Work as a waitress seems to many to be simple and at the same time highly paid. But, as in every profession, this one has its own pitfalls. And very often the number of disadvantages outweighs the number of advantages.
Working as a waitress - what are the benefits?
There are certain advantages to being a waitress. Firstly, you can get a job in small cafes where there are no special requirements for staff without work experience. Secondly, the work schedule. Many catering establishments start working closer to lunchtime and finish at midnight. This is very convenient for students and those who want to earn extra money in their free time in the evening. The third is lunches and dinners. Almost everywhere, waiters are entitled to free meals. Fourth - proximity to home, college, main job. In large cities, the number of cafes and restaurants is very high, and you can always find a place where waitresses are required, near an educational institution or home.
In addition, in most cases, the waiters are given a uniform, which allows them not to think about their appearance. There is also an opportunity to earn money in excess of salary by getting tips from satisfied customers.
There are enough advantages in working as a waitress to choose this profession as your first job, additional earnings or part-time work during your studies. But there are also significant disadvantages in it, which should not be forgotten.
Disadvantages of working as a waitress
There are several disadvantages to working as a waitress. First, the lack of career growth. It is very rare for ordinary waitresses with no college education and extensive work experience to get promoted. Even hall administrators are often hired additionally, rather than selected from their own staff.
The second is constant communication with people who are not always friendly-minded. All comments - about poorly prepared dishes, about an inoperative air conditioner or the absence of a certain type of wine or beer, have to be listened to by the waitress. However, she has no right to raise her voice or show dissatisfaction. Her task is to reassure the client by any means and try to fulfill his wish.
The third significant drawback is that work most often ends very late, you have to come to a cafe or restaurant on holidays and weekends. At the same time, payment is made as for a normal working day, without a multiplying factor. This is because waitresses most often work in shifts, which excludes allowances for going out on holidays and weekends.
Fourth, the official salary of a waitress is often not too high, since a certain percentage of the profit comes from tips. This means that all payments due to illness or maternity leave will be minimal. And if during work there is an opportunity to receive decent money, providing high-quality customer service and getting a good tip, then a “bare” salary remains. Fifth, with a large flow of customers, the waitress has to spend the entire work shift on her feet. This is quite difficult, given the fact that very often they are supposed to wear high-heeled shoes in shape.
The profession of a waitress is quite suitable for a temporary place of work. But, given all the disadvantages, it should not be considered as a permanent source of income.
