I always think, “that job is the coolest!” The people who visit the winery are always in a good mood…they show up to taste wine, for winery tours, and for summer concerts. Working at a winery has to be the exact opposite of working customer service at an airport where visitors are not always happy campers. But I digress…

JobMonkey thinks you should check out a special job board highlighting the wine business. Also, take a look at our wine jobs content section for all kinds of industry info – job descriptions, wine education programs, and more.

Find current wine industry employment opportunities on the new job board. When you visit look through several pages of search results. USE THE KEYWORD SEARCH OPTION — search for ‘tasting room’ ’sommelier’ and ‘wine’ for instance.

Just a little FYI that JobMonkey has recently updated its section on Wine Jobs to include several articles on the job of a Wine Sommelier.

At fine restaurants, wine sommeliers help patrons select wines that compliment their food, ensure that proper stemware is provided, and open, decant and serve wines. You would also work in the kitchen with the chef to match wines with cuisine. Administratively, you would be responsible for inventorying and ordering wines, updating wine lists, and — most fun of all — discovering new vineyards and wines to offer at the restaurant.

To learn more, including where to find sommelier jobs , classes for sommeliers, and the salary range for a sommelier, check out the new JobMonkey section!

Of course, for the job seeker, the race for your next job never really ends until that golden offer is in hand! Even still, take a few hours to enjoy your family’s feast (I know I will!)… but then be sure to get right back to business.

Here’s a good starting point: I’ve got three stellar Hot Jobs for you from JobMonkey’s free database.  There is an opening with the Environmental Protection Agency in Atlanta, a morning anchor job in Illinois, and an association marketing manager position with a wine group in Chicago.  Read on for more information about these assignments.  If none of these jobs fit the bill, be sure to check out the plethora of other free listings at the JobMonkey cool job board.

1. Geospatial Information Management Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Atlanta, GA
The EPA is looking for a college graduate to earn six-figures as a Geospatial Information Management Specialist. The primary responsibility of the Specialist is to support ecosystem protection through internal and external access to geospatial data.  Job duties include management, coordination and distribution of geospatial information resources through desktop applications that support ecosystem protection through improved internal and external access to geospatial data. To learn more about the job or to apply for the position, visit the EPA Career website.

2. Morning Anchor, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Champaign, IL
NewsChannel 15 in Champaign, Illinois is looking for a morning anchor for its two-hour morning newscast. The right candidate will have at least two to three years of anchoring and reporting experience and be able to assume wide responsibility in helping to write and to produce the newscast. Strong writers with sharp news judgment and a great team work ethic are encouraged to apply. To learn more about the position or to apply for the position, visit the Sinclair Broadcasting Group website.  You will need to send an audition in the form of a non-returnable DVD.

3. Associate Marketing Manager, Terlato Wine Group, Chicago, IL
The Terlato Wine Group is looking for an Associate Marketing Manager to assist in the development and implementation of marketing plans that will improve the volume and profitability of assigned brands.

The person will contribute towards the development of strategic brand marketing plans; support the development and execution of tactical plans for multiple brands; provide on-going support to field sales teams; and contribute to the development and maintenance of the Brand positioning. The ideal candidate will have a B.A. in marketing with three to five years of work experience.  Candidates with an MBA will be given preferential treatment. Apropos to our discussion here last week about transferable skills, the job ad also includes a great list of “key competencies” (AKA transferable skills). To learn more about the position, or to apply for the job, visit the Terlato Wine Group’s Career Page on their website.

If working in the White House isn’t in the cards for you, however, read on: I’ve got three great opportunities for you that were culled from JobMonkey’s free job database. And if none of these gigs are right for you, you can conduct your own extensive search on the database.  It is updated daily and has dozens of new jobs every week.

#1. Ski & Ride School Inside Foreman, Winter Park Resort, Winter Park , CO
There are a ton of ski jobs in the database this week, including this one for a Ski & Ride School Inside Foreman at the Colorado Winter Park Resort.  The seasonal job, which starts on November 17 and runs through April 19, is responsible for the Kids Ski and Ride School 3-4 year old room. Duties include, but are not limited to, organizing and supervising indoor staff; controlling operating expenses; and organizing, training and evaluating staff. The ideal candidate must be at least 18 years of age and a high school graduate, with experience working with young children ages 3-17. Other necessary skills include computer and scheduling experience, budget and finance/accounting experience, and at least one year of supervisory/coordinator experience with children’s ski school.  Benefits of the position include a free ski pass for Winter Park, Copper and Steamboat, and discounts on retail/rentals and food and beverage. To apply for the position, visit the employment section of the Winter Park website.

#2. Sr. Programmer Analyst, Ernest & Julio Gallo, Modesto, CA
Okay, now, here is an unusual juxtaposition of job requirements: Wine lover… And nerd.  If you fit the bill so far, read on.   The winery Ernest & Julio Gallo is looking for a college graduate to help them formulate and define systems scope and objectives, analyze business procedures and problems, and develop specifications and convert them to application code. (Huh?) The ideal candidate will have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree plus 3 years (prefer 5 years) of experience in programming analysis, software engineering, or software development. He or she will also have experience with the PeopleSoft project promotion process, SQR, App Engine, and workflow development, and possess a good understanding of the HRMS application and tables.

To learn more about this top level position with one of America’s biggest selling wineries, check out the job description at the Ernest & Julio Gallo website.

#3. Spring Intern 2009, Time Warner, Syracuse, NY
Several weeks ago, I talked about the importance of college internships in terms of figuring out what you want to do with your life (professionally speaking) and getting a head start on your resume.  If you are currently searching for the right internship opportunity, there are a host of great ones for the spring semester at Time Warner Inc.  Positions include internships with the following departments: Web, News, Sports, Marketing and Operations. Candidates for these highly competitive internships must receive academic credits for the internship assignment; have strong interpersonal, verbal/written communication skills, leadership and organizational abilities; demonstrate an interest in journalism and news; and be able to commit 24 hours per week to the internship.  Applicants with coursework and/or previous internship experience in communications, journalism or related field are preferred. To apply for one of these internships, visit the Time Warner website.

Imagine spending your days working in the vineyards, cultivating the perfect grape.

Or blending an award-winning Cabernet. Or pouring a flawless glass of Sauvignon Blanc as a sommelier.

It sounds exciting, exotic and possibly even a little inebriating, right? But jobs in the steadily growing wine industry aren’t all fancy wine and cheese parties.  Most wine jobs require long hours, advanced education and years of experience — and no, I don’t mean the kind of experience you got in college from drinking like a fish.

The true wine connoisseur might want to consider a winemaking career. These jobs demand extensive education and a finely honed entrepreneurial instinct. Vineyards offer lifelong career opportunities, some — but not all — of which require advanced degrees.

On the business-side of wine making, there are numerous options, such as wine sales, marketing and finance (all of which typically require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, some professional experience and in-depth knowledge of the industry). Hospitality and retail jobs are also abundant, and can be an excellent foot in the door of this coveted industry.

Another huge plus of working in the wine industry (aside from free samples at work) is that it’s a relatively recession-proof choice even in these turbulent economic times. In fact, WineBusiness.com recently reported that salaries in the wine businesses went up an average of 3.8% during the first quarter of 2008. (And by the way, Wine Business is a great resource about all things wine job-related if you want to learn more about this effervescent industry!)

Now for some of you, bliss probably involves the perfect glass of wine. While I don’t recommend drinking on the job, there’s no reason that you can’t find a job in the wine industry if that is your true passion. The even better news is that while the rest of the country is experiencing downturns and scale-backs, the wine industry has actually reported growth in its ‘08 first quarter earnings. All this means that the time has never been better to look for a job in the wine industry. Check out JobMonkey’s section on Wine Industry Jobs to learn everything you need to know about finding your bliss.