First Job Idea

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

OK, so for as long I can remember I have been ill. It has prevented me from working for years. But following a second opinion, my meds will be changed and hopefully for the better. If all goes to plan, I'll be back in the workforce in a month or so.

So I was thinking, for a first job, why not as simple one? Like being a waiter in a major chain? The pay is ok, the hours convenient (evenings only, no early mornings), the tips can be good (as long as you keep smiling!) and the job simple (not easy as such, just straight forward.)

Thoughts? I just have to learn how to carry three dishes at one time!

 

[barkley]

it takes allot of stamina so are you up to constant activity on your feet for however many hours per days the job calls for? it's something to consider for any return to work after even a shorter term period of disability.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

it takes allot of stamina so are you up to constant activity on your feet for however many hours per days the job calls for? it's something to consider for any return to work after even a shorter term period of disability.

That is a concern. I'd be on my feet for hours at a time, never letting up, always grinning like a fool

 

[JimMIA]

The other problem is that it can be pretty stressful work, I think. I've never waited tables, but from what I've seen (especially in busy chain restaurants) you are constantly running back and forth trying to keep up with both the kitchen and the customers. And I suspect neither managers nor customers are always pleasant.

 

[georgina]

I worked at a Denny's the summer after I graduated high school. HATED it and quit as soon as I found another job. I worked 3-11, and they were always short staffed, so we were scrambling to serve all our tables and people would get mad. Then they kept asking me to stay on until 3 AM to serve the after bar crowd. Ugh.

 

[Travel60]

Yeah, no. I grew up in the restaurant business and it is tough work. The new, need-to-be- trained folks don't get the best shifts and people can be surly.

You don't say what your training, education or interests are so it's hard to make a suggestion. Maybe something lower key....an office job, an assistant at something you could train for or perhaps retail.

 

[mrodgers]

Do yourself a favor and go out tomorrow morning early and just people watch all day. That should cure any thought of working with the public which you'll have in restaurant or retail work.

 

[slo]

First….good luck to you. I hope you can find something that works out well for you.

Second….I think a waiter may not be your best bet for your first job. The public can be cruel to servers, and you don’t want that after not working due to illness. I’d start out at a Target, Home Depot, Menards or etc. Its still working with the public, but not like a server.

 

[disykat]

Waiting tables involves lots of multi-tasking and is by no means easy.

 

[amcnj]

Many years ago now, when I was 25, I was in need of an interim job and became a server at a chain location that was newly opening in my area. Overall it was a positive experience for me. I enjoyed my coworkers, and being involved in opening a new restaurant helped us bond. The money was better than the hourly compensation being offered at alternatives.

Of course I can’t speak to what such a position is like today. But I have fond memories of my time there which makes me occasionally ask myself if I should try it again. However, it may only be a wish to recapture a part of my youth, and today I would only appear to be a young server again if the position was at a geriatrics facility dining hall.

 

[Tattylou]

I waited tables all through college. I made better money than working retail and being in a busy/fast paced environment made the shifts go by fast. It wasn’t easy necessarily bc it can get hectic when it is busy, but it was certainly pretty straight forward as far as expectations.

 

[mjkacmom]

All 3 of my daughters work/worked at restaurants. My oldest’s friend’s parents owned a big restaurant, so they let her be a server right away. The others had to bus or hostess fir a year first. My next one was a hostess and two different restaurants for a couple of summers and then a counter girl for a year at college before she got a server/bartender position. My youngest daughter was a counter girl on weekends all last year, will pick up shifts during college breaks and will probably be a server this summer. My daughters are young so once they got some restaurant experience they were able to get a serving job anywhere, which is great in college where you are part time/seasonal. I did it in college and still have PTSD, it’s not easy or stress free. My parents knew the owner of a big chain restaurant, so they let me work with no experience. Yikes.

 

[Pink Partridge]

Would you consider being a para professional or a one on one aide to a special needs child at a public elementary school? No previous experience necessary. No degree necessary. They will train you.

And according to my many teacher friends: Very much in demand right now.

 

[Skippy918]

Many companies have remote positions nowadays. What’s your skill set and prior experience? I know Amazon hires remote workers.

 

[GreatLakes]

I wouldn't call waiting tables easy. What is your training in (degree, past experience, etc)? What did you do before you got ill? I would base your new job on your past experience more than a new industry you think might be "easy".

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Would you consider being a para professional or a one on one aide to a special needs child at a public elementary school? No previous experience necessary. No degree necessary. They will train you.

And according to my many teacher friends: Very much in demand right now.

Public schools definitely need staff right now! Cafeteria workers, yard duty support, custodial, crossing guards, etc. are always in demand. If interested, check the openings and education/experience requirements in your area. For special ed aides, my district requires at least an Associate's degree (Bachelor's desired). People without a degree can still be hired but must first pass a test.

 

[Allison]

I think you misunderstand the work involved. It is not easy.

 

[Planogirl]

How are you at talking? Phone customer service might be something to consider. The pay ranges widely and so do the hours.

 

[disykat]

My first "real" job at 15 was fast food in high school. After that I worked retail. I waitressed one summer in college at a fancy restaurant that was only open limited hours. Tips were good and it was great to make more money, but it was definitely higher stress than working a cash register. Breakfast was insane. There were a lot of preps the wait staff did ourselves like making toast, plating pastries and bagels, pouring juice, making hot chocolate, etc. in a addition to all the regular stuff - taking orders, delivering drinks and food, getting used plates etc. off the table, keeping water glasses full, checking in, etc. (People would say "we're in a hurry so we'll just have juice and toast, etc. and that meant we'd have to plate their whole table ourselves while keeping up with our other tables.) At dinner we plated dinner salads and desserts, dressed the baked potatoes when ordered and the worst - filleted the fish at the table! I'm a good multi-tasker so I enjoyed it, but the first few days were nerve wracking! People expect good service when they're paying good money. I worked split shifts with less hours overall, but made more money. With that experience, I got a job working banquets at my college and loved that - it was mostly buffets or limited menus, so it was a lot of pouring coffee etc. but usually no tips unless the customer who paid left a group tip.

I'd definitely recommend starting as a hostess or busser. Another option, one that both my boys did for their first job is waiting tables someplace really casual like a summer camp, etc. where you deliver food then bus after they leave the table.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I don't want to be a Negative Nancy, but from what I hear waiting tables is one of the most stressful and demanding jobs you can have, I think it would be anything but simple. I know people who work in high stress jobs like social work that say, it is less stressful than working as wait staff in a restaurant.

I don't know how many hours you want to work, or what your qualifications are, but you might look into banking. A lot of places are looking for part time and fulltime tellers. That can be a bit stressful, but if you pay your dues as a teller for a while, you can work your way into something that pays more and is less stressful pretty quickly. When working for a bank, you are at least guaranteed major holidays off, and at least Sunday off. A lot of people do work Saturdays for a half day (some by choice, others by rotation) especially on the teller lines.