Anyone who has worked in the service industry knows how exhausting it can be, both physically and mentally.
You probably know exactly what it is like to sit in your car in the parking lot of the restaurant/ fast food place/ retail store/ etc. where you are employed, practicing your Lamaze breathing before you enter the insanity for a shift that may be scheduled for 5 hours, but could easily turn into 12 before you know it.
As someone whose work experience consists mainly of retail, I know that most feelings towards working in the service industry are negative.
Those experiences with nasty customers, long shifts, the insanity of busy days/ holiday seasons, are always the ones that stick out the most in your head if you’ve had to work in that kind of environment.
Although you will deal with a hell of a lot of bullsh*t working in the service industry, it is important to remember that there are positive aspects of working these jobs that will be beneficial to you in the future.
1. You will learn to treat people decently.
Working in customer service teaches you to demonstrate kindness towards others, mostly by showing you exactly how you don’t want to be treated.
Though it is unfortunate that you likely have experienced most customers either being blatantly rude, or just not that friendly in general, it definitely makes you appreciate the customers you get who are nothing but pleasant towards you.
You are probably the person who gets irritated when you are at a restaurant with people who don’t say “please??? and “ thank you???, and the person who puts back everything exactly where you found it when you are shopping at a retail store.
2. It will be the ultimate test of patience.
Dealing with rude customers, people being impatient with you when you are busy, being pulled in all different directions during your shift, all while having to keep a big smile on your face and maintain a polite demeanor is MUCH more difficult that people realize.
Trust me.
However, someday you will be very grateful that you learned those skills.
Being patient with people is something that will benefit you in many ways: in your relationships with friends, family, significant others, and co-workers.
Those are just a few examples, but someday you may find yourself in a situation thinking, “This seems bad, but nothing compares to that one customer I had to deal with five years ago…??? and you’ll take a deep breath, put on that Customer Service Smile, and handle it.
3. You will learn to multitask like a boss.
This is no joke.
You might feel like you’re running around like a chicken with your head cut off, but in the retail industry, there is a type of satisfaction that comes from completing a big store project, running go-backs, AND accomplishing your sales goal for the day.
Multitasking is a skill that many people lack, but is extremely necessary to possess.
When you’re running around doing 12 things at once, you’re basically just being prepared for parenthood, so you can thank your customer service job someday when you are chasing a toddler and trying to clean your house at the same time!
4. You will meet great people and make lifelong friendships.
Working in the service industry brings all kinds of people from all different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life.
Many people whom I call my best friends currently are people I met while working retail.
These will be the people you will be able to b*tch to incessantly about your job and not only will they not get sick of it, they will always chime in.
They are the friends who you will spend 8+ hours with during a day and still want to grab drinks with after your shift.
Being surrounded by hard-working people like yourself who are grinding it out, going to school, working two jobs, etc. will be a huge motivator to you.
5. You will learn that sometimes, it is necessary to stand up for yourself.
Although managers in the service industry might leave this out of your training, you may come across an instance where you have to politely, or maybe not-so-politely depending on the situation, stand your ground.
People seem to think that because they are customers, they are entitled to act however they want no matter how inappropriate, and to say whatever they please no matter how rude it may be.
There may definitely be times where you will have to put someone in their place and remind them that you, too, are a human being.
If that gets you into trouble at your job, so be it.
You have every right to establish boundaries with people, and there will be many other instances in your life that will require you to do so.
6. You will learn the importance of having a strong work ethic.
This is the skill that will help you the most in your career choice, no matter what that may be.
When I started out working in retail as a part-time sales associate, I never thought much about the possibility of advancing in the field.
But that didn’t stop me from working hard and taking any and every shift offered to me.
Having a great work ethic has led to outstanding references for jobs, and has helped me advance on to higher management positions at young ages.
This looks great on a resume no matter what field you choose to pursue, and you will honestly be able to do almost any job after managing in the service industry.
If you ever find yourself having one of those awful shifts at work and you are convinced the next tiny thing is going to make you walk out that door and never come back, just remember that someday you will be thankful for your time spent working in the service industry.
You won’t ever regret the lessons you were taught, or meeting the people who became your work-family.