What's The Best Way To Get A Job In A Bakery?
Business By praetorian2000 Updated 30 Jul 2014 , 9:56pm by Davidovich
I really, really want to work in a bakery. Not a chain that makes everything from a mix, but a local bakery that makes most things from scratch. I've taken many baking classes, I even have a certificate for taking a baking class. When I look in the paper, nothing is listed. I'm wondering if I just need to walk in and ask or write and ask? I live in NYC and there are a few bakeries near where I work that I wouldn't mind working in. Not only are they close, but their products are good.
The best way to get a job in a bakery is to walk in and ask them if they need anyone to work! lol
I myself have already worked in four different bakerys/cake shops (which were all walk in jobs,non posted in the paper),and believe me you will learn soooo much ! Not to mention the experience ! Its like practicing 8hrs every day decorating..but it can be hair pulling and may even burn you out doing it day in day out 40-50 hours a week (and then doing cakes at home after work !) I know you mentioned baking which is (to me) totally different from decorating. Show the bakeries your certificate (make a copy to give them) and show them pictures of your work. That for me was my ride into these cake shops,they want to see pictures,certificates and maybe even some refrences from some your customers if you've sold some cakes/baked goods to them. Good luck !
I have also wroked in a bakery making breads and muffins from scratch and you learn so much, it's not an easy job but if you really like and enjoy you'll love it. Also I have worked in hotels and yes you need to show your job in pictures, you can make a portafolio from all your work experience with that they'll see you are serious about your job. You need to show that you love what you do( baking or decorating) and be proud of how you present yourself, but be humble and are willing to learn, that way you'll get a job soon and in the place you want to work 
Good luck 
a resume portfolio can be your best or worst enemy. I know that showing my portfolio around couldn't even get me a job.
All the hotels I applied in said I was overqualified for the jobs they had open. Entry level positions at minimum wages, and small , mom and pop places seemed to be intimidated by my degree.
I finally opened my own place.
Even applying at a supermarket bakery may get you the 'experience' that you are looking for. I used to be the "muffin" girl at a local supermarket a long time ago..lol
and just recently worked decorating icecream cakes, but the owner was a real pratt...keep muttering under his breath that he couldn't understand why I needed a degree to decorate cakes!!
and no matter HOW fast I decorated his cakes, I could do 50 in a part time work day, he STILL wasn't happy! We parted ways..lol
I'd love to get a job in a bakery - the thing that scares me is what they pay - I'd have to take a serious paycut..... 
So for now I'm doing things on my own - I'm also not sure I could find work around here - I think most of the really good decorators don't hire help b/c they can't afford to pay all the costs of an employee (unemployment, insurance, taxes, and of course wages)......
And some of the other places I am sure hire the people from our local culinary school - and at the moment I can't figure out how to afford to go to that school...... I'm definitely sure the hotels wouldn't hire little me off the street if I showed them a couple of pictures - esp. not with my cakes - they aren't awful, but I'm no Collette, Duff, etc....... nor am I nearly as good as some people on this site..... sigh.... so for now I thank God for CC so that I can learn some great new things and develop my talents on my own! And maybe one day I'll get to attend a pastry school.......
I did apply for two different bakery jobs - I would definitely suggest taking some pictures of your work (I didn't) and I would also suggest asking them what they expect of you - at the one grocery-style bakery, I was given a slab of cake and told to "decorate it" - no theme, no ideas, just given some pink mushy icing and green mushy icing and some white and told to go at it...... ummmmm sure..... I think the pic is in my portfolio - but the icing was sooooooo nasty! Definitely NO consistency differences - it was all mush - I don't know how anyone could make a rose out of that stuff - mine we're okay but it definitely didn't feel like decorating - it FELT like slapping some icing on a cake......
I don't have any suggestions, sorry......but good luck to you. I'd love to work in a REAL bakery, too. There is a place fairly close to me - actually a place where they make cakes AND they have a thing where people can go in to decorate their own cakes and learn how to do decorating. Sounds like a fun concept to me. I'd love to work their part time so I'm going to start taking a few of their classes. The place is owned by a really nice gal and she just opened her store (www.themakery.com) a few months ago.
Best of luck to you !!!
to work in a hotel you don't have to be a Ms. Peters or a Duff. Many of the people working there are what I consider..."GRUNTS"..lol able bodied people that are able to work long hours on their feet doing repetitive work.
The real fancy things are done by the Head Pastry Chefs and their assistants. Most hotels are no longer doing event's that need fancy cakes, and most hotels... ( this is straight from the horses mouth...when we had an orientation for job fairs ) ...are doing away with "EVENTS" they make more money doing conventions.
If they do event's they usually get the cakes from the local "BIG" name decorators.
But, on the upside...the experience you get when you work behind the scenes is INVALUABLE!! and if you are not dedicated to SUGAR heart and soul, you will know soon enough!!
take care and follow your dream!
I don't know where you live but there are schools for people who can't afford to pay for a culinary school and the programs are short.
I live in Canada and there is a school where you can take a culinary program and is only 6 months and you pay $500 for everything, maybe if you look to see if the goverment has that kind of programs, even with a certificate like that you'll get a job in a bakery or a store.
We are always looking for great bakers, and dough rollers.
Great experience for any one who loves baking.
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