Jake Karls is Co-Founder and Chief Rainmaker at Midday Squares, a Better-For-You chocolate and snacking brand now sold in over 10,000 stores across North America.

In today's episode, we talk about what it actually looks like to build a career on relationships instead of resumes, how to network without an agenda, and why your story matters more than you think, even if you don't feel like you have one yet.

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Shownotes

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Intro

00:20 – Meet Jake Karls

07:37 – Networking Without Feeling Fake

10:39 – Why Your Resume Isn't Enough

12:30 – Finding What Makes You, You

14:16 – Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

17:56 – Mentorship You Already Have Access To

20:39 – Using Social Media For Good

21:44 – What To Say At A Networking Event

24:46 – What Actually Makes A Good Story

27:30 – Why Facts Alone Don't Land

28:38 – Dealing With Online Haters

30:22 – What's Next For Midday Squares

34:54 – Final Advice For Students

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📙 Career Guides
💭 Career Advice

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CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST

💼 Jake Karls LinkedIn

💼 Midday Squares LinkedIn
🌐 Midday Squares Website

CONNECT WITH US
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💼 LinkedIn

Tony Wong is the Plant Manager at 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters, a specialty coffee roastery in Vancouver that supplies retail chains, independent cafes, and a growing e-commerce operation across Canada.

In this episode, we talk about what plant management actually looks like in a food and beverage manufacturing setting, how speciality coffee is actually made and how a food science background in quality can lead you into a path in operations.

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Shownotes

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

02:21 - About Tony's Food Job

04:36 - What Are KPIs?

06:00 - How Coffee Beans Are Processed

09:23 - Quality Control and Cupping

11:40 - About Coffee Roasting

17:00 - Quality and Safety Above Profits

19:23 - Tony's Career Path: QA to Operations

21:37 - Why He Stayed in Operations

24:01 - Food Safety Background as an Asset

26:17 - Skills Needed in His Role

35:37 - Role Evolution and Financial Skills

38:01 - Learning from Subject Matter Experts

40:24 - Networking and Asking Questions

41:50 - Advice to His Younger Self

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📙 Career Guides
💭 Career Advice

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CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST

💼 Tony Wong LinkedIn

💼 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters LinkedIn
🌐 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters Website

CONNECT WITH US
📸 Instagram
🎵 TikTok
💼 LinkedIn

Veronica Hislop sits down with Olga Cenic, HR Manager at Voortman Bakery, to talk resumes, interviews, mentorship, and the overlooked ways students can break into food manufacturing - all in part three of FoodGrads' HR mini series! Olga Cenic is the HR Manager at Voortman Bakery - a 75-year-old cookie and wafer manufacturer in Burlington, Ontario, and home to the number one sugar-free wafer in North America.

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Shownotes

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De Lacy Executive Recruitment offers professional recruitment services for employers and candidates in agriculture and food. As a candidate, De Lacy will provide career development advice, career consulting, as well as preparation for interview success. Open communication, confidentiality, and complete transparency are a priority for De Lacy consultants — check out De Lacy Executive Recruitment for more information on exciting opportunities!

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TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Episode Intro
02:57 - What HR Looks For In New Hires
03:43 - LinkedIn Strategy
05:00 - Foot in the Door
06:36 - About Voortman Bakery
09:01 - Culture & COVID
11:49 - Co-op Programs
14:11 - Sanitation Crew Opportunity
16:28 - Temporary Agencies Explained
21:34 - Resume Tips
29:33 - What Is Mentorship?
38:00 - Interview Tips
40:52 - Questions to Ask
43:00 - Following Up After Interviews
45:00 - Assessing Company Culture
49:12 - Final Advice

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📙 Career Guides
💭 Career Advice

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CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST

💼 Olga Cenic LinkedIn

💼 Voortman Cookies LinkedIn
🌐 Voortman Bakery Website

CONNECT WITH US
📸 Instagram
🎵 TikTok
💼 LinkedIn