Our first jobs set the stage for all our future professions, teaching us what we like in work, don't like and what we can or can't do. My first job was in a restaurant, working as a host and a server. Anyone who has worked in the restaurant business can tell you it's not always a fun job. The stress of a Friday night with a full floor is one of the most overwhelming situations I've personally ever been in. But, even though a lot of the time I become frustrated, I have learned a lot and have improved my skills during my time as a server.
Being a server requires you to remember a lot.
Not only do you have to know what specials are being offered, along with the normal items on the menu, including what is in them and how they are served, but you also have to remember what is happening during that shift. Your current tables' orders, who is working what other section, what food in the back is going to what table and all of this is changing constantly. It takes a while to get used to! While working in the restaurant, I had to improve my memory. It's really benefited me in college and in other aspects of my life.
Probably the hardest part about serving is the people you have to deal with.
People complain about the simplest things and never realized that they usually aren't my only customers. Working in a restaurant has really taught me how to manage my patience. Many times I wanted to say something rude or cut the quality of someone's service, but I couldn't, and I didn't, and this usually caught the attention of my boss. Dealing with the picky and rude people has made it so much easier for me to deal with rudeness in my daily life.
Multitasking is a critical skill
Like I mentioned before, there's a lot of stuff to remember while working a shift. Combine this with running food, taking orders, helping clean off tables and other odd jobs, you really have to become good at multitasking. While working, it expanded my threshold of how much I could handle. This has benefited me so much as life constantly throws things my way, especially now that I'm having to balance work, school and a social life. I'm able to balance all these things and will be continue to balance things in life later on because I was forced to multitask while serving.
Teamwork is better for everyone
Sometimes multitasking would get hard to handle. When you're having to run food to a table, take the order of another while also doing your side work, sometimes you have to ask for help. When you work as a server, you usually have at least two other people on the floor with you. This is your team, giving you the support you need when you get a little overwhelmed. You're also there for them when they are busy. Working as a team is crucial to restaurant business. When one person slacks, it affects everyone. This is applicable to other jobs, school and life in general. Especially when you don't get along with someone but still have to help them. When you have to work a job that is extremely benefited by team work, you have to put aside your differences because you see how easy the work becomes when you do.
If you would have asked me during any of my shifts if I loved serving, I probably would have answered "no" without any hesitation. However, looking back, I see how it helped me become a better person in all sorts of aspects of my life. Serving people in a restaurant helped me grow in life, and for that I'm ever thankful.
