The funny thing about adulthood is that you start thinking about issues you've never thought about before, and then you gain a whole new perspective on them. Recently, I found myself inevitably falling into this pattern, which never fails to excite me. It simply means that I am moving forward and growing as an individual, and that's always a plus.
However, with age comes harsh realities and heavy realizations we all eventually must face.
These realizations occur in every possible area of life: love, family, health and even our careers.
At the tender age of 16, I was just a fledgling entering the hospitality industry. Not long after starting, I was harshly reprimanded by a customer who was obviously in the wrong. And yet, there were no other options but for me to apologize profusely. Afterward, I ranted to my co-worker about the whole incident and all he said was, "A hostess is not a respectable job."
Being a hostess during that period gave me more than I could ever ask for: the ability to be more articulate and communicate effectively, the confidence to speak to complete strangers and maintain conversations without being overly awkward and the ability to multi-task, which I have always struggled with. Most importantly, it gave me overall job satisfaction.
Just try walking a family in and keeping an eye on available tables, while simultaneously checking on occupied tables and making a mental note to clear them later. Then you'll understand exactly what I mean.
(On a side note, working in the service industry is something every person should try once in their lifetime. Even if the job scope doesn't sound spectacular and glamorous, you would definitely be more appreciative and understand the importance of having good mannerisms.)
So what classifies as a respectable job? Could it be a job that requires a college degree or specialized knowledge? Or does it only include "professional" titles, like doctor, lawyer or engineer?
It isn't a surprise, but respectability and job professionalism are actually dependent on one another.
The more professional your job title sounds, the higher the chance is of being envied and respected by strangers who may not understand what you do for a living. It's superficial, but at the same time, it's stone-cold reality.
To make matters worse, jobs are often categorized as non-professional and professional. According to Career Trend, jobs can only be determined as professional if certain skill sets are needed (and those often involved academic prowess). On the other hand, unprofessional jobs are repetitive and require manual labor.
In fact, most jobs that are classified as professional by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics do require an associate degree or higher. Meanwhile, those deemed as non-professional normally do not require a college degree. Instead, on-the-job training is often provided.
It's frustrating and demoralizing to realize that we are all unknowingly subjected to this ridiculous, unspoken standard that tells us the only way to be deemed professional is to be in certain "niche" fields.
Isn't that equivalent of telling people to simply submit to the idea that their professions will never earn the respect they deserve?
The job scopes and duties of a hostess may be commonplace and repetitive, but the feeling of exhilaration is undeniable. I felt prepared and even excited about any challenges. I even looked forward to difficult customers, despite how insufferable they can be.
I gained recognition for my job performance as a hostess and was acknowledged for my work ethic. Work can be a source of essential elements in life: the ability to grow, a sense of purpose, self-esteem and most importantly, self-respect.
The most vital factor of being a professional is self-respect.
If even you don't respect yourself and your job, don't bother trying to gain respect from others.
One of the main reasons people stop believing in and pursuing their passions is society's perception of what counts as professional.
Seriously, all this nonsense needs to be stopped. And people should start by educating themselves.
Stop belittling yourself and start respecting your career. Be proud of what you are doing and own it.
Less talk, more work. Let's prove society wrong together.
