In a college town, the majority of job options available to students are within the service industry, particularly retail and food. Even if students do not plan to stay in these fields, the service industry still provides valuable lessons for everyone. Students should work in the service industry to acquire skills that will help them with communication, problem-solving and how to work as a team both inside and outside the classroom.
The service industry can help teach students attributes that they may not acquire in the classroom. Working in customer service provides students with experiences they can take with them after college. Regardless of what career they are pursuing, students will be equipped with transferrable skills after working in the service industry.
In every job field, whether corporate or the service industry, there will always be communication that needs to be made. In an article by Talent Egg, even when not working with customers directly, “customer service skills can also be valuable when dealing with situations within the workplace with your colleagues.”
“Working as a waitress as a student has improved my way of communicating when I work on group projects in class,” junior business management major Mikayla Santiago said. “Dealing with different points of views helps me understand individuals a lot better.”
Students who work in the service industry also learn about time management to learn how to plan around their school schedules. Also, students can learn how to balance time with their other assignments. Learning how to prioritize comes with the experience of working in the service industry.
For many students who have never stepped foot into the workforce, it is going to take some time for them to figure out how to handle situations by themselves. Situations such as these will force the student to seek help. Soon enough, that worker will be molded into a confident employee who will, later on, take that character trait and apply it constantly.
“I think everyone should have to at least work in retail so they can truly understand the true meaning of customer service,” junior psychology major Jessica Williams said. “There are too many people who think we are slaves the moment they walk in. We are there to make your experience a great retail visit.”
Any job can be hard work and it takes a certain person to accomplish the task. No one goes into a job knowing everything. When students work in customer service, they learn to persist and continue working until the job is done, even when they are completely spent.
In a sense, students learn how to multi-task, which they apply towards their studies and goals after college. Although working in the service industry may seem hectic and lucrative, these fields provide students with valuable transferrable skills and habits. All students should work in the service industry to gain skills they will utilize in and outside of the classroom.
