Making a home brew resume...

[bball3414]

So I want to create a home brew resume to distribute to some local breweries to see if I can get any kind of job there. I dont care what it is, but I know I have found my passion in life.

My list of home brews is not that long yet... but it is quickly growing.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to set up a resume for it.

thanks!

 

[JNye]

Personally I would just show up and ask to help out, hopefully for pay. But if no one will pay you try to volunteer so they can see the skill. I would think mechanical skills would be very welcome at a brewery, so if you have those, pimp it.

 

[electrichead]

Being as you have only your homebrew knowledge, I would skip the resume unless they ask for one. Visit the breweries, meet the owners, managers, brewmasters. Get to know them. Bring your passion and arm yourself with good questions. Show them your willingness to learn.

Example:
I was working a dead end job a few years back and really wanted to pursue a career in automotive customization and fab. I had absolutely zero experience. After finding out what it would cost to send myself to a trade school,I decided to see if anyone would hire someone as green as me. Why pay for school when someone might pay you to learn right? I visited all the shops within a 90min commute that did the type of custom work I was into. I found one that wasn't actively hiring, but considered all applicants. They were actually happy I didn't have experience. Said that it was less bad habits they would have to break and they could teach me their way. I got the job. They paid me minimum wage at first(a huge pay cut for me at the time) but re-evaluated my progress frequently and soon the money was good.

Be polite, be confident, be inquisitive, and most of all be persistent.

 

[bball3414]

cool cool. thanks for the advice guys!

i think i will be sending out emails to all my local breweries.. I live in boston, so there definitely are plenty!
My problem would seem to be is that I work 9-5 and it seems thats what most brewery positions are. Would you think head brewers/other staff are there after 5 so I would be able to meet them?

 

[electrichead]

Give a call. Find out what their hours are and if/when they do tours. Depending on size and demand, some breweries operate long and off hours.

 

[Paramecium]

A lot of brewpubs brew early in the morning because they have to be done before the restaurant opens. I know one of the local brewpubs here, the brewer comes in at like 4 in the morning and is out by ten or so.

 

[JNye]

email is way to impersonal IMO, you have almost zero chance. I really think you need to be aggrressive for this type of job. Its much more difficult for them to say no in person. JMO.

 

[Yooper]

Working at a microbrewery will be mostly grunt labor- shoveling grain out of the MLT, and cleaning. Make sure any resume accentuates how much you LOVE cleaniing things, as that is what makes up 95% of brewing. Make sure you have tall rubber boots!

A typical day: Wash with an alkaline cleaner. Rinse. Wash with an acid cleaner. Rinse. Sanitize. Brew. Shovel out the MLT. Start the process over again.

 

[bball3414]

Yooper-- thanks for the heads up. I had heard that is mostly what comes with a newbie going into a microbrewery.
I dont mind the grunt work as long as i get to learn!

Do you think I should bring them any of my homebrews as a "resume"?

btw.. kudos to your packers tonight... should be a good game in a few weeks against the steelers.

 

[Sedge]

as a homebrewer your resume is your beer...bring them bottles. Paramecium hit it head on about the early morning thing. I just interned at a McMenamins and we were in at 8, out by 2.

I went to another local brewery and handed the owner a bottle and a resume (my regular resume...engineering background) and the owner chatted with me while I helped him load kegs into a truck. Afterwards he told me I'd passed the first test (keg lifting) hah. Other brewers and people around town told me he wouldn't be able to pay me in more than free beer for awhile and I have too many classes so I didn't take it further, but the approach definitely worked.

 

[bball3414]

So i am in the process of setting up a time to meet with one of the guys at a local brewery. went the email route (Sorry Jnye!) and he asked me what time was good for me to come in a show me around.

What kind of protocol should i do in bringing up either trying to work there or volunteering? He said they were only open 9-5 m-f and closed on the weekend for production. Ill probably take a half day of work on friday to go meet him.
Should i just point blank say i would love to work there and say i dont mind doing the dirty work? Or sort of ease into it?

 

[Yooper]

So i am in the process of setting up a time to meet with one of the guys at a local brewery. went the email route (Sorry Jnye!) and he asked me what time was good for me to come in a show me around.

What kind of protocol should i do in bringing up either trying to work there or volunteering? He said they were only open 9-5 m-f and closed on the weekend for production. Ill probably take a half day of work on friday to go meet him.
Should i just point blank say i would love to work there and say i dont mind doing the dirty work? Or sort of ease into it?

Well, I would definitely say straight out that you would love to work there and don't mind doing the dirty work! I mean, working in a brewery IS dirty heavy work. And if you want a job, don't volunteer to work for free unless they don't want to give you a paying job! "Volunteering" may be against OSHA/state labor rules, anyway, unless they have some sort of apprentice program.

 

[electrichead]

Definitely be straight forward. The conversation should be about your desire to work in a brewery, that is why you are there.

X2 on not volunteering to work for free. If they offer you an internship or apprenticeship type deal that is a different story. Just don't walk in and say "Hey do you need someone to clean your fermenter for free!"

Also, don't be the guy who acts like he knows what hes talking about to mask his inexperience.

 

[bball3414]

thanks for all the advice!
So i have a meeting with one of the brewers on Friday!
Right now, its just to meet and show me around the brewery. I will bring a bottle of one of my home brews and bring up working there.
Praying it works out b/c i cant stand my desk job anymore.

Ill keep ya posted!

 

[DRoyLenz]

thanks for all the advice!
So i have a meeting with one of the brewers on Friday!
Right now, its just to meet and show me around the brewery. I will bring a bottle of one of my home brews and bring up working there.
Praying it works out b/c i cant stand my desk job anymore.

Ill keep ya posted!

For sure let us know how it goes, I'm very interested to hear more!

 

[JNye]

good for you and good luck bro.

 

[electrichead]

Good luck.

 

[bball3414]

update for all of you!

so unfortunately, they could not hire me :-( its still a very small operation and only have 2 full time ppl, not including sales.
BUT-- they are taking on ppl as interns from march through the summer. I spoke to my boss at work and she is willing to let me take 4 hours for the internship as long as i make them up during the week!
it still has to be approved by her boss... but i really feel that it will be a yes!

so excited I cant wait! I know it will be a lot of "dirty" work... but who cares as long as im learning and get to smell all the wort, hops and grain two days a week!!!

If any of you are interested.. it is bluehillsbrewery.com

thanks for all the support!