Career Resources and Advice for Experienced Workers

Is your lunch hour the highlight of your workday? Maybe a career in food service is just your dish. Here are some facts about food service occupations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Overview Food service workers work the front lines of eating and drinking establishments, performing duties that range from greeting customers to cleaning up after meals. They take food and drink orders, serve meals, explain menu items and specials and work together as a team to keep everything running smoothly. One-fourth of food and beverage service workers are 16- to 19-year-olds, and many people use these jobs as a quick source of income, not as a career.

Training and Education There are no formal educational requirements, though some employers prefer a high school diploma. Many are full-time students or homemakers. Usually, these people have little or no work experience. Most food service workers pick up skills on the job by shadowing or observing more experienced workers. Some employers also do self-instruction programs or formal training. Bartenders must be at least 21 years old, and they often attend bartending classes to learn drink recipes and familiarize themselves with local alcohol laws. A clean appearance, pleasant personality, good memory and foreign language skills are desirable to food service employers.

Opportunities Most jobs for food and beverage servers and related occupations are in restaurants, coffee shops and bars, but opportunities also exist in the amusement park, gambling and recreation industries, schools, grocery stores, nursing care facilities, civic and social organizations and hospitals. Typical jobs include: Waiters and waitresses, who take customers’ orders, serve food and beverages, prepare the bill and sometimes accept payments. Bartenders, who fill drink orders from patrons at the bar or from waiters and waitresses who place orders for their customers. They also check the identification of bar patrons to be sure they meet minimum age requirements. Hosts and hostesses, who welcome guests and maintain reservations or waiting lists. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers, who assist waiters, waitresses and bartenders, keeping their areas stocked and removing dirty dishes. Combined food preparation and serving workers take orders from customers, and also cook and package food, make coffee and fill drink cups. These people often work in fast-food restaurants. Counter attendants, who take orders and serve food in coffee shops, cafeterias and takeout eateries. Food service managers, who are responsible for the daily operations of food service establishments.

Pros and Cons of Food Service Food service establishments offer flexible hours and part-time availability. Because these jobs require little prior experience, they are a good way for students and teenagers to gain work experience or earn spending money. Pay can be high for skilled workers in busy, expensive restaurants where there is potential for high tips. However, these jobs require workers to be on their feet most of the day carrying heavy trays. Customers are sometimes difficult or demanding, and care must be taken to avoid slips, falls or burns. Opportunities for advancement are limited. Salary Earnings for food and beverage service jobs are usually determined by a combination of hourly wages and tips. Earnings vary greatly based on the type of job and establishment. According to the BLS, in 2002 the median hourly earnings of waiters and waitresses were $6.80. Bartenders earned $7.21, hosts and hostesses earned $7.36 and combined food preparation and serving workers (including fast food) were paid $6.97. Counter attendants earned $7.32 and dishwashers, $7.15. The median annual earnings of food service managers were $35,790.

Job Outlook Job openings in this industry are expected to be abundant through 2012, stemming from increase in population, personal incomes and leisure time. However, most of these openings will arise from the need to replace workers who leave the industry. Competition will be stiffest for waiter, waitress and bartender jobs in popular restaurants with a high tips potential. The addition of healthier items to fast food menus and Americans’ fast-paced lifestyles are expected to drive employment at fast-food restaurants. Source: BLS September 2004

With the growth of online banking and a wider selection of financial products offered by banks, guiding customers through the maze of banking services has created a greater need for customer service at all levels within banking organizations.

Of the approximately 2.3 million customer service jobs in the U.S. as of 2008, nearly one-quarter of those positions were in the financial and insurance industries. Over the coming decade, financially-based customer service is expected to grow by 9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects. Here are a few areas of opportunity in banking customer service.

Branching out: Customer service personnel at bank branches still perform the primary duties of helping customers open accounts and rent safe deposit boxes, as well as obtain loans. But service at the branch level now combines traditional duties in customer care with the ability to make recommendations for adding new bank services like debit cards and online bill-paying. Branch employees need to be knowledgeable about online banking services available that allow customers to bank at their convenience 24/7. With a broader selection of products in financial planning now available at banks, customer care involves helping the clientele decide which accounts work best for their needs. Job titles at the branch level might include bank teller, personal banking assistant, new accounts manager, or customer service specialist.

Call center banking: Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank, which serves about 15 million consumers in the western part of the country, describes the perfect customer service rep for one of their banking call centers as “enthusiastic, outgoing, flexible, able to multitask, and [with] strong verbal communication skills.” Online and telephone banking has allowed customers to bank “on the run,” but they have also increased the importance of excellence in long-distance customer care. Convenience and accessibility are the guiding principles of 24/7 banking, and it is the call center representatives who carry out that banking mission. Like their bank branch counterparts, call center representatives are expected to be knowledgeable about new banking products so they can sell those services to clients. Excellent computer skills are necessary for call center staff since many customer queries come through online and email sources and nearly all transactions and customer account information are stored electronically.

Small business advice: For budding entrepreneurs who need assistance financing a new venture, the first stop at their local bank is likely to be with a customer service representative. From here, they can be directed to the loan officers and financial services professionals who may ultimately approve their business funding. A savvy customer service worker can provide initial information about the bank’s small business services at the outset when entrepreneurs are trying to determine their account needs, financial record-keeping and business plan. This first interaction will likely influence the entrepreneur’s desire to partner with the bank as their business grows. “Banks with small business banking departments become familiar with the unique needs of their customers and can provide them with creative financing solutions,” according to Joe Davio, regional president for Comerica Bank in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Have you ever looked at your boss and wondered “Who promoted you?” or “How have you not been fired by now?” If you have, take comfort in knowing you’re not alone — many of us have to deal with boss’s that seem in over their heads.

The fact is, that while your inept boss may drive you nuts, it may not even be his or her fault– or even the fault of your company for promoting your boss in the first place. Your unsuspecting employer had no idea that your boss would become a full-blown case of the Peter Principle in action.

So who is Peter and what did he do to make your boss so frustrating, you ask?

Well, Dr. Laurence J. Peter is a former teacher who published a satirical book based around his theory that “In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence” and that “In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties.” Or, basically: We do a job well, we’re promoted. We do that job well, we’re promoted again. This happens in succession until we eventually rise to a position that we can no longer do well — or our level of incompetence. There, we either stagnate, revert back to a lower position, or are fired.

While “The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong,” was originally meant to provide a sort of absurd-yet-true comic relief to the over-worked, the practicality and pertinence of the Peter Principle was not lost on the working world, and the theory has since become a hotly debated human resources phenomenon.

Below three experts argue their side of the Peter Principle.

“It’s true!” — Ric Morgan, professional speaker and author of “The Keys: The Textbook to a Successful Life”

“I live in a city where one of the department heads (and the highest paid civic employee in the city) is the most incompetent person you’d ever want to meet. Ever since he [took the job] it has been one disaster after another. He’ll hire someone to do a job for the city, and when they too prove to be incompetent, he hires someone else to cover his tracks saying that the last company wasn’t a good fit. This incompetence has cost the city millions of dollars, and yet he has the council members, the Mayor and City Manager bamboozled, so they don’t fire him.

[As a business consultant], the minute I find the people who are living examples of the Peter Principle is the minute I find the problems in the company.

This problem is so diverse and prevalent I have even seen examples of the founder of the company being a leading example of the Peter Principle. I know that sounds crazy, but they had two things going for them: an idea that was just too good to fail, and the ability to hire very competent people to make it all work.

I have even, as crazy as this sounds, found people who are running or trying to start one-man shops. In this day and age of entrepreneurship, everyone believes they can start a business and make it succeed because they ‘have the best idea that will make them overnight millionaires.’ Wrong! It’s hard to look into someone’s eyes and tell them they are too incompetent to do what they have set out to do, even if they have been doing something similar in another place, where they had actually reached the level of incompetence espoused by Dr. Laurence.

A lot people believe the Peter Principle applies to just business, but there are an awful lot of people out there who live it in all areas of their life. They are incompetent at life itself. We have all met people like this and we always wonder how they even exist.”

“It’s false!” — Leigh Steere, co-owner, Managing People Better, LLC

“I personally do not believe in the Peter Principle. The field of neurolinguistic programming says that any behaviour/skill can be learned. In other words, if a person does not already know how to do something, he/she can be taught.

Sometimes, however, we have internal barriers to learning and achievement that keep us from growing intellectually and professionally. Limiting beliefs, such as ‘I’m not smart enough’ or ‘I’m not good at math,’ can keep people from attempting more complex challenges. This is not an issue of incompetence. It is an issue of limiting beliefs — or an ‘emotional intelligence’ gap. Stagnation, reverting to a lower position or being fired can result from a variety of ‘emotional intelligence’ gaps.

For example, some people have not adequately learned to read body language cues. They may press their point, even though it is clear listeners are becoming angry or defensive. They may bark orders at colleagues, unaware that listeners are bristling. They don’t adjust their communication to preserve rapport. One might argue that this is a form of incompetence. However, the Peter Principle seems to suggest that each person has a level of competence that he/she cannot move beyond.

I strongly disagree with this presupposition. Even the most bull-in-a-china-shop communicator can learn techniques for building rapport, resolving conflict gracefully, etc. The issue is: is a person able to acknowledge their deficits and seek help. In some cases, employees are in such denial that they do remain stuck or they get fired … until they finally ‘get’ the message.

There is an older book, ‘Battling the Inner Dummy,’ that offers an interesting concept — ‘controlled trauma’ to induce transformation” and offers this illustration: ‘Boot camp … can be thought of as an example of controlled trauma that is designed to foster traits like loyalty and obedience.’

Sometimes, an employer can stage a controlled trauma to help an employee move beyond a stuck place or overcome denial. For example, let’s say a star salesperson is running roughshod over co-workers by communicating curtly, expecting them to stay until midnight to finish tasks that could wait until the next day, etc. An employer could pull the person aside and say, ‘We appreciate your sales talent and all the business you have brought to our company. However, we are receiving numerous complaints from your colleagues about your communication style. We value you and want you to continue here. But this bullying communication style cannot continue. We will pay for a coach to work with you on this if you would like to stay with our company. Otherwise, you will need to find employment elsewhere.’ If the salesperson accepts the coaching, he/she has an opportunity to move to a new level in his/her career. In contrast, the Peter Principle suggests this salesperson would hit a career ceiling.”

“It depends!” — Marcia Reynolds, PsyD, author of “Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction”

“I have been a corporate trainer for 30 years. I don’t believe you can really measure the truth of the Peter Principle without analyzing the training the person has had for the position they have moved into, especially if it’s a promotion.

With each promotion the person has to give up some of the things they have done before and take on new tasks, responsibilities and perspectives (including work values). What they did before will not ensure their success in the present. However, if the person doesn’t get good mentoring, training and a manager who can support the shift, they are not given the tools to succeed. They could be competent if given the chance.”

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow @CBForJobSeekers on Twitter.

Tweet

10 strategies for entrepreneurial success

Few things can rattle your world more than the loss of a job. But faced with the resultant soul-searching, some recent pink-slip recipients are refusing to be casualties of the latest recession. Instead of quietly joining the ranks of the unemployed, they’re resolving to seize control over their career and become their own boss. They’re pursuing an entrepreneurial dream. (more…)

Tweet

If you’re an entrepreneur considering a franchise, it’s important to take the time to find the business that is right for you. Individuals who jump into franchise opportunities too quickly will eventually experience issues — whether they really don’t like the job, it wasn’t the right one for them, etc. By looking at some tips offered by experts who have been there and done that, you can get a sense of what you should be looking at during your franchise search.

Do Your Research

One of the most important things you can do before selecting a franchise is to research. Ask the franchisor if you can contact current franchisees and ask questions. This is your first indication of whether or not it’s a good franchise for you. The franchisor should be completely open about providing names so you can ask questions. If he or she is not, consider this a red flag.

When talking to current franchisees, find out the pros and cons of the business. Have a frank discussion and find out what’s wonderful about the franchise and what’s not so wonderful. This will give you some insight into what you’ll be experiencing if you choose this particular franchise. Ask if you can look over their franchise agreement to learn what you can.

Along with discussing the pros and cons, you’ll need to find out how the numbers are adding up. What is the franchise selling — whether it’s a product or service — and how well does the location contribute to the success of the franchise? For instance, if the franchise is a restaurant in a smaller town that doesn’t have a lot of different options for dining out, it may do great business. If it’s a restaurant in a large town where many other restaurants are available, it may not do as well. You need to research these things and what kind of profit you’re most likely to be looking at.

“When choosing a franchise, it’s important that you will mesh well with the business practices, marketing methods and the products. If it’s something you plan on doing for a while, you want to ensure that work is going to be enjoyable. Above all, you have to believe in what you’re doing,” says Lavon Tarr, a current franchise owner.

Your Personal Needs

Before choosing a franchise, you’re going to need to take a really good look at yourself. What are your limits? Many franchise owners work 80 or more hour weeks, spend weekends and holidays at work, and lose a lot of their free time. This may be all right if you’re a young, single professional but if you have a family, it could create some issues. What kinds of hours will you be working with the particular franchise you’re considering? Find out from the franchisor or current franchisee what to expect in the way of working hours and time that must be invested in order for the franchise to be truly successful.

Finances

Depending on the business you choose, your franchise may be vulnerable to seasonal or monthly revenue fluctuations, so consider this when choosing your franchise. If you open an ice-cream shop, for example, you may find that winter months are much slower than hot summer ones. Do you have contingency funds available if the franchise goes through a rough spot and isn’t taking in as much money? If you don’t, you might want to consider a franchise opportunity that has more solid and constant numbers.

By considering each point above and really taking the time to research and think about your own personal needs, you’ll find a franchise that will work for you.

Kristi Patrice Carter, J.D.

How an unprofessional signature can damage your image.

Let’s be honest: A fair share of unemployed workers are taking jobs that they don’t necessarily want or find interesting. These workers aren’t bad employees and they’re not attempting to waste a company’s time. They just don’t want to be unemployed, and any paycheck is better than no paycheck when bills are piling up. (more…)

For someone with an entrepreneurial streak, buying a franchise is the middle ground between buying an existing business and starting a company from scratch. (more…)

Tweet

Working two or three jobs takes its toll on your personal life.

In the 1980s, the stressful balancing act of working mothers gained national attention in TV shows and films. Never mind that women had been balancing family responsibilities and working outside the home for generations. Suddenly it seemed as if people, or at least the media and business owners, realized how difficult it is for workers to balance their professional lives and their careers. (more…)

Smart job seekers aren’t afraid to mention occupational aspirations to their book club, their parents’ friends or their dentist. (One never knows whose golf partner might be the ticket to getting a foot in the door.) Caroline Ceniza-Levine, a partner at SixFigureStart — a career coaching firm in New York City comprised of former Fortune 500 recruiters — recommends putting your LinkedIn public profile hyperlink in your automatic e-mail signature. “This is an elegant way to attach your résumé to every correspondence you send. Even friends who think they know you may click through to your profile, learn more about you and perhaps think of you for a job or lead that they might have overlooked.”

2. They surf job boards for more than just open positions.

Ceniza-Levine calls job boards “goldmines” for research. “You might see companies you didn’t know before — add these to your list of targets. You might see the same requirements again and again — this indicates a standard for the job you want, so incorporate these items into your pitch and cover letters.”

3. They put adequate time and effort into their applications.

“Spend time to make your résumé the best possible written advertisement of you,” says

Lisa Quast, author of “Your Career, Your Way!” and founder of Career Woman Inc., a Seattle-based career development consulting company. “Analyze the job requirements against your own skills and abilities, and customize your cover letter.”

Obviously, all correspondence should be free of errors and typos. And before sending off the application packet, look at the job posting one last time to ensure all desired material is included.

4. They do their homework.

It seems logical to smart applicants to know something about potential employers. From Googling a company to checking out its financial statements, they learn what they can — and use the info to enhance their correspondence.

5. They know employers do their homework, too.

“According to [a 2010] Coremetrics [study] 75 percent of companies require recruiters to research job applicants online, so you’ll want to be sure you know what they’ll find,” states Sherrie Madia, co-author of “The Online Job Search Survival Guide.” Besides thinking twice about what you choose to post, she suggests doing a Google search on your name. If you find something undesirable, try to have it removed. 

6. They make their value known quickly.

“An employer gives each résumé about a three-second window of time before he decides to either ‘delete’ or read further,” says Patrice Rice, author of “How to Interview” and president of the recruiting firm Patrice & Associates in Dunkirk, Md. A smart applicant answers the “What can you do for me?” question right off the bat with a summary of strongest accomplishments at the résumé’s top.

7. They look and act like a professional.

Simple but effective: A smart applicant arrives on time, dresses appropriately, both talks and listens, displays confidence and minds his manners.

8. They show that they want this job.

Smart job seekers are not “tire kickers.” They focus on the needs of the employer and demonstrate how they are perfect for this particular position.

“Show enthusiasm during the job interview,” says Rice. “Always make certain that the company you’re interviewing with feels as if it is your first choice, no matter what other companies are involved in your job search.”

9. They don’t get ahead of themselves.

As much as she may be dying to know about promotions, raises and vacation time, a smart candidate doesn’t jump the gun and tackle these issues during the first interview. She focuses on landing the position, then on whether the package is suitable.

10. They ask for the position, follow up and thank.

“As strange as it sounds, you need to ask for the job,” says Catherine Jewell, author of “New Résumé New Career: Get the Job You Want with the Skills and Experience You Already Have.” “At the end of the interview, sum up your strengths, tell the interviewer that you are excited about the position and say, ‘I would really like to contribute to this company. I am hoping you select me.’”

Then, a smart interviewee keeps his name in the game with a follow-up note reiterating interest and offering thanks — knowing that a great last impression can seal the deal!

Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CBForJobSeekers on Twitter.

In the two years since the economy began its downward slide, health care has been one of the few industries that continued to rise. Because we’re living longer than ever and the baby boomers are aging, demand for health care is growing.

Understandably, many people think of health care as all about doctors and nurses. After all, when you go to the hospital or have your annual check-up, your interaction is usually with a nurse and then a doctor. All the lab tests and other work are done behind the scenes, so these positions get overlooked. The health care industry will continue to grow in the coming decade and the jobs won’t just be in the operating room, though many will.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these 11 jobs in health care will see growth in the coming years. Here are the jobs, their expected growth in the next decade, education requirements and annual mean salary*:

1. Physician assistants perform many of the same tasks of a physician — such as treating injuries and supervising medical assistants — but are under a physician’s supervision at all times.
2008-2018 increase: 41.3 percent
Education: College degree and relevant experience
Salary: $81,610

2. Medical secretaries perform administrative duties in health-care facilities and rely on their knowledge of medical terminology and procedures.
2008-2018 increase: 27 percent
Education: Varies, but college degrees are increasingly common requirements
Salary: $30,800

3. Physicians and surgeons treat patients for existing medical conditions and also advise them on preventative care. Surgeons concentrate on operations rather than the non-surgical approaches of physicians.
2008-2018 increase: 26 percent
Education: Medical degrees, residencies and licenses
Salary: Surgeons – $206,770, general internists – $176,740

4. Registered nurses address some health problems of patients as well as collect and maintain their medical records.
2008-2018 increase: 23.4 percent
Education: Varies between college degrees requirements and certification, depending on state and employer
Salary: $65,130

5. Counselors work in various health-care facilities to help clients overcome physical or mental health obstacles they are encountering.
2008-2018 increase: 22.6 percent
Education: Varies by state and facility, but college degree and certification are typical
Salary: Mental health – $40,270, rehabilitation – $34,600, substance abuse and behavioral disorder – $39,670

6. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses provide care for injured or ill patients in health-care facilities and private homes.
2008-2018 increase: 21.9 percent
Education: Nursing license from an accredited school or institution, other requirements vary by state
Salary: $40,110

7. Billing and posting clerks and machine operators assess the cost of a patient’s health care, draw up the bill and send it to them.
2008-2018 increase: 19.7 percent
Education: Varies by institution, but a high school diploma and basic computer skills are common
Salary: $32,120

8. Social workers provide emotional and mental support to patients who have substance abuse problems or suffer from medical ailments.
2008-2018 increase: 19.5 percent
Education: Bachelor’s degrees and often advanced degrees are required, in addition to state-mandated licenses and certifications
Salary: Medical and public health – $47,560, mental health and substance abuse – $39,630

9. Receptionists and information clerks work in health-care facilities and address customer or patient questions or concerns and direct them to the appropriate department or personnel.
2008-2018 increase: 16.1 percent
Education: Minimum requirement of high school diploma, although some employers require more education or relevant experience
Salary: $25,400

10. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians work in medical laboratories to perform tests that help diagnose, treat or prevent illnesses.
2008-2018 increase: 14 percent
Education: Technologists need a bachelor’s degree in a related subject and technicians need an associate degree
Salary: Technologists – $54,050, technicians – $44,310

11. Pharmacists dispense medicine to patients based on the diagnoses and prescriptions of physicians and other medical professionals.
2008-2018 increase: 14 percent
Education: A Doctor of Pharmacy degree and license
Salary: $104,260

*All information based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.

Years ago, when résumés were still sent to employers by mail, job seekers hoped things like a high-quality paper stock and unique, professional formatting would catch the eye of an employer. These days, things are a little different.

Tweet

The nonprofit sector is one of the best places to find jobs that empower you to earn a living and make a difference in the lives of others. In addition, the nonprofit sector, which employs about 8.7 million people in the United States, offers many positive aspects that other sectors generally don’t. (more…)