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Posted: Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

When you’re a server or you work anywhere in the food service industry, you can’t exactly count on job security. People do need to eat, but many of them are taking advantage of eating at home because they have less money to spend on dining out and they realize that the economy is not in a stable place. While many people assume that people need to eat, so there will never be a shortage of jobs, this is not always the case. If you are looking for a way to make your server or other food service job a little more secure, you might consider online server training.

Managing your career in this new economy that is focused less on spending money on unnecessary items will prove to be a challenge. Online training programs can help you to perform better and stay at the top of your game, but they won’t guarantee that you will be able to manage your career properly. Instead of taking careers for granted like many people have in the past, now is the time to cherish them and take care of them until they are nurtured into successful and rewarding careers that are not going to go away, regardless of what happens.

Basically, with a foodservice career or server position, you simply need to be more cautious and less presumptuous about your career options. You can’t assume that there will be other jobs if you don’t like yours, and you will have to do whatever it takes so that you can keep the job that you have because any job is better than none at all. The caution comes in making sure that you appreciate your job every day, take it for everything that it is worth, and don’t just assume that it will be there when you wake up tomorrow.

Managing a career as a server or other food service worker in the new economy is about finding the balance. It’s about riding out the storm until things perk up and making sure that you do what you can to keep your career safe, no matter what that means. The new economy is all about necessities, spending less, and the caution that needs to be practiced by people who have careers that aren’t exactly critical to the thriving of society as we know it. Make sure that you learn how to be cautious and respectful of your career, and that you know how to take things one day at a time so that you can manage with less stress.

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Posted: Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

Working in food service is a very popular choice for many people. These careers are in high demand, and usually are simply because of the high turnover rate and the increasing need for people to work in establishments because more people are eating out of the home than ever before. As a food service professional, you might not feel like you have a lot of job security in light of the recent recession. However, if you take the time to check out online training courses, you might be able to make your career more secure than you initially expected it to be.

With online server training, you can improve your desirability and make yourself look like a better employee to have on staff. Managers and employers love to have people who are dedicated to their careers and who are able to prove that they are committed to what they do. If you go out and take training courses in food safety, service, and other areas, you will give them the impression that you are really the best person for the job, and they will have all the more reason to keep you on staff.

Of course, you do have to be careful that you don’t go too far with online training. If you take too many courses, you will start to feel like you deserve more pay. If an employer is trying to cut costs and get back on top of things, they’re not going to want someone who is overqualified working for them if they can help it. Therefore, you need to make sure that you can find the balance in your career training so that you can increase your skills without overdoing things and putting yourself in a bad position.

All in all, career training is a great way to avoid the unemployment line. As long as you take courses that put you in a position to show how necessary you are to the company, you should have no trouble keeping your job and knowing that your career is safe. As time goes on and things continue to improve, you might even be put up for a promotion or advancement in the workplace because of your initiative and willingness to do whatever it takes on the job. Online career training is not the magic key to avoid losing your job, but it definitely can help in many situations where people need to prove their value.

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Posted: Monday, April 19th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

Online server training is usually very effective. It can help your foodservice and server career immensely because you can learn all the different rules and regulations that you need to know. Unfortunately, there are many people who have taken advantage of the anonymous nature of the internet, creating online training scams that lure people in and then take their money. In order to avoid these scams, you need to know what you’re doing and how to get the training that you need from legitimate online providers.

The real server and foodservice training programs aren’t going to have a gold star or a beacon of some kind on their website telling you that they’re the real deal. If they did, the scammers would probably find a way to copy it and put it on their sites also. You have to know which courses you are looking for, know which providers are approved to train you in those courses, and be able to take the time to check out each provider to ensure that they are offering you a legitimate education or career training program and that their offer isn’t too good to be true.

The general rule of thumb with things that sound too good to be true is that they usually are. Therefore, if you think you’ve hit the jackpot with an affordable training program that you can depend on, you might want to make sure that it’s not something really extreme. For example, when doing research for a specific server course, you might find average prices for training around $1000. If you find a website that offers the same program for only $600, you need to ask questions or just stay away because that’s how they lure people in.

Getting online training for your foodservice or server career is a great way to further your career and get the training that you need. Of course, if you’re not careful, you won’t be successful in completing your training because you might fall victim to an online training scam. Make sure that you always check everything out, multiple times if you need to, and be certain that you are investing in the real deal before you pay any money to anyone. You should take advantage of online training when you get the chance in your foodservice career, and make sure that you don’t let it take advantage of you.

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Posted: Monday, April 19th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

A learning management system, or LMS, is an online tool that you can use to track and monitor the progress of employees who are going through online training programs. This was developed so that employers could keep track of their employees at all times, making it easy for them to get career training taken care of without putting the stress on them to have training onsite. Getting job training on the job is great for servers, but it takes up a lot of time and can be quite expensive to hire people to come in to do the training.

Online training in food service and other operations is often much cheaper, more flexible, and allows the employer to still monitor the training of each person who is undergoing the training process through the online provider. With the use of the LMS, the employer can get essentially the same result as they would get from having training done onsite: they can monitor the employees and make sure that everyone learns what they need to know. Plus, they can do it in an easier format and without spending a fortune on in-house training.

Server and food service careers require constant continuing education on things like food safety, handling, and operations, as well as other areas. By being able to train online, people will be able to work at their own pace and they will enjoy getting the training that they need on their own time. Employers can still track their progress with the LMS that is offered by the provider, turning it into a win-win situation for all parties who are involved in the process. While on-site training can still be effective, it seems slightly outdated unless hands-on training is required.

Food service training is easy to find online, although you should always make sure that you’re getting the course from a company with a stable reputation and a track record of success in career training. You will find so many different types of programs online that you might be quite surprised at the various classes that can be taken. Of course, in the end, the point is that learning is easier than ever and people should have no trouble getting the education that they need without having to do it on the job. It’s better for employers, it’s better for workers, and it’s better for the company itself. Therefore, it can be the ideal solution to career training.

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Posted: Thursday, March 18th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

CE training is available for server careers, but it’s usually not required in most states. When you take the time to get the training anyway, you can present yourself as a more qualified and valuable employee because you have extra training and certification that others don’t have. You will be able to show employers that you care about your career and that you want to make the best of your career with extra training. Everyone assumes that if training isn’t mandatory that it will do them no good. However, the reality of the situation is that employers actually appreciate people who seek extra training.

It’s understandable that you have a life and that you can’t just put it on hold to get an education. There are so many different benefits to online courses, but the main one is that you don’t have to put your job or life on hold to get extra training for your server career. You can take classes on your own time and do them at your own pace, allowing you to make the most of your career every single time. It’s up to you to figure out what you want to learn, but the two best courses for server careers are easily responsible alcohol serving and food safety courses.

Some employers do require alcohol training or food safety training even when it isn’t required by state law. However, you can sometimes find training that goes above and beyond what you get on the job or are required to take by your employer. Therefore, if you already have training, you shouldn’t worry that you won’t find more. Plus, when your certification is up for renewal, you can re-take courses to continue your competency in the areas that you have training in.

It might seem odd to get training that you don’t really need for your server career, but look at it this way: any education that you can get to enhance your career is going to make you a better person, not waste your time. Plus, online classes are affordable and you’ll get one step ahead of your competition by having extra CE training under your belt. Make sure that you check out the different types of training that are available so that you can get exactly what you need or want when it comes to optional training for your server career.

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Posted: Monday, March 15th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

Many people who work in the foodservice industry enjoy their jobs because it doesn’t take a lot of formal education or training to succeed. However, when it comes to things like food safety and responsible service, every employee should have the proper training that is relevant to their job. Sure, most states don’t mandate responsible service courses, and many employers get away with basic food safety training done in-house that is less than effective, but that shouldn’t affect your desire to strive for excellence in your career.

If you are going to do something for the rest of your life, you should do it right. If getting certified in responsible serving and food safety will make you a better employee, you should get that training. Granted, you’re not going to become the server prodigy just by taking these courses, but you will often improve your hire-worthiness when you go the extra mile and prove that you are committed to doing what it takes to get the job done. Taking training courses that aren’t mandated isn’t a waste of time and money. It’s initiative, and employers and hiring managers love to see people who have initiative to do more than what they must to get by.

You should get trained because:

1) It will make you appear more professional and committed to your career. That will in turn make you a better candidate than someone who walks in off the street without formal training or experience.

2) It will increase your knowledge and make you a better employee all-around. You can become more successful when you are on top of your industry in regards to information and training. It might seem like a simple thing that doesn’t make a big difference, but you can actually learn a lot more than you might already know.

3) Training in foodservice can make your future options better. You can find higher pay, better positions, and more respect from employers because you are committed to your career and it shows. Moving up will never be easier than if you have extra training and experience.

Responsible alcohol serving teaches things like ethics, actual service, when to stop serving, how to tell if patrons are too intoxicated, and related topics. Food safety will teach you everything that you need to know about serving, preparing, and storing food properly. Whether you take both or only have a need for one of these courses, it is only going to make things better for you in the long run.

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Posted: Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

When you work as a restaurant owner or manager, it is your job to keep tabs on your employees to make sure that they are doing everything that they are supposed to be doing. This includes getting the required server CE credits that they need to keep their certification in a variety of areas. Whether it is food safety or responsible beverage service, there are certain things that servers need to know. Sometimes, the state mandates courses to be taken, and in other instances it is the employer’s requirement to have these courses. Either way, there are three things that you need to know about your staff to ensure that they are staying on track.

1. What courses have they taken so far. Some people don’t realize that once a course is taken it cannot be taken again, unless it is something like the alcohol beverage certification course, which must be re-taken every time the certification expires. Make sure that you know what your employees have already taken and what they haven’t.

2. What they are able to or required to take. What are the state offerings, the required courses by your company, or mandated state courses for your employees? When do they need to take them, and how long is the certification valid? There are certain times for certain courses, so keep that in mind, as well.

3. When their certification expires. Knowing when your employees are set to lose their certification can help you to get them back into the classroom so that they can renew that certification as needed. You could try to trust them to track this, but for your business’s sake, it’s best if you take care of it yourself.

Keeping these tidbits on hand can be very helpful for any owner or manager in food service. Whether it is food safety certification, responsible alcohol retailing, or even customer service or ethics training, there are courses that can make employees better at what they do. Whether they are required or not, they can add more depth and education to any career. If you choose, you can set up online courses for your servers and monitor their progress right there, rather than spending a fortune on traditional classes or on-site training seminars. Keep this information in mind, and make sure that you do whatever it takes to create the best employees for your business, regardless of whether or not the state requires any certification or training for the servers that you hire.

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Posted: Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

Service is an industry where things are constantly changing and becoming better due to innovation and technology. When you are serving the general public, you need to be able to do it professionally and properly, which is where continuing education, or CE, courses come into play. Of course, when every penny is stretched to the limit, affording these courses can prove to be a daunting task.

Regardless of whether you are an employer trying to find a more affordable way to train employees or a server who needs food safety certification, you need to find the CE courses that suit your needs. Online server CE can provide a place for more cost-effective learning that is also more convenient and accessible than any typical class or seminar might be.

Servers and service workers need to be on top of their game at all times, and they can’t do that without the right CE courses to keep them updated on new procedures and ways of doing things. If you’ve been trying to find a way to pay for your CE courses or the courses of your employees, your days of worrying are over. Online courses provide an easy, stress-free way for everyone to get their credits in without costing a fortune to the server or the company who is footing the bill. Plus, with learning management systems, the progress of each employee can be tracked. This makes it easier to hold employees accountable and to be sure that a business is up to par.

Service CE courses can cost a lot of money when you have to go take them somewhere. The course itself will cost money, and then you will have to add in travel expenses and accommodations if you aren’t attending a one-day class or have to travel too far in a day. This can add up to be a lot of money, but when you choose online CE instead, you eliminate all the expenses except for the course cost, and that is substantially lower online than it is for a traditional class.

Not everyone will find what they want or need in traditional courses, as well. This is often a problem that causes employers to have to do on-site training, which gets even more expensive. With online server certification, there is nothing to worry about. A variety of courses are available to suit the needs of everyone, and they can save a lot of money and hassle for everyone involved. If you’re finding it hard to make ends meet and are thinking about skimping on your CE courses, don’t do it. Take online courses instead.

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Posted: Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

Server CE courses are much more optional than many other types of continuing education. With certain fields of work, these classes are a must to keep licenses current and ensure that people are at the top of their game at all times. When it comes to the service industry, many more courses are suggested or recommended rather than actually being required by law. Alcohol service certification is usually the only mandatory requirement, but every state has different laws. Additionally, employers might require certain training even when state laws don’t.

Server careers are a great choice, and with the often optional server CE courses, you can put yourself in a better career position than your coworkers with ease. Whether you are taking mandatory courses or classes just for the betterment of your own career, you can utilize online courses very well. These classes are much more affordable than traditional courses and they can offer a wider array of choices of classes that you can take. All in all, online classes offer many benefits to servers and anyone else who needs them, with no real disadvantages to speak of.

Server CE courses online will allow you to pick and choose when you want to learn. The self-paced courses will give you a chance to learn at your own pace rather than sitting in a classroom trying to keep up or getting bored from the slow progress. Plus, when you take courses online, you will interact more with what you are learning, allowing you to learn better and quicker than you might otherwise. What can online courses do for you as a server? The more appropriate question here is probably going to be: what can’t online courses do?

When you’re not faced with a lot of mandatory CE courses, you might think that you’re off the hook. However, being certified and trained is going to give you a chance to get much better jobs and salaries than you would get if you weren’t trained. Therefore, you should check out online server CE courses to see if any are applicable to your job. You might be surprised at what you find, and will probably be rather impressed with what they do for your career. If your employer does require courses, talk to them about taking them online instead, because regardless of who’s paying for them, they cost a fraction of what a typical class costs and provide all the same education and resources in an easier-to-use format.

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Posted: Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
Category: Alcohol & Food Safety

Employers are very detail-oriented when it comes to hiring new people. If you’re unemployed and looking for work, you need to do everything in your power to make sure that you get a new job. While it might seem easier to sit around and wallow in how terrible it is that you don’t have work, it’s not going to do any good. Jobs are scarcer than ever before and there are more people looking than ever. That combination means that you have to work twice as hard to make an impression on employers. In many cases, one of the best ways to do that is to ensure that your service CE is current and that your licensing or certification isn’t expired or close to expiration. When employers are hiring, they are going to hire the person who is ready to go. If your certification expires two weeks after you would be hired, you’re not going to be the first choice.

Many people think that they deserve to be coddled and pitied because they lost their job. It is very unfortunate that people are in this position, but a pity party isn’t going to get anyone anywhere. You need to hear the reality of the situation, no matter how harsh it might be. You need to do whatever it takes to get a job, which includes taking your own CE courses so that your certification doesn’t expire before or soon after you find a new job.

Service industry work is one of the hardest jobs to find right now, for many different reasons. People have less money to spend on the luxuries that your skills are capable of providing, which means that employees aren’t in high demand. Until people start going out more and spending money on frivolous things like dining out again, you’re going to have to fight for the work that you do find. Don’t worry about spending a lot of money either, because you can take courses online for really cheap prices.

Online CE courses will give you the chance to learn what you need to know, refresh your knowledge and skills, and put yourself in a better position to get the job. Put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager. Who would you hire: the person who needs 6 hours of CE within 8 weeks of being hired in order to keep their certification or the person whose CE is current through the next year? It’s an easy decision for employers, and while your experience and other abilities will play a role in the decision, this could very well be the deciding factor.

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