I truly believe that foundational pieces of one’s work can come from working in either of these two industries. Also, we found out during the pandemic just how
important these roles and jobs are for people of ALL ages, not just teenagers getting a first job. Both of these industries and job types are often thankless, long hours, and dealing with rude people (not all the time). However, because of that, I think there is so much one can learn from either one of these types of jobs. Customer Service, Problem Solving Skills, Communication, Handling Money, Teamwork, and so much more. Those traits are cornerstones to other jobs we may have in our lifetime. My first job ever was working at the Wilshire Pool Snack Shack in the Summer of 2011, which started me in this experience, but starting at Chick-Fil-A the following summer was really where it all began. I would go on to work at Chick-Fil-A for 6.5 years through high school and half of college. I learned so much and because of those jobs.
It became a foundational piece of who I was as an employee and representative of an organization. I took pride in it! I LOVED working at Chick-Fil-A. At one point I
thought I wanted to own a franchise, heck, I still do. Treating people well, serving them with an upbeat attitude, all while crafting my skillset was a win all around.
Learning how to work through a stressful atmosphere at times was also an important skill. Remaining calm under pressure (hey, don’t laugh until you make 400
milkshakes for the drive thru in one night shift!) has carried through to my professional life. You have to be on time, be a good teammate, deal with customers
who are upset because it is THEIR food that there is a problem with, so it is quite personal, just like a student I am working with is sharing personal details of their life through a resume.
I look back very fondly on my time at Chick-Fil-A and am quite thankful for the experience. It was my beginning and I just feel that everyone should have either that
experience or in retail. I cannot say I have worked in retail, but from friends and people who have, I know the experience is quite similar. It teaches a very similar
skillset and both certainly share the CRAZE that is the holiday season. They both are great jobs to set the foundation for what it means to have a job. Some of the very best people are in these industries leading the next generation of the working force as well, who have plenty to teach. I encourage anyone to have a job in either area so that you can apply those foundational skills to whatever may come next for you in your career.
