I want to apply for a job that I know I would be good at but have no formal training for. Am I mad?

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

It's a catering job at a residential home, just cooking proper home-cooked meals for 22 residents and baking cakes/pastries.

Not blowing my own trumpet, but I am a good cook and can make naice cakes. I would love to work in a job with food and this one would be perfect for me... at the bottom of my street, nice hours that fit in with school runs... but I have no formal experience. The job description says previous experience preferred and baking experience essential. Well, I have baked all sorts of cakes but not in a professional capacity.

I haven't applied for a job in over ten years and feel a bit out of my depth, pathetic as it sounds. Do you think it's even worth me applying?!

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

Bugger, thought this was in Chat

[Parrish]

You should apply. State your skills in catering for a family. Bring a cake to the interview!

[FortyFacedFuckers]

I would apply, you never know you might be lucky.

[LeoTheLateBloomer]

I would say go for it. When I've worked in care homes they've used both trained and untrained kitchen staff and the untrained ones were much better cooks

You'd probably have to go on a food hygeine course so say on the application that you'd be willing to do that.

[BrianTheMole]

Why dont ring ring them and ask first?

[BrianTheMole]

*you ring

[VivaLeBeaver]

Would you need a food hygiene certificate? Can you get this done ASAP before the interview? I think it only takes a day....

[Whothefuckfarted]

You'll need a food hygiene certificate, (Doesn't take long and is cheap)

Go for it!

[EagleNebula]

Apply! What's the worst that can happen - if you don't get it you will be in a no worse position than you are now and will have gained interview experience to boot.

[sausageandorangepickle]

Not mad, but you need to think of all the other stuff involved in catering commercially like having a food hygiene certificate etc. Will you have to work to a tight budget - where i work the catering staff have to provide 3 meals a day plus snacks for something ridiculous like £3 per person per day.

You just need to think of anything that could be a problem, and present a solution.

Plus if you don't apply, you have absolutely zero chance of getting it, whereas there is always a chance if you do!

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

I've rang and asked them and told them I have no formal experience and they just said to take in my CV. The woman on the 'phone sounded a bit uninterested tbh

Hmm, I could do the food hygiene certificate no problem. Will look at that now! Have also considered rocking up to an interview with a cake!

[sausageandorangepickle]

wow i type so slowly, there were no other replies when I started!

[Shrugged]

Food hygiene cert. I might also be concerned also about whether you would be able to 'scale up' from cooking for family and friends to cooking whole meals every day for 22 people, plus a lot of daily baking. That's not to suggest you shouldn't apply, but you might think of a way of addressing this in your cover letter.

[NurseRatchet]

I think taking a cake is a great idea!

[EhricLovesTeamQhuay]

It couldn't hurt at all. Have you worked in the last ten years? Anything you can use to demo strate organisational skills, high standards of cleanliness etc? Ever catered for a fridnd's party or similar? Emphasise your skills rather than your experience. You may not get an interview but why not give it a try?

[deleted203]

If you know you would be good at it then I would be blowing your own trumpet! (Love the idea of taking a cake in!)

Emphasise the experience you have had in catering for your niece's 18th, parents golden wedding, friends' buffet, or whatever...

22 isn't that many to cook for - good luck!

[MushroomSoup]

The last member of staff I employed had absolutely no experience but her application talked passionately about why she felt she should be given a chance. She's bloody great!

[exoticfruits]

I would give it a try. If you don't get it I would offer to cover for holidays, illness etc-it might be a way in.

[Tittypulumpcious]

Go for it! someone has to have the job, why not you? Good luck!

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

I have been working for ten years in retail, first in a managerial role then I stepped down to sales after DS was born. So have lots of organisational skills!

I (luckily) have taken lots of pictures of the food I have made for parties etc. Maybe I could add them to my CV, like a kind of portfolio?

[exoticfruits]

A portfolio is a great idea.

[leftangle]

May sound obvious but make sure you include a covering letter stating why you want the job (eg because you love catering and are interested in the elderly and the special challenges catering in for them, not because it's at the end of the road etc) and why you think you would be good at it.
Definately worth a try but would just depend on quality of other applicatnts.
Good luck!

[Booboostoo]

Why don't you also do some sample menues with costings (to a tight budget) to show that you can organise all this?

[ChippingInHopHopHop]

Go for it!

Put every single good thing in your cover letter you can think of!

Tell them you have looked into the Food Hygiene Cert & will do it as soon as possible.

Take biscuits too

[JambalayaCodfishPie]

Go for it, seriously.

The job I do, was a huge leap from what I used to do. I took a chance, then they took a chance.

You have absolutely nothing to lose.