Career Lessons You Can Learn at a High School Job - The Muse

Career Lessons You Can Learn at a High School Job - The MuseCareer Lessons You Can Learn at a High School JobAs soon as I turned 16, I went out and landed my first ever job as a hostess at a local restaurant, an upscale seafood joint that sat along a lake. At the time, I only did it for the extra spending money- when youre a teenager, a side gig is your ticket to unlimited smoothie runs and movie premieres after school, so you can bet I welches going to take this stelle seriously. But the experience ended up giving me more skills than I ever couldve imagined possible for a position that welchesnt part of my larger career plan. So, for anyone out there trying to spin an early job into a position that looks great on resumes and sounds awesome in interviews, check out all the lessons I picked up1. I Learned to Be Prepared for Any Conversation at Any TimeOne of the most stressful things when I was starting out was the idea that each new guest is a total wildcard. When you dont know who c ould possibly walk through the door next, and your primary responsibility is to make sure that that person is happy, you learn to suspend any social anxiety you may have. Interacting with strangers (day after day after day) means learning how to communicate with a wide range of people. When you get that much practice every day, you pick up a few people skills. I definitely have to thank my time as a hostess for my ability today to communicate openly, honestly, and genuinely with most people I meet. (Bonus lesson It only takes listening to someone to make him feel like he matters.)2. I Learned to Look at Small Details Within the Bigger PictureWhether its a walk-in or a phone call, reservations all go to one system, and it was me who managed that schedule in order to churn in maximum profits. Adding, changing, and deleting reservations in advance meant knowing how busy the restaurant would be at any given time (and that means never overbooking Saturday evenings). Things get more compl icated if someone requests a specific table or specific waiter. Taking reservations requires checking for an array of different details, yet each one is a single moving piece in the larger flow of the night, week, or month ahead. At best, waiters are loaded with tables all night. At worst, a single time slot, 15 minutes off its scheduled time, could domino into a very rocky evening. The delicate balance of it all taught me the importance of juggling detail-oriented thinking with big-picture goals. This underrated skill has stayed with me to this day Keeping both in mind typically ensures everything goes as smoothly as possible.3. I Learned to Think on My FeetBy the nature of a lakeside eatery, the window and patio tables are the hottest commodity. And there were certainly times that the guests table preference was at odds with which waiters were available to take on more, and I had to negotiate that each time I led a group to their table.The first time I brought a couple to their as signed spot and they pulled that Can we sit there instead? move, I panicked. Its elend that I didnt want them to sit there I really didnt know if they could. Which waiter, if any, was assigned to that table again? Whats the status of their other tables? Was that table reserved for another group coming in soon? When youre subject to every whim of your customers, you learn to be adaptable to all things that come up at work- and even better, how to go with the flow and not sweat the small stuff.4. I Learned What it Means to be a LeaderWith hard work, I eventually became the head hostess, which meant that I was glued to the front desk on busy nights, overseeing everything as if it were a sophisticated game of chess. A million things were always happening at once seating, incoming reservations, table turnover times, bussing and resetting, folding napkins, phone calls, and more. It was my responsibility to coordinate other hosts, bussers, and wait staff to make sure everyone was on the sa me page. You can bet that telling a 16-year-old to order around a group of adults three nights a week will do something for her leadership skills. Seriously, not being taken seriously at first did wonders for my assertiveness. And motivating an entire team to do something as small as enable fast turnover or as big as pull off a wedding reception made me a much stronger communicator.5. I Learned That Life Isnt FairThis was a place that people loved to visit during special occasions, so I was often scheduled to work during holidays, when we always needed as many staff members there as possible. When you were a kid, chances are you were very concerned with things being ritterlich. (In fact, chances are theres a part of you still fixated on that idea.) For me, it was hard to wrap my mind around working Mothers Day or New Years Eve when all I wanted was to spend time with my loved ones. How could that be fair? But my boss was relying on me to show up, and when she refused to change my sh ifts, I begrudgingly clocked in on what were supposed to be otherwise exciting days. Youd be surprised to hear that I actually survived after missing out on family time or school dances. Knowing that life went on anyway helped put things in perspective, and taught me a lot about sticking to my word.6. I Learned to Be AccountableI was by no means a perfect host. Sometimes Id bring people to the wrong table, or overbook a waiter, or handle angry guests the wrong way. But I still think that getting yelled at by my manager- not that yelling is ever the best approach- was still great motivation for me to quickly confront my mistakes and actively improve in my position.One of the most respectable traits in any employee is accountability. Acknowledging when youve done something wrong can often de-escalate a tense situation quickly. And, possibly even more importantly, I learned how to navigate those situations from blunder to blunder- when to apologize and move on, and when to stand up for myself and not back down. If a job like this sounds familiar to you, remember that it wasnt a worthless experience. Even if you werent exactly in it for your career at the time (hello, spending money), chances are it still helped you in the long run. Regardless of your intentions, its likely that an early position at a restaurant, or as a babysitter, or a store at the mall is the place where you learned the skills thatll be useful throughout your entire career. Because no matter where you end up, youll be working with people (in some way), and at the end of the day, your ability to deal with others will be invaluable.

Survey Youre gonna miss these things the most after you have kids

Survey Youre gonna miss these things the most after you have kidsSurvey Youre gonna miss these things the most after you have kidsIts fairly easy to take the freedom of not having kids for granted. That isnt to say raising a kid isnt satisfying on some level, Im sure it is, but I certainly dont regret the extra pocketmoney or the liberty to commit to uninterrupted self-destructive behavior. If youre on the fence about introducing another human into the world, or maybe you just feel bad that no one wants to make another human with you, heres a list of all the things youd miss about not having kids, conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by the folks over at Pampers Pure Protection.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhat do parents miss the most?The authors behind the new OnePoll survey queried 2,000 parents about their fondest memories of being childless. Before we unpack the results , it should be noted that 90% of the parents agreed that having their child was the best decision of their life, even if 76% of respondents did not predict how much their life would have change as a result of it. Eighty-seven percent of parents said that they would absolutely relive childless life for a day if they could. One day is all most of the respondents would need to repudiate their child-rearing woes, as sleep reigned king on the list of 50 things that parents lamented about the most, with quality TV time and reviving the romantic spark following close behind 44% of parents occasioned that one on one time with their lebensgefhrte suffered the most after having children in fact. Check out the full list below.What parents miss most about life before children Saturday morning sleep-ins A clean and tidy house Watching television in complete peace Leaving the house at a moments notice, without having to worry about a babysitter Spending money guilt free Having a shower or bath wi thout being disturbed Date nights Going to the toilet without being disturbed Vacations/holidays that didnt hinge on school breaks/terms Getting a full nights sleep Sitting in the sun on a vacation/holiday without having to entertain a child Browsing the shops rather than rushing around Nights out with friends Romance Being able to pop to the shops when you want A toned stomach Adventurous or cultural vacations/holidays Silence Just sitting down to read a book during the day Sex Being able to relax in a pub beer garden Cheap vacations/holidays Not being asked Why all the time Having a car journey in peace Suffering a hangover without having to look after a child at the same time Watching grown-up TV during the daytime Being able to finish a cup of tea before it goes cold Snacking on treats without having to share them, or eat them in secret Going to the cinema to watch anything other than an animation Pre-baby boobs Being able to travel light when you go away Being able to have your hair/nails done guilt free The days when you could watch your own film instead of watching the same kids film over and over Not having to watch what you say or talk in code because of little ears A clean car Daytime drinking Not having to always be wondering where the nearest toilet is, in case they need a wee Not having to fork out on babysitters (if you even manage to go out) Being able to swear whenever you want Sitting down to read the newspaper with a morning coffee Spa days A good diet Being able to go down the stairs without navigating a stair gate Being able to do a wash without having to check the pockets of everything going in Being able to listen to your music in the car instead of nursery rhyme Being able to listen to music or the radio normally instead of the same kids popsong on repeat Having a small car instead of a people carrier Having makeup in your handbag instead of wet wipes Being able to plug things in without having to always remove the plug adapters first No t smelling a bit like baby sick all the timeIn spite of this healthy index of pre-kid perks, 100% of respondents agreed the outlay to be more than worth it, with an additional 71% going so far as to say they are happier and more fulfilled people having had kids, irrespective of the life uprooting required to raise them.

How to Get a Job Where You Used to Work

How to Get a Job Where You Used to WorkHow to Get a Job Where You Used to Work4Sometimes, you dont realize what you have until its gone. If this is true for you and your work life, what can you do to turn back the clock and get a job where you used to work?While initially it may seem like it should be easier to land a position in a place youve already worked, in some situations, your past connection there may be a liability. If you quit due to conflict or otherwise parted ways on bad terms with your former employer, it may not be that easy to return for an encore performance. Even if you left on a high note, there may be challenges to stepping back in where you left off or getting a foot in the door for a higher role.To navigate this potentially awkward situation, here are four tips to help you think through your options and improve your chances of success when approaching your old organization1. Have a good reason to return.Whether you left as a beloved star employee or burned bridg es on your way out the door, your former employer will want to know why youre asking to come back now. Even if you had a valid explanation for your departure, the fact is that you did leave to take another opportunity, whether professional or personal. Be prepared to explain your rationale for reapplying, and share with the hiring manager what skills and experiences youve gained in the interim that make you an even mora desirable candidate today.2. Leverage positive connections.No matter where you used to work, chances are that you remember some colleagues fondly while others not so much- and vice versa. This means you need to use good judgment about which of your old contacts you reach out to when trying to network back into the company. Ideally, youve kept in touch with a handful of your favorites, so asking for updates about the company or position wont come out of left field. Since not all relationships are equal and some may even hurt more than help you, be careful who you ask for help. Focus on reconnecting with your strongest allies with whom you have the most positive associations.3. Polish up your resume.You might feel that your resume is less important when presenting it to your former employer, since they have already seen what you can do. But its crucial to position your achievements accurately when submitting a resume to a companywhere you once worked- and in fact, failing to do so can jeopardize your chances of working there again. Be careful about how you present the work and accomplishments from your past stint at the company, advises Alex Twersky, cofounder of Resume Deli. Chances are, if you inflate your past responsibilities or contributions- or worse still present something inaccurately- there will be someone on the hiring end with legacy knowledge that may catch you in your innocent (hopefully) misstep.4. Make a case for your value.Dont assume that just because you did a good job at a company previously, youll be a shoo-in for a new positi on there. For one thing, depending on how long ago you left, there may be a new wave of decision makers who are unfamiliar with your prior performance. Another issue is that the hiring team may expect even more from you as a returning employee, so youll need to show them why youre truly the best person for the job, using specific examples from your previous experience both inside and outside the company. Your interviewers may also expect to hear about your renewed commitment to the organization to assure them you wont just leave again at the first opportunity.While each of ansicht strategies may help you earn a place back at the table, its smart to think through what you really want before you pursue a new position at a place you used to work. Remember what factors led you to pull up stakes previously, and be sure that you wont find yourself dealing with the same issues. While returning to the familiarity of an organization at which youve already been employed may bring some comfort , be sure youre doing it for the right reasons. Ask yourself, Am I doing this because I believe this is a great opportunity, or because Im afraid to try something new?Readers, have you ever tried to get a job where you used to work? Was the outcome what you expected? Share your experience with us below