Analyze this! Product Analysts find fun job interesting and satisfying
Author by Anonymous
Bartlesville, OK December 7 2003–“2004 is going to start out with a bang for us,” says Kathleen Pillsbury Rutledge, president and CEO of 21st Sensory, Inc. located in Bartlesville. “Our phone hasn’t stopped ringing and it’s going to be very busy going forward into the new year.”
Faced with this enviable situation, Rutledge soon realized that she was going to have to expand her already growing group of product analysts also known as panelists. “The current group of trainees began in October, but we are finding that we will need more panelists to accomplish the work we have in the near future.” She started training a new group of panelists December 1st.
A panelist is trained to judge hundreds of foods, beverages and ingredients for flavor, aroma, texture and appearance. Each panelist undergoes 100 hours of training before being allowed to test foods. Initial screening involves identifying scents which are placed on cotton balls inside of jars. The jar is opened and sniffed and the applicant must correctly determine what it is that they smell. Additionally, panelists must be able to give good verbal descriptions of what they sense and taste in foods. Because the analysis of the foods is so precise, the panelists must be non-smokers and come from non-smoking households.
Panels are conducted in the morning and in the afternoon. “It’s not our desire to have our panelists work both the morning and afternoon session,” Rutledge says “but our current group of panelists has really stepped up to help with the amount of business we have. It’s an amazing group of people who exhibit extraordinary teamwork.”
“Each and every person is smart, competent, and conscientious – daily contributing individual strengths towards a common goal in invaluable, and sometimes surprising, ways,” says Jamie Kane, a panel leader who has been with the company for five years. “Our panelists are performing consistently at the highest level of expertise I have ever seen,” Kane says, “and it is so gratifying to be a part of their process.”
Donna Baughn was looking for a part-time job that worked around school hours and she has now been with 21st Sensory for five years. Baughn began as a panelist and is now a panel leader. “I had friends who worked here and the position sounded really, really interesting,” she says. “Every project is different. I enjoy knowing that I’m helping companies make a decision about their products. I also get a lot of satisfaction taking a project from start to finish.”
Newer to the company, Maribeth Dixon has been a panelist for one year. She heard about the position from three ladies in her church who talked about what a fun and interesting job they had and she decided to apply. “I am amazed by how much I have learned about food,” Dixon said, “about how much I didn’t know.”
21st Sensory was founded in 1994 to conduct descriptive flavor analysis but has grown both in size and scope over the years. Today, with over 100 customers, 21st Sensory also conducts consumer testing and testing services for non-food companies. For further information visit us on the web at http://www.21stsensory.com or call 918-333-1011.
