Food Service Workers Can Use Career Retraining to Survive Recession

Eating out is a fun indulgence for most Americans. However, when the economy hits turbulence, elegant dinners and trips to favorite bars may get cut from most budgets. As more Americans downsize their spending habits, food service workers found themselves on a government list of the employees most affected by recent layoffs. Fortunately, some of the skills that help waiters and bartenders shine can translate to lucrative jobs in recession-proof industries.

Common Job Skills Among Food Service Workers

• Sanitary work habits
• Customer service skills
• Strong memory

Career Opportunities for Service Industry Professionals

Many food service professionals start their careers with little or no formal training. For most restaurants and bartenders, personality and hustle are the price of admission to a stressful industry where service shines. Working for tips and climbing the ladder of the food industry often help restaurant workers learn to build relationships and find fast solutions.

With a strong work ethic and positive habits, restaurant workers can use career retraining to qualify for new jobs that require additional technical skill. For instance, good personal hygiene and powerful communication skills can help many waiters and waitresses transition into health care careers. As many hospitals and doctors' offices compete for patients, nurses and aides with customer service skills can build rapport with patients.

Many bartenders also find themselves taking different kinds of orders in new careers, especially in the business sector. Despite high-profile layoffs at investment banks and brokerages, many neighborhood bank branches and credit union offices require tellers and managers with an eye for detail and the ability to strike up conversations.

New Economy Careers for Food Service Professionals

Three possible career paths include health care, customer service, and administrative assistance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care industry was the nation's largest industry in 2006 and seven of the twenty fastest growing careers are in the health care field. Other fields, such as customer service and administrative assistance, should also continue to see job gains. The BLS predicts a 25 percent increase in employment opportunities between 2006 and 2016 for customer service professionals and 9 percent growth for secretaries and administrative assistants.

Benefits of Career Retraining

Shifting from tips to salaries can be a tough transition for many service industry professionals. Therefore, most career retraining programs can provide valuable career context, in addition to the tactical skills necessary to take on new jobs. Since many career retraining programs offer flexible schedules and online learning options, you can even learn a new career while waiting tables or tending bar. By blending the best habits from your work in the restaurant business with your other, untapped talents, you can position yourself to survive the recession.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Customer Service Representatives
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Food Service
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tomorrows Jobs
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