During my senior year of high school, I got a job working at Rax Roast Beef, a fast food restaurant. Working at a fast food restaurant was much more than flipping burgers and washing dishes. I took away valuable life skills after working at Rax for almost a year. I enjoyed working and made friendships throughout my time there. Here are some of the most valuable skills I took away from the job:
1. Time management.
Throughout each shift I had certain duties that had to be done before I left. I had to manage my time wisely to make sure I got everything done that was needed. Some days were easier than others depending on how busy the restaurant got. This has helped me in college budget my time more wisely.
2. Responsibility.
Really any job teaches responsibility and because this was my first job, I really learned a lot about being responsible. This wasn't like school where I could say I wasn't feeling well then hand in a note the next day, excusing me from my absence (I've also learned I can't do that in college either). I was expected to show up and do my job during my assigned shifts. I believe this was the most valuable tool that I took away from my job.
3. Multitasking.
I learned how to multitask real quick. During a busy shift everyone would be doing five things at once and it was important to do all five of those things correctly. I could be taking an order at the drive thru, while counting out change for someone at the window, while filling someone's drink. I learned how to balance doing many things at one time.
4. People skills.
I mostly worked the drive thru window during my shift, which gave me the opportunity to interact with different people. I loved this aspect of the job and it helped me develop my communication skills. I know we all get frustrated when a fast food place gets our order wrong, but hey cut them some slack. It can be hard to hear a person through a drive thru speaker.
5. Prioritization.
Priorities, priorities, priorities. Along with multitasking, I had to prioritize which things needed to be done. Some things are more urgent than others and it is important to take care of those things first. At one point I was working, running track and going to school. I was doing a whole lot of multitasking and prioritizing.
6. I can make a bomb milkshake.
This one is self explanatory and if you have never had a Rax milkshake I feel bad for you. Making a great milkshake is, "all in the wrist," as my coworker Alex would say.
7. Manners.
Since I was interacting with people throughout my shift I had to use proper manners. Although I have been through some drive thru's where manners were not at the top of their priority list. However, I tried to be as polite as possible and for the most part people were very polite back. It's a give and take, treat others nice and they will treat the same.
8. Being productive.
There is always something productive you can be doing. Organize the stock shelves, clean the grill, sweep, wipe tables, etc. I have taken this skill and applied it to my school work. There's no sense in just sitting on my phone when I have homework I could be doing. I'm still improving on this one, but getting better each day.
