Vegetarian For Social Justice Seeks Fullfilling Employment

My current dissatisfaction about my job caused me to write the following email in response to an ad for a baker position at an organic bakery in town. I feel kind of silly about it. I'd be surprised if they did anything other than laugh at me, but, in a way it felt good to hash up all my hippie activist tendencies.


"Hi there. I am writing in regards to the pastry cook position you posted on Craigslist. I have a couple of questions about the position that I was hoping you could answer: Is the position full time? What shifts / days are you needing to fill? How much formal baking experience are you looking for?

Let me tell you a bit about myself: I became interested in the social and environmental effects of our eating habits and food systems about six years ago when I was involved in environmental activism in college. I switched to a vegan lifestyle and began thinking deliberately about my food choices. There were not many vegan/vegetarian/organic products where I lived, so I was forced to quickly teach myself to cook almost everything I ate from scratch. A couple years ago, I decided to go from being vegan to vegetarian, but I still hold the same convictions: I believe that the current prevailing industrial food system in the country is unsustainable and environmentally and socially unjust; I believe that local and seasonal food is a large part of the solution; and I believe that the more businesses that commit to environmental and social justice by buying local ingredients and offering viable organic food options for consumers, the closer we come to changing the currently flawed food system.

I moved to Chicago three years ago to get my masters degree in Public Administration, which I completed last year. I've been working for a consulting firm that does research regarding public transit. I sit in an office at a computer all day and write reports and memos about transit. I wanted to get my masters degree and work in the public sector because I wanted to " make a difference." Unfortunately, I've been at my job for about ten months and its not giving me the kind of "I did my part to save the world today" fulfillment that I want. Also, I'm tired of sitting in front of a computer all day long and working in a vacuum. I'm looking for something where my work produces much more tangible results, something where I can interact with people and be part of a team, and something that makes me feel like I'm working to make the world a better, happier place.

I am somewhat familiar with The Bleeding Heart Bakery. I used two of your round cakes as my wedding cake last year. I found you guys after googleing for organic bakeries in Chicago. I wanted my cakes to reflect my and my husband's socially progressive tendencies. The cakes looked great and tasted great. The fact that we were able to feel good about how the cake was made and where it came from, really added something to the occasion.

I don't have any formal cooking or food service experience, but I do have a lot of experience cooking for myself, my friends , and family. I've made bagels, bread, cakes, cookies, pies, pizza dough, and biscuits from scratch in my home kitchen with good to excellent results. I am a quick learner, and I am definitely committed to the ideas of socially and environmentally responsible living. I want a job where the results of my labor are tangible and where I can feel like I'm making a difference and making people happy.

If you are still interviewing for the position and if you think I might be a good fit, I'd love to come in and talk to you in person.

I look forward to hearing from you. E-mail is probably the best way to reach me. Thanks so much!

(My Name)
Aspiring World Changer Through Food :) "