On contrary to popular opinion, being a server might not be your next easy-going gig. Although the job comes with a lot of perks including flexible work hours, nice tips, and whatnot, it also teaches you some hard and meaningful life lessons. When you’re dealing with people, you’re always learning something new. Whether they’re your superiors, colleagues, or customers, there is something different to learn from every human being. Additionally, nowadays servers are also being paid well, as their importance is getting clearer in the food/restaurant industry.
So, if you’re thinking of working as a server and want to know about some facts to consider before becoming a server, and what you’re in for, continue to read these life lessons that this line of work has to offer!
1. Teamwork
One of the most important life lessons you can learn from being a server is teamwork. Working in the restaurant industry makes you realize the utmost importance of one thing, and that’s teamwork. As a server, if you’re able to be friends with bussers, hostesses, bartenders, and chefs, it will benefit you in long run. When you’re running around crazily, going from one table to another, your friends (who’re free at the moment) might be able to help you. On the other hand, if you help out another server bring out his food when he’s busy, he might help you in return some other time. Always be friendly with your coworkers and remain mindful about returning the favors!
2. Self-respect
When you’re working as a server, mostly and unfortunately, you’re treated like a lowly being and not considered on par with the other employees. Whenever you are being ordered around, looked down upon, or criticized during work hours, remind yourself that you’re just as worthy of love and respect as a restaurant’s manager. The important thing is to respect yourself when others don’t. Remind yourself that you’re hardworking, beautiful, and smart, and those who look down on you are just not content with their own beings.
3. Non-judgmental Attitude
One of the most important life hacks that only being a server can teach you is to not judge others. Do not form your judgmental opinions about anyone, based on their appearances or work positions. Most probably, customers will judge you because of the stereotypes surrounding servers, but don’t take those comments to the heart. Just because someone is serving tables, doesn’t mean he or she doesn’t belong to a decent college or a nice family background, and even someone doesn’t fill all these criteria, there is absolutely nothing WRONG here. Take this life lesson with you, outside your work life, and try to be more compassionate and empathetic towards other people.
4. Multi-tasking
While working as a server, before you notice, you learn how to refill table 1’s drink, take table 2’s order, meanwhile drop table 3’s bill, all at once. To get through challenging times, multi-tasking is the most important life hack. Serving on multiple tables can be an extremely challenging task, especially if one table gives you a special task on top of the regular ones. The ability to control your nerves, manage the time slot, stay calm, and set priorities straight is a huge positive side of being a server. It teaches you a very valuable set of skills.
5. Self-Control
Working in the customer service sector means learning self-control. Being a server means dealing with annoying customers, mood swings of your manager and fellow employees. There must be times when you feel like throwing food at customers or taking a stand for yourself, but you suppress those emotions and instead, control yourself. To ‘keep your job’ and also be in the good books of your superiors, you’ve to control yourself and not fall victim to the raging emotions. Sometimes, it might not be the best coping strategy, but it is a great life hack that only a server’s job can teach you.
6. Communication Skills
Every server becomes an excellent communicator over time. If being a server teaches you one thing, it’s how to communicate with people effectively. While working in a restaurant, you make a lot of friends along the way, whether it be the new guests you hit it off with, or the wonderful colleagues, who don’t let you feel alone. Using psychological hacks for getting more tips, working amidst the fire of social interactions, and talking to customers at the table, can help you develop a sense of ease when communicating with people from different walks of life.
7. Patience
Those long-lasting minutes, when the very last table has been paid for over half an hour, and the customers just won’t get up. The work dynamics of a server are super-fast, but sometimes, you wait. All you do is wait. Firstly, you wait for the guests to decide on the menu, and after they are done eating, you wait for hours and listen to their bickering about who’s going to clear the bills. This job teaches you to be patient with people. It also means being patient with yourself, because if you lose control, no one’s going to take the blame and you’ll end up losing the job. Patience really is a virtue and a great life lesson that being a server can teach you!
8. Stress Management
Being a server means finishing your shift without panicking, and not giving in to the momentarily stress. When you’re serving the customers at one table, meanwhile second table asks for a spoon and a third one also finds a reason to call you out, you might as well just want to scream and run away. Well, surprise, you or not any other server can do that! All you got to do is manage the stress and keep functioning at your best selves. However, good stress management comes with time and also teaches you to be an organized server. This skill is essential to stay calm in different and challenging life situations.
9. Hard Work Pays Off
The greatest of greatest life hacks, that most people preach but don’t believe it themselves, i.e. ‘hard work always pays off’. As a server, you need to believe in your hard work and always expect good from life. No matter how annoying that customer’s baby you had to deal with was, or that last customer of the night who just won’t get off the seat, the feeling of walking out with $250 after the four-hour shift will always make the struggle worth it. Nothing feels better than giving your all to something and receiving instant rewards.
10. Own Your Choices
Let’s be honest. Most of your relatives and friends will be telling you that you’re ‘too smart’ to be a server and whatnot. This can do two things for you, i.e. either irritate you or secure your pride in whatever you do. Make sure that it’s the second one and you end up taking pride in your line of work. Being a server teaches you to own your choices and not be apologetic for having a job that doesn’t fit society’s definition of ‘standard’. Constantly witnessing such ignorant people and their opinions only make you more secure in your future endeavors and minimize the urge to be accepted by other people.
Learn All the Life Hacks – By Being a Server
Working as a server does not merely revolve around saying ‘yes’ to your superior or serving tables. It goes beyond what’s on the surface and teaches you a lot of life lessons. You do not only manage to secure easy cash, but meet different people every day, hear exciting stories, learn about the intricacies of the food industry, hacks for improving your service, and in general, how to behave around people and manage unpleasant situations. Learning all these life hacks, you actually manage to SERVE in real life too!