅ Fort Worth, TX ⋅ 3 years experience

Juliana,

Do you have a Linkedin account? If not, I would recommend you get one and make it mirror what's on your resume. It's a very powerful networking tool and it's FREE. I would recommend you go to college, but you're good to go on that stuff.