Stuck Serving

When I became employed by a local restaurant last year, I would have never thought that I would still be working as a server. I was hoping that this job would provide an immediate source of income, which it has, while I was on the career hunt. I say career and not job hunt because a job is more short-term while a career is a field for or pursuit of achievement in one's professional lifetime.

While working on the Hill to working in a restaurant, I went from a monthly income of $1,300 to $900-$1,000. Yes, it may be a small decrease in take home pay, but $300 can go a long ways. Before, I didn't have to worry about my student loans because I just graduated and I didn't have to start paying until last fall. Now, I have to pick up extra shifts just to ensure that I have enough money to pay for all of my expenses. Although I have an source of income, this is slowly coming under attack.

My restaurant is implementing this ridiculous initiative called "Per Person Average" (PPA). Basically, it is an average that shows how much each person per bill and per table spends in the restaurant. Each month my restaurant sets a goal for each person and wants them to increase their average. I call this insane and unfair: if you don't reach your goal, you're in danger of getting fired, which they will do. Right now the consumers don't want to spend money because of the economy, so why try to push this greedy and egotistical program now? Not only are we getting a measly $3.65 per hour (which we really don't earn unless we make a lot of tips), we are now basically inching our way by working on the basis of commission?! This is outrageous!

People, who walk into the restaurant, don't realize what we are going through. It's a tough job trying to "coerce" customers to spend extra money on booze and dessert and cheese in their eggs when they're already set in their minds that they're only going to spend a certain amount for lunch or dinner.

So, whenever you walk into a restaurant, just take pity on your server.. You never know what he or she is going through...

Is It Worth It?

So far, I have applied for two jobs: one is for a private company and the other is for the federal government. It took me awhile for me to apply for the federal government position because the process takes forever. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities statements(KSAs) and other questionnaires are the bane of my existence.

I do not understand why these KSAs prove that a certain person is well suited for a job when you can find out their experience from what they can explain in an interview or from calling their references. It is difficult to put down four to three years of job experience down on paper.

As I struggle to finish more job applications, my friend M sent me a link to this article online. After I read it, I have to agree with it. It may or may not be worth going to grad school unless it is necessary and that it will provide a stable future.

Here's the link:http://chronicle.com/article/The-Big-Lie-About-the-Life-of/63937/ What do you think of it?

Two Years and Counting...

It has been almost two years since I graduated from college and I'm still looking for a job. After a couple stints as an intern and as a temporary staff assistant, I was hoping that my years of experience, along with my college degree, would make me an asset to an organization, a company, or a business. However, with the current economic sitation, companies are making cuts, people are losing their jobs, and the job market is now more competitive than ever.

I've applied everywhere and went through numerous interviews and I'm still waiting to be hired. So to help me to pay my rent, my student loans and everything else, I started working in a restaurant. Not exactly my dream job or career, I'm grateful to have a job during this time of uncertainty. There are days that I am fustrated with what I'm doing but I have to stick through with it until I find something better. People tell me I should go back to school but the main questions are: what should I study (law school, grad school, or nursing school), and how will I be able to pay off the loan once I graduate (in case I still cannot find a job).


I'm going to continue apply for jobs while I make my decision about grad school. This is going to be interesting...