I have had my first job for the past year and a half. I work at a local Chinese restaurant called Takkee Outtee #2 as a cashier. After about 6 months of me working there, I was promoted to head cashier. As head cashier I was given more responsibility to help manage the store. 

     When I first started working there I found it frustrating due to me being new and not knowing much. I kept messing up orders or not being knowledgeable on all the dishes. Once I got the hang of it, then it became a lot easier and I enjoyed what I did. I found satisfaction in handling stressful situations with ease. This has motivated me to be able to push through difficult situations or assignments.

     After I got good at defusing angry customers, taking orders, and was knowledgeable on all the dishes, I was promoted to head cashier. At first, I found my new role stressful, but I soon realized how much I was learning from my job. As head cashier I was in charge of training new cashiers, scheduling, hiring new cashiers, and helping the cooks in the kitchen when possible. 

     As head cashier, I was learning how to better manage my time, teach others, be a team player, and so much more. I have then been able to take those skills and apply them to other activities in my life. I use my time management skills to help prioritize my assignments and manage my calendar. I am extremely grateful for the communication skills I learned, because I am then able to implement them in my clubs and JROTC program. 

     By having a job I have learned so many valuable lessons that a classroom would not be able to teach me. Classroom learning is effective, but it can not compare to the life skills I have learned from having a job. I have been able to learn from people I would have never met if I didn’t have a job. 

     Having a job in the service industry has set me up for success. I am grateful to have had this experience and will continue to learn in my job. I will continue to use these life skills throughout life, and will take them with me wherever I go.