I Did It!!!!!!!! (Kinda Long)
Decorating By step0nmi Updated 20 Jul 2010 , 6:27pm by CrumblesConfections
I finally did it! I applied for a job with a cakery 
I recently graduate from college and with the economy being the way it is right now 
it has been quite hard for me to find a job let alone get my business back up and running. Yes, it is an illegal business, but I really had no other choice. I mostly sell to family and friends and it never really gets any farther than that.
Trying to find a job with an event planning company that is not only busy but creative proved to be more difficult than I expected. Yes, my college prepared me for the real world but did not prepare me for how picky businesses were being now days. And with the way the economy is they should be! But, it proved very difficult and defeating for someone like me that was always use to getting the job I wanted and not having a problem selling my personality. 
sooo...with the business being slow again because I took a hiatus from it with my last year of school and becoming sooo depressed with constantly searching for jobs the past two months (I know that is not long) I had finally found something that I was excited about! 
I sent them my resume today...the owner said they would be interviewing on Sunday 
(wanted to see my resume first) I was totally honest in my email stating that my business is not feasible in my area but that I am looking to gain more skills in my cake decorating career and have been doing cakes as a side business. Do you think this was ok to say?
Now I am obsessed with checking my email because I want to hear back from them I am sooo hoping I get this job because I think it will be great experience and lead me on a path of more certainty with what I wan to do with my life! I just couldn't wait to share this with my cake friends!!!!
Good Luck! Keep us in the loop of how it goes!
but I'm stuck in a hospital for my real job for a little longer! Good luck on the interview thanks guys! it's so nice to have this community with all this support.
It's strange...I totally thought I was going to be an event planner. I want to plan plan plan all the time. But with cake decorating I have to do that too! IF I don't get this job I think I am just going to market myself to be a wedding planner so that I don't have to go through the pain of not having a creative job. Good thing I had another interview for some part time work
Congrats! I'd suggest decorating it with something that shows off your best skills with buttercream.
They'll want to see that you possess all the skills involved with basic cake decorating... icing a cake, making a border, stems, roses, rosebuds/sweetpeas, leaves, writing on a cake, and perhaps figure piping.
They probably won't have the cake already iced for you to decorate since that is also part of the job, and possibly what you'll start out doing the most of until they're confident that you can decorate "their way".
I wouldn't worry or stress about it too much... they'll also show you how they want things done, so just ask if you have questions or concerns and be open to learning the tricks of the trade in a productive environment.
They'll want to see that you possess all the skills involved with basic cake decorating... icing a cake, making a border, stems, roses, rosebuds/sweetpeas, leaves, writing on a cake, and perhaps figure piping.
They probably won't have the cake already iced for you to decorate since that is also part of the job, and possibly what you'll start out doing the most of until they're confident that you can decorate "their way".
I wouldn't worry or stress about it too much... they'll also show you how they want things done, so just ask if you have questions or concerns and be open to learning the tricks of the trade in a productive environment.
hmmm...i'm not sure if this is the case 
they are a custom designed cakery and have very different designs than a regular bakery.
they also said they want "simple" and that I was to decorate. 
I sent them my resume today...the owner said they would be interviewing on Sunday
(wanted to see my resume first) I was totally honest in my email stating that my business is not feasible in my area but that I am looking to gain more skills in my cake decorating career and have been doing cakes as a side business. Do you think this was ok to say?
I wish you luck.
As to the honesty of your email some things are a bit unclear. You say your business is not feasible in your area but you have applied to a cakery--is this not in your area? If it is not these comments may not apply, but as you do not indicate this job would require you to move I am going to assume it is close to you.
As to the email, it is not that your honesty is misplaced but rather how that honesty was communicated. I am only going off what you communicated since you did not post the text of your email to the cakery. Your description can be read as stating that your primary interest is in improving your skills. Why would a potential employer be wary of this? Because they will be investing time and resources in you and the last thing they will want is someone working them who is going to bolt as soon as they have been trained. Note I am not saying that this is what you intend to do. Rather I am stating you do not want your employer thinking this is a possibility.
You note your first business was illegal so you were not much of a competitor. However, if you are now thinking of pursuing this as a career, you are indicating your desire to become a professional (this is why I commented about the area it is in before). If you are indeed in their area you would become their legal competitor--which they would have trained. They have to think about their business interests.
Yes it is common for people to train under more experienced professionals and open their own place. But that is not the question. The question is this: Is this person going help us (and eventually try to open their own place) or simply use us to train them to open their own place? Will this person bolt once we have trained them?
Again what you intend cannot control how your message will be received. You do not want your potential employer even thinking about this in an interview. You want them thinking about how this person is going to be an asset to us, not wondering why they should train you so you can open your own place. Next time emphasize how you think you can be an asset.
Again, I wish you all the best on your interview.
I sent them my resume today...the owner said they would be interviewing on Sunday
(wanted to see my resume first) I was totally honest in my email stating that my business is not feasible in my area but that I am looking to gain more skills in my cake decorating career and have been doing cakes as a side business. Do you think this was ok to say? I wish you luck.
As to the honesty of your email some things are a bit unclear. You say your business is not feasible in your area but you have applied to a cakery--is this not in your area? If it is not these comments may not apply, but as you do not indicate this job would require you to move I am going to assume it is close to you.
As to the email, it is not that your honesty is misplaced but rather how that honesty was communicated. I am only going off what you communicated since you did not post the text of your email to the cakery. Your description can be read as stating that your primary interest is in improving your skills. Why would a potential employer be wary of this? Because they will be investing time and resources in you and the last thing they will want is someone working them who is going to bolt as soon as they have been trained. Note I am not saying that this is what you intend to do. Rather I am stating you do not want your employer thinking this is a possibility.
You note your first business was illegal so you were not much of a competitor. However, if you are now thinking of pursuing this as a career, you are indicating your desire to become a professional (this is why I commented about the area it is in before). If you are indeed in their area you would become their legal competitor--which they would have trained. They have to think about their business interests.
Yes it is common for people to train under more experienced professionals and open their own place. But that is not the question. The question is this: Is this person going help us (and eventually try to open their own place) or simply use us to train them to open their own place? Will this person bolt once we have trained them?
Again what you intend cannot control how your message will be received. You do not want your potential employer even thinking about this in an interview. You want them thinking about how this person is going to be an asset to us, not wondering why they should train you so you can open your own place. Next time emphasize how you think you can be an asset.
Again, I wish you all the best on your interview.
hmmm...yes, maybe what I stated was unclear and i'm not going to go through everything. I appreciate your advice and I don't think they took it that way or else he would not have stated "We are excited to meet you!" I think my resume spoke for myself as far as running my own side business.
yes, my area...my very small town my business is not feasible in, "I" don't have the funds for it and the people that are immediate to me barely pay what I am asking them to pay. This cakery is about an hour away from my town and has a TOTALLY different customer than what I experience. It's a very high priced area...I will not be moving but traveling to this job if I receive it.
I can see you are playing the devils advocate here...but my intentions are good. I am probably the most honest person one would meet. If I were to get this job I would want to "further" my skills...as in gumpaste flowers because I already work with fondant and gumpaste...so I don't think they took it as someone that is just starting out.
Good luck on Sunday. How exciting for you! I agree with GGfan. Practice practice practice. Do it all day Sat. That way when you go to the interview on Sun. you'll be all warmed up and ready to amaze them with your skills! I would love to apply maybe part-time at a bakery (can't afford to quit my day job 
But I'd love to be able to work with and learn from professionals! I hope you get the job!!! Keep us posted. 
I'd write down two or three different sets of instructions that they might have you do: one from beginning to end; one just the decorating, and one that includes a list of specific tasks. Then pull one out randomly and do it as efficiently and expertly as you can. After you do this a few times, not knowing exactly which one you're going to have to do - you're skills will benefit the polish and you'll overcome your fear of the unknown. You'll be prepared for whatever they throw at you! Good luck with your interview. Please let us know how it goes. We're all pulling for you!!
Thanks for all the advice and support everyone!
The interview went well! They just wanted me to fill, frost, and simply decorate the cake. I don't think I took too long even though he came in to check on me
the owner was very nice. We talked a lot about the industry and how their is controversy with the whole "illegal vs. legal" bakers. I would be starting entry level if I got the job....at $9 an hour but a potential to grow quickly.
The only thing...it's 50 mins away well, and now there's a second thing...I would have to be there at 4am I wasn't thinking about how early in the morning. I'm sure I could do it but it would surely turn my life upside down. I'm use to setting my own hours. And he said that he doesn't know how long the day would be..maybe 8-12, until cakes are done! they do about 300-400 cakes per week (a Tues-Saturday week)
i'm soo torn. on one hand I want to do this very badly! but my brain says there are other interviews I have for MORE many AND benefits that are closer to my home
Thanks for the update. I was re-reading your OP and if you are already doing cakes at home, and if the job only involves fill, frost, simple decorating it sounds like the only experience you would gain working there would be speed. I would think that if you eventually want to do this as a business, learning how to work quickly would be essential as well as the other aspects of what supplies you need on hand to turn out X number of cakes per day/week/month etc.
I'm sure you are going to be offered the job! You will get to decide if you want to do this or not. Perhaps for six months? See how you do getting up super-early, see if you like frosting, filling, and simply decorating 300 cakes a week. The old saying is "You have to start at the bottom to learn the business"--well, this is the bottom.
One of the things I keep seeing on CC forums is that all of us LOVE the artistic part of caking, but many, many people have a difficult to impossible time dealing with the actual business end of a bakery (contracts, unhappy customers, pricing). A job like this would give you invaluable experience on the far less glamorous aspects of baking cakes for a living.
Very best of luck regardless of your decision--let me know how it goes!
Finger crossed for you in California--Chris
I'm sure you are going to be offered the job! You will get to decide if you want to do this or not. Perhaps for six months? See how you do getting up super-early, see if you like frosting, filling, and simply decorating 300 cakes a week. The old saying is "You have to start at the bottom to learn the business"--well, this is the bottom.
One of the things I keep seeing on CC forums is that all of us LOVE the artistic part of caking, but many, many people have a difficult to impossible time dealing with the actual business end of a bakery (contracts, unhappy customers, pricing). A job like this would give you invaluable experience on the far less glamorous aspects of baking cakes for a living.
Very best of luck regardless of your decision--let me know how it goes!
Finger crossed for you in California--Chris
Actually, I don't think I would be frosting and filling..they have people to do that. I would just be decorating...I guess. they have basic designs kind of like a bakery and that is just not my thing.
I totally understand what you are saying about the design aspect. As I was talking to the owner I realized that I did have more knowledge about the industry and what it takes to have a shop! I am a recent graduate and I have a certification in Entrepreneurship and I did a lot of research of what it would take to open up a shop. I just don't have the money or the clients atm.
I think my mind has already been made up...I need more money and benefits and being closer to home. this wouldn't work out for me...I would never see my husband.
BUT I am going to email them and ask about the hours and benefits...I just think that starting at 4am for a "decorator" job is weird
thanks!
Good for you! With your business training you are about 1000% ahead of most people wishing to have a career with cakes.
I live in California so unless it is done professionally, not from the home, forget about it.
Fortunately, I'm retired and have enough income (if I don't go nuts), to bake and give my cakes away for free. A lot of CC forums talk about the costs of free cakes for hobby bakers like myself, and the costs and hassles of professional baking/decorating. I can rationalize and say that since I've never had a hobby, then if I overspend now it is simply "catch-up" for all the years....nah, even I don't believe that....
Anyway, it sounds like you already know more than the people with whom you interviewed.
Remember: If you decorate, they will come.
yes, unfortunately I am still an at home illegal baker :X I get scared to say that on here...but there really is no other way for me.
I have definitely thought about it and I need more of an income plus insurance and I don't think this job offers it. If I get an offer for the more "office" type work at the technical college I will probably take that
I was really excited for something like this...but something that I need is always in the way. it's a matter of necessity for ME.
thanks for all of your support
I think its great that you took the initiative to apply, especially for a job so far away! But, the thing I keep noticing in your posts is "I think..." While you were at your interview you should have asked exactly what you were going to be doing, for example: "I understand you run your kitchen like a productions line, with different people for each step of the cake? Where do you think the most likely spot for me will be?".
You have to ask yourself, if you end up getting the job and get put on filling and crumbcoating, would you want to get up at 3am 5 days a week, travel an hour and spend 8hrs filling and crumbcoating for experience?
wow...i'm really surprise...I didn't get it. they had their meeting today and I guess decided. I had wrote an email to ask about start time, YES it was 4:00AM annnd they did offer benefits so, i'm a little bummed about that...but not, cuz i wasn't going to take it with how far away it was.
sooo...onto other things! I will still continue to do what i'm doing but looking and interviewing for part time work if that's all I can get. I just need to get my foot in the door. I thought my degree was helping me...it is, but I really want to plan events
Thanks for all your advice and support. It's so nice to know I can come somewhere and share with people that feel the same way I do
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