Why Teens Should Work At Restaurants — Here Are 7 Compelling Reasons
My mother used to say “Mommy and Daddy are rich — you are broke.” I was 14 when she said that and truthfully speaking I thought my mom was a b*.
Working in the hospitality industry throughout high school gave me a little insight into adulthood (not in its full spectrum of course because that’s a whole different talk) and taught me the concept of making my own money and spending it carefully.
While it is a stressful time handling school, after-school activities, friends and perhaps dating, adding work to the schedule is a great suggestion by parents.
So props to all the teens out there who are already taking their lives into their own hands!
Let’s break it down.
Here are 7 reasons why teens should work restaurant job at least once in their lives:
BALANCING YOUR SCHEDULE
It makes a milestone of a difference in your life when you learn how to balance out your time wisely at a young age. With school, after-school activities, friends and family the 24 hours are quickly filled up. But being able to squeeze in an after-school or weekend job will truly separate the good from the great.
HANDLING MONEY
When the money comes out of Mommy’s and Daddy’s pocket there’s often little to no motivation to work while in high school (and sometimes beyond that). Everyone remembers the first time they spent money they earned through hard work. It was bittersweet, wasn’t it? You feel proud to be using the money you made, but crunch your teeth a bit while you look at your wallet getting thinner. Letting teens experience this first hand at a young age will teach them how to be more money-conscious.
RESPECT
It is of no doubt that there are countless passionate people pursuing culinary jobs, but there are just as many people who are forced to work in the hospitality industry because they need to make a living for themselves or their families. Letting young people know that life isn’t always a bowl of cherries is important. They will have to do things they don’t want to without complaining. But most importantly it will give them the necessary respect for people with all types of professions.
ATTITUDE & DISCIPLINE
I’ve worked as a server for the longest time during high school and I can say that the most difficult task was to always keep my attitude firm. As a server you are asked to be happy, friendly and attentive at all times. That means on your worse day you have to put on a smile. Being a server will give you the necessary grasp to act like a professional in all situations in the future.
SOZIALIZING
We all know that one guest who has way too many extra wishes and doesn’t know where to stop. The best and worst part about being a server at a restaurant is having or getting to deal with guests. It can be a delight, but also an absolute nightmare. Within a month you should be able to figure out how to handle customers the right way. And most servers gain an amazing quality which always comes in handy later in life: Understanding how to C.O.N.V.E.R.S.E. Making what you say sound exactly like what your counterpart wants to hear while still achieving what you were hoping for.
SAVINGS
As a teen you never really see all the costs that are coming towards you when you leave home. So no one really understands the concept of saving that much as a 16 year old. Until we leave home and life hits us… There’s countless reasons to save, but as a high schooler saving means you can contribute to your college tuition and if your parents are paying all of that, you could use it for hobbys instead of asking for allowance, or paying your own rent, saving for a new card, etc. etc. etc.
EXPERIENCE
All these qualities result in a great addition for your resume. Yes, even if you apply somewhere for a non-hospitality job in the future. Anyone likes to hire a respectful, disciplined, great-attitude and money-conscious employee. People would be surprised how helpful a past experience in a restaurant job can be for interview topics. Better than having an empty resume, right?
