Food service companies sell to all different groups of businesses or facilities. They supply food to restaurants, business cafeterias and schools. They are major suppliers for these places for any of their food service needs, including napkins and cutlery and plates. They can offer bulk supplies for an often discounted price, helping their customers stay within whatever budget they have set.

There are a lot of different positions to help this type of industry move. This is excellent news because it means that they require people of all types of skills to help operations run smoothly. If you are great with customers or an excellent salesperson, there are positions for you. If you are a truck driver or love working in a warehouse, you are also necessary to operations. All different types of people are needed.

Find what your strengths are and look for a job in this industry. It can be a rewarding place to find employment and can often have flexible hours, depending on your position. There is something for everyone here; you just need to find a spot. You do not need any particular level of education or experience for most jobs. This means even a first time job seeker can find something for them to gain valuable work experience.

Job Opportunities

Here are some employment opportunities you can find within this industry:

Sales Associate: They are responsible for working in a particular territory, and are responsible for maintaining current clients in that territory as well as gaining new customers. They must ensure customer satisfaction whenever dealing with their clients. They will take orders from customers and fulfill any of their requests to the best of their ability. The sales associate will introduce any new products to encourage sales. The sales person must also do their best to sell products that the company currently has an excess of. They must attend all sales meetings and meet any sales quotas set by their company. To be a sales associate, you should have excellent interpersonal skills. You must be articulate and have a knack for sales. Since this job requires constant traveling around to customers, a valid driver’s license is necessary as well as a clean driving record. They should be open to work on weekends, as well as during the week to accommodate their clients. You will need a high school diploma or equivalent for this position. A sales person can earn around $46,000 a year.

Warehouse Staff: The staff that works in the warehouse must have the ability to work with heavy machinery, like forklifts. They should also be prepared to work in all parts of the warehouse, including the deep freezers. They will label products and organize inventory so it is easy to find what you are looking for. They often look at invoices and are in charge of retrieving items to fill those orders. They will package and label orders so they can be delivered to the right place. They will organize those boxed orders so the delivery driver can load the truck and deliver the correct items in an efficient manner. They have to follow all company safety procedures to keep themselves and the other workers safe within the warehouse. They are to make sure that the warehouse is always clean and organized for safety precautions. There is no education level required but it is preferred to have completed high school. You must be 18 or old, as a result of the working conditions and requirements. You must also pass a background check and drug test in most companies. This is a physically demanding job and does require a lot of heavy lifting. You can earn around $36,000 a year.

Customer Service Representative: They assist in handling customer orders and filing them. They must work very closely with other staff of the company and often are required to attend sales meetings. They should have knowledge of the products and services offered by their company in order to answer any questions a customer might have. They sometimes will have to deal with unhappy customers and must find a desirable solution for all parties involved. In case of a client having an emergency of needing goods, they must be able to think quickly and find a cost effective way to reach a solution. A high school diploma is preferred for this position as well as experience in the customer service field. They need to be computer literate and have excellent communication skills. A customer service rep can earn around $10 per hour.

Delivery Driver: The delivery driver drives a tractor trailer to deliver the goods to the customers. They have to follow the route information correctly, in order to ensure the deliveries are completed on time as requested by the client. They unload the goods and bring it into the client’s kitchen. Once all items are delivered, they must wait until the customer approves of the order before leaving to do the next delivery. They might also need to pick up payment from client if not prepaid. They also perform returns for the customer and bring the goods back to the warehouse. They need to be at least 21 years old and have a CDL license. They need to have a clean driving record and be able to pass a drug test. A driver can earn between $15-$20 per hour, depending on the company and their experience.

Job Outlook

The growth in this industry is estimated to be around 11%. This is right on track with the national average across other industries. This can be a result of a growth in the necessity of this type of company. This could also be as a result of certain entry level positions having a high turnover rate. This turnover rate could be because people find other jobs in different career paths after gaining valuable job experience here.