Reply #73: Hi Smiley!

[bengalherder]

I can sympathisize. I've worked in catering before too, in food in general, and I know how demanding some of these folks can be and unsatisfied with the money they make. It chafes me to think that these people are so ungrateful to the workers who make them that money in the first place.

Two things I can think of to do:

Check out your local/state employment services. They usually have someone on staff who teaches resume construction and gives classes to aquire interviewing skills. You don't have to be unemployed to access their job databases, which often contain jobs that are not advertised on Craigslist, etc. They also tend to have listings for city/state jobs.

Also,
Check out food services admin in the public sphere, I currently work for a college and there are regular openings for people who do what you do. The pay is generally somewhat better than minimum and there is chance for advancement on merit. And you don't have to put up with bosses who act their money worries out on you.

Besides, I suspect many of the conservative owners of luxury buisnesses (read wealth wannabees) who rode the wave of the last few years are going to find out how foolish they were reducing the number of people who could afford their product in the first place. You said the buisness is mostly family; you really should have your ducks in a row in case they decide to downsize-or give an out-of-work cousin a berth...

Whatever you do, Good Luck!