10 Reasons for Graduates Why Restaurant Jobs Are Great

Expert Takes |
June 2018 | Richard Nolan
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A barista pours a cup of coffee into a white mug.
Return of working in a restaurant

The hospitality industry is one of the few that are deeply rooted in all the countries in the world, employing hundreds of millions of people directly and indirectly. Despite the commonly held assertion that the wages and terms in hospitality are exploitative (which is true), it is still one of the best industries to work in, particularly for people straight out of college. Here's why:

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Flexible Working Schedules
Most restaurant and hospitality jobs have flexible schedules with night and morning shifts. As such, one can choose when to work depending on their plans and supervisor, of course. This kind of flexibility is not common in most job types where employees have to follow the same 9 to 5 routine every working day. Sure, one might miss the fun on some weekends, but they can always plan their schedules not to work on Monday mornings.
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No Monotony
Restaurant jobs, particularly, are such that one gets to meet and interact with different people every day. Depending on the job, the tasks assigned during a given week can be anything from operating the front desk to serving establishment guests in their rooms to concierge duties. Simply put, it's hard to get bored when working in the hospitality industry.
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No Job Experience Required

There's nothing as disappointing for graduates than reading through a job ad and ticking all the boxes as far as qualifications go but getting locked out because they're not experienced enough. In hospitality, prior work experience is not a requirement, at least for most positions. One can begin working as a valet, waiter/waitress, concierge, chauffeur or receptionist with zero experience and only minor qualifications needed.

Furthermore, career progression is easier than in other industries, and one can go from manning the front office to hotel manager within a few years as long as they're committed to their job. Of all the posts a graduate can easily get when fresh out of college, jobs in restaurants and hospitality industry top the list.

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Allow for Creativity
Being a chef or bartender provides one with an avenue to play around with different ingredients to come up with tasty meals or cocktails. For a young, passionate graduate, such jobs provide a great avenue of self-expression and an outlet for their innate creativity.
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Great Perks
Arguments always float around that hospitality jobs don't pay and that graduates should look for other jobs, particularly online jobs on sites like Upwork, Fiverr or EssayWriterSite. While that may hold true in some situations, the average hotelier job does pay great wages and most even have 401k. Even people that have lower income jobs like waiters and valets earn a lot in tips and gifts from satisfied customers. Oh, and you get free food all day and get to interact with celebrities and politicians.
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Provide Universal Opportunities
The universal nature of the hospitality industry means that one can work anywhere in the world as long as they possess some standard qualifications and skills. The skills required to, for instance, manage a restaurant in the U.S. are the same ones required to do a similar job in the U.K. The same also applies to other jobs like waiting tables and valeting.
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Provide Job Security
Once a person establishes themselves in the industry, they are almost guaranteed to stay in their job for years. This is because hospitality and restaurant services are always in demand all year long seeing as food and drinks are basic needs.
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Learning Opportunities
While working in hospitality, one is always required to think on their feet and collaborate with other colleagues to provide satisfactory services. As such, employees are always in learning mode as they learn and master important life skills such as communication, quick thinking, and teamwork. For graduates with hopes of changing careers or even moving up the ladder in hospitality, such skills will prove useful along the way.
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Can Help Kill Social Media Addiction
Most hotels and establishments have strict policies against the use of mobile phones during working hours. For graduates who probably spent all their productive hours on their phones while in college, that might just be the shock therapy that they need to cure their social media addiction. As it were, the less time one spends on their phone, the better for their productivity, peace of mind, and social skills.
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Spreading Positivity and Smiles
As earlier mentioned, workers in the hospitality industry are always meeting and communicating with other people, be it guests, suppliers or their colleagues from different establishments. This environment provides a big platform to make someone's day or just spread positive vibes all through. Seeing people smile is one of the priceless perks that hoteliers enjoy—and the good karma from that.
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Conclusion

The hospitality industry is constantly growing, providing millions of job opportunities every year. And as more people get used to eating out or vacationing, it is safe to say that the best is yet to come. For young people straight out of college, it's all about taking available opportunities and using them to build connections and experience. So instead of crying about unemployment, why don't you walk into the restaurant around the block and ask for a valet job?

Richard Nolan is a professional educator and team building coach, sharing his experience in spheres of writing, blogging, entrepreneurship, and psychology. Currently, Richard works as an editor-in-chief for EssayWriterSite. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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