When I first picked up a part-time summer job at a local café the summer before my senior year of high school, I figured it’d be just an easy way to stay busy and make some extra spending money. Little did I know, this job would end up being one of the best learning experiences of my life so far. By the time I left for college after working there for over a year, I had gained more than just some paychecks – I had taken a crash course in life skills that no class could ever teach me. Here’s what I took away from my time behind the counter.
- The art of patience
-
The first thing you learn in any customer service job is to put on a good face even when you don’t feel like it. In fact, patience isn’t just a skill; it’s a survival tactic when it comes to restaurant work. When it was 7 a.m. and a customer was already upset because their everything bagel didn’t have enough “everything” on it, I learned to swallow my frustration (and sarcastic comments) and instead smile and offer them an extra cream cheese packet. I quickly realized that while the customer is definitely not always right, making them feel like they are is half the battle. Over time, I didn’t just fake my patience – I truly developed it.
- People skills 101
-
Nothing teaches you more about people than serving them food, and I swear by the fact that my job was a crash course in sociology. I encountered a wide variety of customers – the stressed mom with three kids clinging to her, the sweet older couple who always split a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup, and the teenagers trying to order frappes while showing off their new debit cards. I began to understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to handling customers; instead, I learned to read people’s moods, adapt my tone, and figure out what they needed, all while making sure I didn’t spill their coffee. It was the kind of practical, real-world education that no textbook can provide.
- The value of a dollar (and a good tip)
-
Suddenly, my many spontaneous Target runs for snacks or fuzzy socks felt less necessary when I realized how much work goes into funding them. As I spent long shifts taking orders, making lattes, and slicing loaves of bread, I began to understand the effort behind every dollar. And when a customer would hand me a cash tip or put a few dollars into the jar on the counter, it felt like an instant morale boost and a little pat on the back. It was a small acknowledgment from a stranger that my effort to brighten their morning or get their order just right didn’t go unnoticed.
- Crisis management in action
-
Customer service jobs are notorious for teaching you how to handle unpredictable situations. Oh, like the many times we ran out of bread bowls during lunch rush, or the day our ceiling started leaking during a heavy rainstorm and I had to heroically move tables around so customers didn’t get splashed. My first work injury (burning my hand on a hot cookie tray – ow) happened while the line at the register was out the door. I learned more about staying calm under pressure during these kinds of shifts than I ever have during a school group project.
- The power of teamwork
-
Yes, it’s cheesy, but it’s true: you can’t run an establishment alone! Throughout my employment, I truly learned how many moving parts go into keeping any place on its feet. If just one person dropped the ball, the whole shift would fall apart (and trust me, that’s not fun). I quickly discovered the importance of working as a team, whether it be the line cooks making sandwiches or the cashiers – like myself – trying to keep the line moving. It was in these high-pressure moments that I developed a camaraderie with my coworkers that no class group assignment could replicate. From sprinting to restock bagels to formulating a plan for lunch rush, we supported each other through even the most chaotic of shifts.
- Real-life multitasking
-
Sure, you can practice multitasking by juggling class assignments or switching between tabs on a laptop, but it’s a whole different ball game when you’re handling a line of hangry customers, slicing bagels by the dozen, and making sure the coffee pot isn’t running empty. It’s a skill that has since translated into every aspect of my life. I learned to keep up with the pace, ensuring no customer was waiting too long and no order was forgotten. Of course, I made plenty of mistakes along the way, and those were some of the best learning experiences of all.
- A new appreciation for kindness
-
It’s not as if I was ever rude to customer service workers before, but since having my own job, I’ve harbored even more respect for them. Now, whenever I’m out and see a frazzled employee rushing around or a harried waiter manning way too many tables, I make sure to thank them – genuinely – because I know exactly how it feels to be overwhelmed and exhausted during a work shift, and that simple “thank you” and palpable appreciation feels like a breath of fresh air.
My work experience truly taught me the joy of a job well done. Although I’ve admittedly learned a lot in school as well, nothing can beat the real life lessons I learned while working behind a counter.