In life, our capitalistic society demands that we prove our worth through constant labor. As money rules the world, it is something that I, as a productive member of society, strive for constantly. I have worked many jobs in many spheres since I joined the working class as a 15-year-old sophomore in high school. I have found that working, specifically in customer service, can reveal certain characteristics about people and is the most preparation one can get before entering the “real world.”

My first job was at an ice cream shop in my town. One of my friends already worked there and she recommended I apply so we could work together. Though I hated the idea of working customer service, I ended up loving the job.

Tourism is the main industry where I am from so everyone I knew got a seasonal job in high school. I worked summers scooping ice cream for five years and to this day it was one of the best paying jobs I have ever had. Minimum wage has since gone up, but hourly pay plus the cash and credit card tips that I took home each night were pretty nice.

This job made me realize two main things: I am really good at working with people in customer service and the general public was not as intelligent as I thought. No matter how big the font was on our signs, people would still order flavors we didn’t have and ask for toppings I had never heard of. Despite these frustrations, I was able to keep a level head and be polite to even the most rude customers.

I think a good show of someone’s character is if they have ever worked in customer service. How you interact with people and deal with intense situations are revealed when there is a line of eager, hungry customers lined up outside the door. An easy tell if someone has worked in food or customer service is simply how they interact with those who are serving them. Do they tip 20% no matter the service? Do they say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to wait staff or are they demanding and expectant? It is a right of passage to work in customer service and I automatically respect someone more if they have.

Since this first job, I have had many others including cashier at a deli/market, lifeguard, wine pourer and waitress. Each has required that I interact with the public on a daily basis and have taught me incredible patience.

Hearing that people my age have never held a steady job is a major red flag. How do you expect to have the stamina to have a career after college, work with others and follow specific directions if you have never had a job, even if it is completely unrelated to what you are pursuing? I have gained more life-skills through working in customer service than I have in my almost four years in college. Working on a group project for class is completely different from working on a team of servers at a restaurant or with peers of different ages and backgrounds at your job, and I am not sure students my age understand that.

My advice to everyone and anyone looking to have a career is to work in customer service. It will teach you patience, multitasking and interpersonal skills faster and better than any class ever could. And, hopefully, it will give you more appreciation for those who serve you at restaurants and help you in stores.

Photo by Tim Mossholder via  Pexels