Career Advice on How to Become A Waiter or Waitress
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General Career Information
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Becoming a waiter or a waitress can be considered a calling in that one has to be drawn to the notion of serving others. In particular, as a waiter or waitress, you will be drawn to help others consume great amounts of high-fat food, shorten their life span’s and waste a great deal of food in the process. This job is not for everyone.
But if you hear that tiny voice beaconing and drawing you forward, a career in the hectic and fast-paced world of the waiter and waitress may be in your future… if you have the courage that is.
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Career Facts:
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Like many who feel a calling to serve others, the waiter and waitress is often called upon to accept a life of poverty as a result. The American landscape is littered with these self-sacrificing souls who work the nations restaurants, truck stops and various horror film inspiring “holes in the walls.” These institutions exist in the hearts of America’s cities and outlining “real American” locations in the middle of nowhere.
The job of the waiter and waitress is, on one level, straight-forward. One is required to take an order from what is often a mean-spirited person who is venting, and take that order to the cooks and chefs who process order. Once the order has been taken, it must then be retrieved and sent to the customer who has, hopefully, waited patiently.
At restaurants with large menus, the job can become more complicated. Waiters and waitresses are forced to remember a considerable amount of different items. Computerization of the process is becoming increasingly common, but is far from ubiquitous.
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Career Opportunities and Job Outlook- Average:
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| The job outlook for waiters and waitresses is expected to be about average between now and 2016. |
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A Day in The Life:
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| The average day for the waiter or waitress is spent, carrying lots of heavy plates to tables, dealing with rude and incredibly rude people, defending off unwanted advances, being left little or no tips and spending a great deal of time on his or her feet. In short, it is not a dream. However, depending upon the establishment, the potential to make a surprisingly decent amount of money in the form of tips does exist. |
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Average Salary:
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| The average salary for a waiter or waitress is about $7 per hour. However, this number can vary greatly depending upon the type of establishment one is working at and the number and levels of tips per working shift. Obviously, waiters and waitresses working at fine dining establishments will make quite a bit more money. |
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Career Training and Qualifications:
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| Having at least a decent memory is a big plus for working as a waiter or a waitress. Even if one writes everything down, it is always possible to forget a napkin, straw, slice of lemon or any of a thousand other items that customers might request. |
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