Towards the end of my high school career, I got a job at Cold Stone Creamery. At first, I thought it would just be a good way to make some extra cash. Within my first week, though, I quickly realized this would be a job I would always remember because of the lessons that it taught me. Here are some lessons that I learned that will follow me for the rest of my life.
1. How to be patient.
Anyone that has worked or works in food service will forever understand the value of patience. When an angry customer comes in demanding more than you can provide, the best you can do is smile and breathe. Smile and breathe. Smile, and breathe.
2. How to multitask.
During a rush, it seems like everything needs to be restocked, the register acts up, and everyone, not at all conveniently, has a question to ask you. If you want to preserve your sanity, you have to learn to keep up.
3. How to lead.
To keep things running smoothly, there should always be a handful of workers who know the job and can answer most questions. Once you establish yourself as a confident worker who can guide co-workers, shifts go by a lot smoother.
4. How to take critiques.
Nobody is perfect, and everyone messes up. You wont always be doing what’s exactly right, so when your manager makes some suggestions, you have to learn to accept it, respect it, and move on.
5. How to be respectful.
I grew up in the South, so I was always taught to be nice to everyone, even to those who aren’t nice to you. When I started working in food service, this started to apply more than it had ever before. You have to remember that you are serving them, and your job is to make their experience as pleasurable as possible.
6. How to pay attention.
When you’re rushing to get things done, it can be easy to slip up here and there. You have to remember to take a step back and pay attention to what you’re doing, or else make more mistakes than you originally intended.
7. How to communicate.
Customers are likely to get confused and ask questions, especially if they are new to the store. Learning how to explain the system to them without overwhelming them with information is key to making them feel welcome and, most importantly, not at all burdensome.
8. How to stay busy.
This pretty much goes for any job, but I learned it mainly through food service. You don’t get paid to sit around and watch the clock-- you get paid to work, even if you don’t have customers. Being able to find something to do at most times during your shift means you're maximizing your potential as a worker, and that makes the experience so much better.
9. How to be efficient.
Every restaurant/ dining facility has its own set of guidelines for where things go, when things are done, and most importantly, the quickest way to do them. Time is of the essence: the less time you waste being inefficient, the better off you’ll be.
10. How to have fun.
Oddly enough, I met some of my best friends working at my first food service job; dealing with angry customers got a lot easier once I had a support system that helped me laugh it off and move on.
