This summer, I had the opportunity to work in a restaurant for the first time in my life. For me, it was a second job to make some money for school during my time at home, but I gained more than just extra cash -- I gained an eye-opening experience. For some, jobs like waiting tables, bussing, and hosting are just temporary positions to try to help with extra cash flow, but for others, it's a way of life. Almost anyone who works in a restaurant would agree that it's not a job for everyone -- despite facing criticism for being "menial", restaurant jobs actually yield serious life experience. Many people could benefit from working in the food industry at least once in their life, and here's a few reasons why.
1. Learning humility.
No matter how great with people you think you are, or how great at multitasking you think you might be, working in a restaurant will be a humbling experience when you have to work with so many different people. Whether you're a host, server, bus boy or girl, or work in the kitchen, you're going to have to understand what your role as a part of the team is. Even if you think you might be great with people, not every customer is going to be your cup of tea, and neither are all of your coworkers. The more aware you are of your weaknesses, the more your strengths will show as a member of the team.
2. Learning how to work under pressure.
Working in a restaurant is a time-sensitive job. The success of a restaurant partially depends on how fast tables can get turned over, and many times a server's income depends on the timeliness of the food, service, and organization of the whole atmosphere. Being able to multitask and help multiple tables at once is not easy, and being able to do that successfully is a great skill that can be applied to other kinds of jobs.
3. Building thick skin.
When you have to work with all different kinds of people, you are sure to run into conflicts within a restaurant job. When you aren't focused and are off your game, both customers and coworkers alike could bring you under fire -- but you just have to roll with it and figure out how to make it better. Customers could get displeased at any amount of different factors, and taking the brunt of that frustration is never fun or anywhere close to enjoyable. Learning how to deal with conflict is a huge part of the experience, and while some (like myself) would rather crawl in a hole and ignore conflict, having the opportunity to handle it will be extremely beneficial in the long run.
Working in a restaurant is a great opportunity for many people to learn how to deal with conflict, work with all types of people, and to be a part of a team. While it has its challenges, the experiences you could gain are beneficial for any future job or career.
