I'm in my 7th year of teaching...moved this year from four years of high school business to middle school math. As I knew and you can guess, I absolutely do not like it.

I would love to start my own cake/sweet/cafe shop, but for financial and location reasons I haven't went for it. So, I've been sending out my resume to numerous different cake shops, bakeries, caterers, and tech schools in Georgia. Along the way, I've really been praying about direction in regards to my career. Lots of my family and friends are always telling me I should pursue the cake/catering path since I've had a side cake business the past 3 years and have catered a few weddings along the way as well.

All that to say...

I have an interview this Saturday with a successful caterer (full-service -- design, setup, catering, etc) in north Atlanta. I'm beyond excited, but also very intimidated because the position if not strictly for cakes, but all desserts/pastries with the title of pastry chef. My contact at the caterer assured me that formal training was not a requirement as the current pastry chef started out as a dishwasher at the business and owner of business trained and guided her into her current position. She's moving and they are wanting to replace her. I'm confident in my ability to bake and cook, but at the same time doubting myself since it'll require me to quit my full-time teaching job, move 4 hours away, live alone in a larger, higher cost of living area, etc.

This will be my first pastry/food-related interview. I was told to show up at 9 AM Saturday & Sunday morning to assist with prep all day for a big event that night. Any advice for me? Suggestions? Comments? Anything?

Polkadot
You sound very young. Thats to your advantage. Wouldn't rather do something that you truly enjoy? Who wants a job that they hate doing?
When I worked, before becoming disabled, I loved getting up each morning and going to work. Of course the other factor is money. Will you make enough to support yourself? If you do try this, and it works out to be not what you expected, will you be able to find another teaching job? There are alot of questions that need answering, but you are the only one that can make that decision. I'd go and see what its like, and also see what the people are like that you'll be working for/with. It doesn't hurt to try, right? I hope you make the right decision for you.
Kathy

Well done you Not only on getting the job but for being brave enough to make such a big life change, the kind people only ever talk about.

I understand why it's scarey but just try and focus on the reasons you wanted to do it in the first place and trust your instincts. If it's true that the last person to do the job was trained by the owner, then maybe that's how they prefer it. That way you're not bringing in any old habits but doing things their way, I think it will be great !!

Please let us know how it goes, good luck

Lyndsey x

Thanks! Yes, I consider myself still young -- 30, although it's seems late in my teaching career to realize that I want a change (7 years of teaching, 4 years for Business teaching degree). It's exactly the opportunity I've been waiting for although I'm not sure how all the logistics will work out. I'm not even sure of salary range, but at this point, I'm willing to work 2 jobs in order to get out of teaching at the middle school although the thought of getting out of my comfort zone is me out. I am single and as alot say...go for it while you can. I just need a really big push...*big sigh*

Anyone heard of a 2 day interview before?

Lyndsey is right. Maybe they do want to teach you their way of doing things. My mother still owns and operate a deli (she's 84!), and makes her own salads, and hot dishes. She rarely lets anyone else do the cooking for the cases because they can't make it like her. (we've been trying to get her to give it up for 10 years now) Anyway, if I were you, 30 and single, I'd go for it! You don't ever want to look back and say "if I only took that job on". Its better to say at least I tried, or I tried it and didn't like it. Right? I say go for it. A two day interview for this type of position I think is fair. They probably want to see how quickly you catch on to things.
Kathy

The 2-day interview seems like they want to see how well you mesh with their team as well as your skills. If they trained the previous person, your compatibility with the rest of the catering team is probably more important to them than any specific training or skill.

Good luck. It sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

Kristy

Look at it this way, you are young and have the ability to move and do whatever you want. This is the perfect time to pursue a dream. Teaching will always be there if you need to fall back on it. Your cakes are lovely and this sounds like a fantastic opportunity. Good luck!

Professional pastry chef magazines for free (back issues):

http://www.pastryna.com/

Downloadable PDFs.

If they hadn't seen any potential in you, you wouldn't have gotten the interview.

I think that for pastries and desserts, if you have the tools and are careful following directions, you can learn anything.

Good luck! You can do it.

I made a drastic career change when I was about 30 and it has worked out very well. I looked at your cakes and you obviously have the talent so go for it.
Good luck!

There was once a man who was affected by a flood. The flood waters started to rise when neighbors came by in their 4wd jeep. (The water had only started to rise) The neighbor yelled out," Hey, wanna ride outta here with us, to dry ground?"
The man said, "No. I'm gonna stay here, God will take care of me."
(the man was from the south, can't you hear his accent?)
The neighbors drove away to higher, dryer ground.
A few hours later, the water still rising, another neighbor in a boat floated by.
"Hey neighbor, do you want to ride with us to higher, dryer ground?"
Again the man replied, "No, God will take care of me, I'm trusting him to get me outta this fix" and the neighbors boated off leaving the man alone, in his flood ravaged home.
The next morning, the flood reached the eves of the house and the man was clinging to the roof when a helicopter came by. The rescue team shouted, "Hey, Let us help you!"
The man again replied, "No, God is going to take care of me!"
The helicopter flew off leaving the man on the roof of his flooded home.
The man woke up in heaven and questioned God, "Why didn't you take care of me like you promised?"
And God said, "I sent you a jeep, a boat and a helicopter, why didn't you take it?"
The moral: When God closes a door he opens a window. It's up to us to take the steps of faith and allow him to do the rest.
If God brings you to it, he'll bring you threw it!

In other words...keep perusing your dream. If the door closes it wasn't meant to be and God just might have better plans for you. You're never going to really know for sure, until you take that first step of faith.

Good Luck!
Trust, ya gotta have FAITH!

The two day interview sounds like "shadowing". For the prospective employer - so he/she can see how you work, what you do well, how you are with other employees, how willing you are to learn, etc..

AND...

Now the other important thing about shadowing: it's for you to see how you like them, see how they work, see what quality work they do, see how their employees are, how they like working there, etc.

Try to relax, and be yourself. If this is your dream job, you'll know it after the two days. Good luck!

Oh wow. Thanks for all the ...exactly what I've needed. The story about the man and flood...heard that before, but good reminder because I'm afraid I'm like that man sometimes. I get answers to prayers and let fear and other things blind me when it's the answer I'm looking for!

By the way, I'm checking out the free online magazine right now. Good stuff!

As for the 2 day interview...guess I need to just relax and look at it as a shadowing experience instead of me being under the "microscope" for 2 days. Guess it's the business experience I have that relates interview with such a professional stiff business exchange. I tend to over analyze everything when I need to just sit back and relax!

Congrats. That sounds like a great opportunity to do what you love. Sometimes we have to take a risk to get big rewards. I'm sure whatever you decide will be the best for you.

I will tell you what I tell all the 18 and 19 year olds who are scared, who have people pressuring them to become their version of who they want them to be, who worry endlessly about this way or that way.

You are fortunate to be in this time of your life. Go out there and mess it all up. Within the bounds of the law and morality, go out into the world, raise some heck, try stuff out, and you will figure it out along the way. Your entire life does not have to be planned right now. You absolutely should not do what someone else wants you to do if it is not your vision of yourself. Each person has their own path to travel and if you spend time traveling down someone else's path, you are wasting time. You are only allotted a certain amount of hours on this earth and you cannot afford to waste one second of it fullfilling dreams that are not yours.

All too soon you will not have this luxury. Other people (spouse, kids, parents) will depend upon you. Do not waste one second doing something you don't have to do. Let's say you do this and you do mess it up. What's the worse that will happen? Will their business go under? Realistically, no. Will you end up poor? Maybe. There are worse things in life and there are a lot of good lessons to learn when you're poor. If you hate it, you can undo it. You tried teaching, you don't like it. You're looking to undo it. You can do the same with this job if you need to.

Go out into the world and mess it up, baby!

I have a question. Will they also be interviewing other people for this 2 day event at the same time as you or will you the only one? I was wondering if they would put several people to work in order to see how each one handles the situation. Did you not discuss salary? Will you be paid or compensated in any way for the 2 days? Not being negative, just wondered if they gave you more details about the position. Sounds like it could be a good opportunity for you.

I think I'm the only person interviewing this weekend. Since I have a full-time teaching job, I couldn't come on a week day, so this arrangement was made. As for compensation....don't think I'll be getting any. It's actually costing me $$ since I'll have hotel, gas, & meal expenses.

I truly think that if it's meant to be...then it will. Just keep your eyes open and weigh it all out. Sometimes opportunities come in the oddest packaging. It's impossible to tell the future...but you KNOW you weren't that thrilled with teaching. So, it's good you're not settling.

I had a similar situation. I was pursuing the standard corporate climb the ladder, take over the world...I am woman...hear me roar thing. And, I DID like the job. But, I DIDN't like the politics. I mean, harsh nasty f-bomb dropping nin-compoops who intimidate and push the boundaries of what's legal behavior. This was beyond typical office gossip. So - I jumped ship. Big time. With no net! Never did that before. Searched for a job for over a year...drained my savings & then some. But, at the same time my grandfather was failing. He was surely headed for the nursing home. My family offered to keep me afloat financially if I'd take care of him. Now.....seems very desperate, right? Well, I ALWAYS got the jobs I interviewed for. Never once did I interview and not secure the position. Wellllll, I went to tons of interviews and got no where. What is the reason for that???? I just have to believe it was God guiding me. My grandpa needed me. I helped him stay at home for the rest of his days. I got to know him again. He appreciate the company & wasn't lonely. I can't tell you how proud I am of myself to have taken this hard path.

He did pass on just recently...and now I'm pouring myself into my cookie biz. I had been doing it very part time while taking care of my grandpa. It's so fricken' scary....but, I think God kinda shoved me in a direction I should have found on my own.

Sometimes things don't make sense when you're in the midst of them. But, keep believing in yourself & check your gut. It'll tell you what to do. That "gut" is most likely God tapping you on the shoulder, trying to get your attention. Just don't wait until he drops a piano on your head!!! That's what happened to me.

And, if this opportunity turns out to not be for you. At least, it's a confidence builder. It's a way to measure what you like and don't like about the field. No matter what happens it's going to help you decide what to do. So...absorb everything...and yes, relax!!!

I always try to remember to have fun & that it is the best thing to have!!!