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Where did I say any of that? None of that is being a jerk.
I've been at this for almost 3 years. How long have you been in customer service? Are you speaking from experience or just going by stereotypes?
Ditto. I'll gladly fix a messed up order and do a refund, that's good customer service. Simply asking for a mistake to be corrected is not being a jerk.
But literally throwing your drink in a workers face because there's a pickle on your hamburger is being a jerk.
Try to put yourself in the customer's shoes and learn to empathize.
Considering you can't figure out why some people actually enjoy working with the public, or enjoy helping people grow in their jobs, that remark about empathy is pretty rich.
Part of the problem is child labor laws. It's just easier for employers to hire 18+ year old workers, than have to worry about younger employees and breaking laws, etc. Any employee under 18 years old, can't be around what are determined to be hazardous equipment, for instance, which can just be a commercial mixer or patty maker, for instance. Depending on their age, there are limits on how early or late they can work, too.
I remember it being really frustrating for my daughter when she wanted to find a job and had a hard time finding an employer who'd take her while still a minor.
My friends who are parents of teenagers told me all the fast food jobs in this area, are given now to older people. Their high school aged kid applies everywhere, Jack in the Box, McD's, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Burger King. Get nothing. All they see there are older people, over age 30, working behind the counter.
1) When did fast food work become a job for people over 30? We aren't in a recession anymore. Shouldn't there be a few more jobs available out there? When did this become acceptable as a life long career?
2) A teenage kid can do fast food work, so why would an employer hire an older person who is going to demand $15 an hour (or possibly more), full time hours and benefits?
That certainly is not the case where I live. Teens make up the majority of the employees in our fast food joints.
Are you kidding? It's an opportunity for growth in dealing with difficult people! I love my customers, even the difficult ones.
Where did I say any of that? None of that is being a jerk.
I've been at this for almost 3 years. How long have you been in customer service? Are you speaking from experience or just going by stereotypes?
I love dealing with customers all day even pissed off ones it's fun working with them even cooling them down
The only reason why I would not consider fast food or retail as a career are because of the hours.
The hours are pretty bad for someone who has a girlfriend or big family
working the weekend, nights, and holidays can be difficult for most people it's most certainly would be difficult for me as the weekend is the only time I see my family and girlfriend
It's also a job that's at risk being automated a lot yea you might see those mcdonalds cashier/cooks earn 15 dollars or more but businesses will do what it takes to save money ( laid offs, reduce hours, work more with less, automate etc)
Being in an IT Support role the hours are better, it's still customer service and pays better than a McDonald's job also you know good work conditions
As a temp or first job for a teen McDonald's is okay I won't ever low ball my self that low thou
There are way more help desk jobs here than McDonald's job
For those who see it as a career to each their own
I won't dare low ball myself that low
Last edited by CosmoStars; 05-31-2017 at 10:04 PM..
My friends who are parents of teenagers told me all the fast food jobs in this area, are given now to older people. Their high school aged kid applies everywhere, Jack in the Box, McD's, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Burger King. Get nothing. All they see there are older people, over age 30, working behind the counter.
1) When did fast food work become a job for people over 30? We aren't in a recession anymore. Shouldn't there be a few more jobs available out there? When did this become acceptable as a life long career?
2) A teenage kid can do fast food work, so why would an employer hire an older person who is going to demand $15 an hour (or possibly more), full time hours and benefits?
Have you ever worked with teenagers before? they are limited to the number of hours that they can work due to school, are not always reliable and they can be lazy...not all but a good majority of them. It's either that, or someone who is not all of those things. Who would you pick?
Perhaps not in your definition but there are fast food workers on many levels who make more than many
*acceptable* life long careers with better hours, better benefits, less stress and less dealing with the
entitlement mentality of so many.
Personally if I had a choice between a fast food position and a teacher I would choose fast food.
I worked fast food as a teen...no way in hell would I do it as an adult. Would I do it if that was the only thing I could find? Yes, I would, but I'd get out asap.
You'd probably make more money in fast food, teachers are paid diddly.
Why not? FF places have people who are up the food chain from the people who work at the counter. My son worked at Firehouse Subs last summer (he was 20). That company has managers, general managers, regional managers and other management positions. Most of my son's co-workers were older than him but he had no problem getting hired. If a person wanted a career at a fast food place they could make one. Most of the people he worked with are not college educated. Many were immigrants. FF can be a great career for those people.
This summer he is bartending/making coffee at a growing cafe chain that serves food, wine, beer and coffee and bartending for a company that does large scale catering. He is making more money doing those jobs than he did at FF and his coworkers are mostly college students. You have to be at least 18 to serve alcohol in TN so his coworkers are all over 18 (mostly college students but some older PT workers).
As far as the OP is concerned, I have a younger son (18) at home and his friends who want jobs all have jobs. It doesn't seem that difficult for them to find work. Maybe this issue is more prominent in certain cities but here in south Florida teens can absolutely get hired at traditional retail/service type jobs. Kids with good work experience can sometimes get better jobs and the FF places have trouble getting teens to work those jobs because they can get better jobs for better pay.
My son is working as a valet at a local hotel. You have to be 18 and have a clean record to work as a valet but anyone who can drive can do it. He is only working part time as a valet (he has a full time job at a law firm) but clears between $14-15/hour at the valet job. Most of his co workers are on the younger side (18-25) and work as valets to supplement their income from their FT jobs.
Around here it is not difficult for young people (teens-early 20s) to get service jobs. There seem to be a lot of companies hiring and FF companies have trouble getting older teens to take FF jobs. They can often get other service jobs that pay better and have better working conditions. Why would you work at a FF place for $8 per hour if you can work as a valet at a fancy hotel and make almost double? Older teens gravitate toward those better jobs and leave the FF jobs for immigrants and seniors.
It has a lot to do with many middle wage jobs being made redundant. The people you see now trying to scrap together a living in the low wage service industry would have been working in union manufacturing years ago. I know one man in his early 60s who got laid off from a union paper plant making union wages and now has to settle for $10 an hour at a retailer. There are certainly not enough IT jobs to go around for everyone. And American IT workers are up against someone abroad being able to do the work remotely for a fraction of the cost.
There is nothing inherently wrong with making a career out of fast food. But if you don't move up you have to accept a poverty lifestyle and a retirement with the possibility of extreme poverty.
When my son was in High School (2001) he worked as a waiter at the local Red Robin restaurant.
Although he made a base wage of just $2 per hour, he developed great socialization skills to serve customers well and he earned great tips. His average wage became $14 per hour.
A summer job can become a great learning experience for your teen.
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it's fun working with them even cooling them down
