What You Can Learn From My Worst Summer Job | brokeGIRLrich
Martin’s guest post last week about what you can learn from his best summer job really got me thinking. As someone a whopping decade removed from Martin (which is ridiculous, because plenty of days I still feel like I just graduated from college… and then I do something crazy like try to go out drinking with my brother who is still in college and realize, no, I am definitely not 21 anymore), I reflected a lot on my various places of employment over the years:
- Cashier at Walgreens
- Waitress at an Italian Restaurant
- Hostess at the Rainforest Café
- Nanny
- Lighting Technician for a whopping week of summer stock
- Substitute Teacher
- Sound & Lighting Technician on the Boardwalk for 2 Awesome Summers
- Customer Service Representative for Nationwide
- Stage Manager at Sea
- Stage Manager on a Train
- Production Manager Off-Broadway
Some of these have definitely been better than others.
And that led me to think about what you can learn from my worst summer job.
Out of that list, the stand out winner of a rough job was hostess at the Rainforest Café – I mean, who doesn’t want to spend 8-12 hours in an environment with scream children, cawing birds, and loud thunderstorms whenever you’re trying to talk to a customer? Even better, being a hostess also meant that you were the character creatures.
Don’t get me wrong, there were a few upsides to working there – the Chimi-Cha-Chas are delicious and I’ve thought more than once about going in there to order the volcano dessert. It seemed like there was always a spare one that made it’s way into the crew break room somehow.
Also, I always looked the coolest out of all my friends if we met up right after work – no one else was safari ready.
Those perks aside, being a hostess was tough. You were constantly aware you weren’t making anywhere near the same amount of money as the servers and you were more likely to get yelled at about things than them.
You had to wear those dopey safari outfits (granted, the servers did not escape that fate either). And, just when you thought the dopey safari outfit was pretty bad, you found out about Cha-Cha.
Lesson #1: That safari outfit made me think – do I want to wear crap like this for the rest of my life? No. I am going to study like a mo-fo next semster. It was pretty good motivation.
Cha-Cha is “the adventurous and brave red-eyed tree frog” (is it just me or doesn’t that actually sound terrifying). Cha-Cha was also the 30 pound, 800 degree costume we had to wear for 20 minutes out of each hour.
This kid thinks he’s creepy too.
My favorite part about Cha-Cha was the rancid smell of sweat and dying dreams that perpetually permeated the suit. One of the last weeks I ever worked there, we got a Nile the crocodile costume and we fought over who would get to wear it. It hadn’t sucked up the odor of despair that let you know Cha-Cha was nearby yet.
Lesson #2: Nile taught me that you can actually sink to a point where something that’s still pretty crappy looks awesome. So watch out for that.
Cha-Cha and Nile also taught me about how to treat the people you worked with. When you were in one of those monstrosities, you couldn’t really see, so one of the other hostesses would be your “escort.”
If you and your escort were pals, they’d safely guide you through the scary maze of tables and trees and rocks and water and, best of all, excited, psychotic, sugared up children. They’d pull the kids off you when they tried to tackle you (because balance ain’t no joke in one of those costumes). They made sure you were back in the break room with Cha-Cha’s head sitting on the table as the clock struck 20 minutes.
This was my reality for two summers.
If you had taken a few too many bathroom breaks and left the other hostess out on the rock alone for too long or decided to “collect menus” more often than necessary, watch out. They’d guide you right into trees, children would tackle you to the ground and you’d be lucky to hit the break room after 30 minutes because, you know, “whoops, was it that long? Could’ve sworn it wasn’t even 20 yet!”
Lesson #3: Don’t piss off your coworkers.
An alarming aspect to my summer job was that for a lot of people it wasn’t a summer job. So I checked out their lives – a lot of unwed mothers, a lot of stoners, a few solid drug addicts, and a really weird boy that may still grow up to be the next unibomber… jury’s still out on him. Don’t get me wrong unwed mothers, do what you go to do to get by, and more power to you for doing it, but you still made a few decisions that got you to that point as well.
Lesson #4: Summer jobs introduce you to interesting walks of life. Just because you view it as temporary doesn’t mean everyone does. Figure out how they got stuck in this gig and do not repeat their mistakes.
The most lasting lesson of my worst summer job though was how important it is to find something you’re passionate about. You can spend 8-12 hours a day listening to parents yell at you because the wait is too long, fishing toddler shoes out of the crocodile pond and dreading the second you get tapped to get in the frog suit or you can spend 8-12 hours a day working on something you are excited about that doesn’t make you dread getting up in the morning.
I have pulled numerous shoes, binkies, and stuffed animals out of a pond like this.
I saw that the future I wanted required a lot of hard work, but it would be worth it to be one of those parents yelling that the wait is too long one day instead of being yelled at (not that I ever would – bless your hearts, hostesses, I will be kind to you forever now).
Lesson #5: Find your passion and chase it. Do something that doesn’t make you dread getting up in the morning.
Make a list of things that you enjoy doing and start your search based on this list. For example, if you enjoy helping people or working with children, a career in social work might be a good choice. Once you have made a decision on a career, you can start working towards your goal.
A social work degree would be required for entry-level employment in this situation. As your career progresses, you might consider earning a Master of Social Work as well, since it can open up new doors within the industry. As long as you are passionate about the industry, your education should come quite easy.
My worst job was also in service, but rather than screaming children, it was at Cipriani’s very high end, which meant very rude, entitled people. I couldn’t take it. Talk about motivation to get out and follow your dream!
Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life recently posted…The New York City Experience
“Don’t get me wrong unwed mothers, do what you go to do to get by, and more power to you for doing it, but you still made a few decisions that got you to that point as well.”
BOOM! Tellin’ it how it is!!!
Will recently posted…Can Money Take My Passion to the Next Level?
I love the lessons you learned, but it definitely sounds like it was a nightmare! My first job was at a toy store, but luckily kids throwing temper tantrums didn’t happen too often. You’re right – horrible jobs can serve as pretty good motivators to make a difference in your life.
E.M. recently posted…What’s the Most Expensive Thing You Own?
Ha!!! Before I even read through on your post, my first thought was “Hostess at Rain Forest Cafe has to be the worst!” I was a hostess during the summer at a seafood restaurant on Long Island and it was a very challenging job between managing the front of the house and the back of the house. My least favorite part was having to tell guys who came for dinner that we had a “no wife beater policy” and they would have to either find a different shirt or eat somewhere else. That was fun. And you would be amazed at how many times I had to have that conversation.
Shannon @ Financially Blonde recently posted…My Biggest Financial Bruise
LOL. I can believe. You have to tell people some really crazy stuff when you’re a hostess. “Sorry ma’am, but your child can’t ride the crocodile statue. I need you to get him out of the pond, please.”
My worst job ever is having a very bad girl boss. I lasted in her for 2 months only cos I couldn’t take it anymore. She was so bad to all of us.. Many of my co-workers had quit too.
That’s a shame. One of the jobs I used to work at when I was a manager, when I’d get to each new place, the guys there would sigh and go “great, a girl” because they’d had such crappy previous experiences. I always wanted to be like “what the heck happened to you people?!?!”
Then again, when I’d start going through paperwork and the theater, I could pretty quickly figure out what had happened to them…
Don’t even remember the characters walking around at Rainforest. That’s sounds like the worst part putting on the sweaty seconds of a costume. Ouch! I worked for a bit as a VHS tape labeler and packer. OH the joy of the mindless task!
Brian @ Debt Discipline recently posted…Interview Series: Retire By 40 Blog
I remember before, my worst summer job was selling a SIM card in public. For me, it was totally my worst job because if I didn’t have sales, then they don’t pay me anymore.
Kate @ Money Propeller recently posted…My Experience with Fiverr
I don’t think I could ever work in sales!
You have had a lot of weird jobs…. I’m sure you have a lot of interesting stories to tell from them too.
I had a lot of temp jobs where I would be doing odd things all the time but maybe for only a few days or weeks at a time. Putting together and moving ATM’s, testing the airport baggage x-ray machines by repeatedly putting the same bags (with weapons) through over and over again to test their software. It lead to some interesting experiences but I still think they pale in comparison to the things you’ve done.
I think that one of the stranger things about summer jobs for me was your point about that for some people it isn’t temporary. To them that’s just life. Sometimes I thought for the older people that was all they could do, but for the younger people that were in their late 20’s or early 30’s that were in it for the long haul working retail at REI…. I felt bad for them because they were still so young and it seems like they had just settled for what they had. It had the same effect on me, I didn’t want to settle for anything like that. I still settled for something I don’t really like, but it pays well so it’s a trade off.
Zee @ Work To Not Work recently posted…Don’t Live With a False Sense of Security
At least if it pays well, then it’s part of a plan. There are plenty of people who just want a solid 9 to 5 that pays well so they can do what they want outside of it – or retire early – or whatever. I just felt like so many people didn’t have any sort of plan and just wound up there. That really alarmed me.
I feel terrible, but I was totally LOL’ing at some parts of this post, just imagining being in that costume! My worst summer job was definitely working construction. It paid a crap ton of money, but digging and working outside in the heat was almost unbearable, especially when coupled with the 6 am start time.
Ryan @ Impersonal Finance recently posted…you aren’t what you own
My dad is a carpenter and I have no idea how my brother stands working for him. It seems like a lousy job to me. Although being handy around the house is always a good skill to have.
And I’m all for the LOL’ing – someone might as well benefit from my pain.
Thanks so much for linking up to What You Wish Wednesday. Come back tomorrow!
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Looking at your list, I thought for sure it was the hostess. I always tell my husband that my future kids will work at a restaurant/ fast food place before they go to college. I learned so much working at a fast food place, and I think some of those lessons can only be learned when you are employed there. Even my friends now, you can tell who has worked in a food establishment and those who haven’t. I think it is a right of passage through teenage years.
Michelle recently posted…Live Like Kings By Living In Poor Countries
Hah, I never thought of forcing my future children to work in a restaurant, but it does not sound like a bad idea ;o) It also gives you a much deeper appreciation of the movie Waiting.