I need advice on hospitality

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So, I've been looking for a job and have found a handful of openings within walking distance that I'm qualified for. The most apealing by far was this ad I found on Craigslist:

"This is an opportunity to work in a manufacturing environment that has that family feel and use your mechanical skills at work.This is an innovative company that is relentlessly focused on customer satisfaction and quality products. You will be creating plastic tubing in specific shapes and doing the set-up and operation of the machines. If you enjoy working independently with minimal supervision this is the opportunity for you! As an operator, you will need to be familiar with reading prints with decimals, using calipers and gauges.

This is a full time, swing shift position.

Requirements:
Basic mechanical knowledge and use of hand tools
Lift up to 55 lbs

Please reply with your resume"

The problem is that I'm in school from 3:45 PM to 5:34 PM so I couldn't work the swing shift. The only other jobs that I might be able to do all fall into the category of "hospitality". One deli just a couple miles from where I live (I'm used to walking 2.5 miles to school every day anyway... that's a 5 mile round trip) is looking for someone who meets the following requirements:

*Must have worked in the food/restaurant industry as a server or food handler before.
I volunteered at a soup kitchen for about a year. That's pretty much the same thing, right?

* Must have food handlers permit
I don't have one at the moment, but they're really easy to get. I talked with someone about it and they said they'll hire you without one provided you get it within a couple weeks of being hired.

* Must love being around people , someone who brings energy, you have a great smile and have family values.
I'm pretty sure I have family values, but I'm not sure I have those other things...

* live within 30 min
I know for a fact that I meet that requirement.

All of the other service/hospitality positions I've been able to find have similar requirements. So, I have two questions for you people. First, how might I conduct myself in order to be successful as a waiter or a greeter or anything else that would require me to be very social? Also, should I check on that manufacturing position despite the scheduling conflict or not? I feel like that job would be a really great fit for me, but if I can't be there during the swing shift, I doubt that I could get a position there.

Thanks in advance for whatever advice you might offer me.

Last edited by LittlePigLocksmith on 28 Mar 2014, 10:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

You sound like you really want the manufacturing job. And if you're like most Aspies, it would probably be a better fit.
I would say - go for it. The worst they could do is say "no."

You don't say how old you are. What kind of school do you go to from 3:45 PM to 5:34 PM? If it's regular college, that could be a point in your favor -- you're doing something positive. Paint it red. Find a way to give it a positive spin that will make you a better employee. Also, if it's regular college, the semester will be over soon and, after that, tell them you can sign up for a schedule that works better with the job.

Unless it's some other kind of school you don't want to tell them about before hiring. If you have a full-time job that you like, do you really need the school? Could you drop out once you're sure of the job?

"Hospitality? All we wanted to do was to use your telephone, goddammit, a reasonable request which you've chosen to ignore!" -Brad

I'm 16 and it's not college (though I have been taking a couple college level classes). It's basically a school they send you to if they don't want you interacting with the geneal population. Most of the studenst there have serious drug problems and/or are arrested regularly. I'm there because noone can pick on me there because everything's very well supervised.

If somone calls me a ret*d or threatens to do me physical harm, there's no way a staff member wont notice and intervine at this school. However, I don't think it'd be wise to market myself as someone who can't attend a normal highschool due to my social challenges.

I think it'd be better if I just showed up and talked with someone rather than send a resume because I don't have any real experience doing anything like this, but I'm extremely articulate and have been told I come off as very intelligent and mature.

Would an alternative school like that be more flexible than a regular public school? Maybe you can talk to someone about options (guidance counselor, case worker, whoever you normally talk to). Call it a "work-study program" or something, And talk about what a good experience it would be. If not for this job, start the conversation for the next time you see a job ad for something interesting.

Another thought: a lot of companies today are actively looking to hire disabled people.
If you have an advocate from school who recommends you, maybe the company will make accommodations.

(I have no idea. I'm just using my imagination.)

On the other hand, at the age of 16, I think they have a limit on the number of hours you can work and on dangerous machinery.

That depends on where you live. For example, in PA NO ONE under the age of 18 is allowed to operate heavy machinery, unless they are in an apprenticeship or a vocational education program. Check with your state's department of labor for clarification.

I am required to have a certain number of "carrer related learning experiences" in order to graduate. When I go back to school on Monday, I'll ask a staff member if I can go to school in the morning. As for the restrictions related to my age, The law states that I can't work more than 44 hours per week. They said they were looking for someone to work between 35 and 48 hours a week so that could be legal.

As for working conditions here, the state's website says that employers are required to provide a 15 minute break every 4 hours, a meal period of no less than 30 minutes if the work period exceeds 6 hours, "adequate work" (enough work to earn at least half of the scheduled earnings for the day) if the employer requires the minor to report to work at specific times and finally that the employer does not require the minor to lift objects too large for the minor to safely lift.

I saw nothing there about potentially dangerous machinery. However, even if it isn't illegal for me to work there, they may still be worried about liability if there is some kind of accident...

As for taking the disability angle, I know a number of county employees who would probably be willing to help with that. I'll have to bring that up with one of them some time.

Prohibited occupations for minors in the state of oregon include:

1. Occupations Involving Explosives
All occupations in or about plants or establishments manu-
facturing or storing explosives or articles containing
explosive components. (State law further prohibits the
employment of minors in occupations where explosives are
used.)

2. Motor Vehicle Occupations
All motor vehicle occupations, including driving and
outside helper (riding outside the cab for the purpose of
assisting in the transportation of goods). Seventeen year-
olds may drive under certain circumstances.

3. Coal Mine Occupations
All coal mining occupations performed under ground, in an
open pit, or on the surface of a coal mining plant for the
purpose of extracting, grading, cleaning or handling coal.

4. Forest Fire Fighting and Fire Prevention, Timber
Tract Management, Forestry Services, Logging and Saw
Mill Occupations
All occupations in forest firefighting and forest fire preven-
tion occupations; all logging operations or occupations in
the operation of any sawmill, lath mill, shingle mill, or
cooperage stock mill.

5. Power Driven Woodworking Machine Occupations
Woodworking occupations involving the use or
maintenance of power driven woodworking machines for
cutting, shaping, forming, surfacing, nailing, stapling, wire
stitching, fastening or assembling, pressing or printing of
wood or veneer; including battery-powered, hand-held
drills and sanders.

6. Occupations Involving Exposure to Radioactive Substances
Occupations involving exposure to radioactive substances
and to ionizing radiations.

7. Power Driven Hoisting Apparatus Occupations
Occupations involving the operation of power driven
hoisting apparatus or assisting in the operation of hoisting
apparatus, such as:
➤
elevators
➤
cranes
➤
derricks
➤
hoists
➤
fork-lifts
➤
high-lift trucks
➤
man-lifts
➤
freight elevators

8. Power Driven Metal Working Machine Occupations
The occupations of operator of or helper on power driven
metal forming, punching and shearing machines.
This ORDER DOES NOT APPLY TO a very large group
of metal working machines known as machine tools, which
have one or more tool- or work-holding device, such as:
➤
milling function machines
➤
lathes
➤
drill presses
➤
planing function machines
➤
borers
➤
reamers
➤
grinding function machines
➤
drills
➤
honers
as well as a number of other machine tools that may be used
by 16 and 17 year-old minors.

9. Occupations in Mining, Other Than Coal
Occupations in or on the surface of underground mines or
quarries.

10. Occupations in Slaughtering or Meat Processing
Occupations involving slaughtering, meat packing or
processing, or rendering, including but not limited to, the
use, repair or cleaning of the following machines: meat
patty forming machines, meat slicing machines, meat and
bone cutting saws, knives and grinding, mixing, chopping
machines.

11. Power Driven Bakery Machine Occupations
The occupations of operating, assisting to operate, repairing
or cleaning of dough mixers, batter mixers, bread dividing,
rounding or molding machines, dough brake, dough
sheeters, bread slicing and wrapping machines, cake cutting
band saws and setting up or adjusting cookie or cracker
machines. Other bakery machines may be used by 16 and
17 year-old minors.

12. Power Driven Paper Products Machine Occupations
The occupations of operating or assisting to operate paper
products machines including, but not limited to: arm type
wire stitchers or staplers, cover cutters, circular or band
saws, guillotine paper cutters, platen die cutting presses,
platen printing presses and punch presses.
Many paper products machines MAY BE USED by 16 and
17 year-old minors, including but not limited to:
bag making and box making machines
gluing, gumming and folding machines
rotary printing presses

13. Brick and Tile Manufacturing Occupations
All work in or about establishments in which clay construc-
tion products or silica brick or silica refractory products are
manufactured, except work in offices, storage, shipping and
drying departments.

14. Operation of Power Saws and Shears Occupations
All occupations of operator or helper setting up, repairing
or cleaning circular saws, band saws or guillotine shears.

15. Occupations in Wrecking, Demolition and Ship
Breaking Operations
All occupations in wrecking, demolition and ship breaking.

16. Occupations in roofing Operations
All roofing operations.

17. Occupations in Excavation Operations
Excavating, working in or backfilling trenches exceeding
four feet in depth. Excavating for buildings or working in
such excavations. Working in tunnels or shafts prior to the
completion of all driving, sinking and shoring operations.

18. Messenger Service Occupations
All delivery of messages or goods between the hours of
10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m

So, legally there shouldn't be an issue with the nature of the work.

You don't have to be very social to be a waiter, you just have to run your script and provide service, do your job and your tips will be average. The people who make great money as servers/waitstaff are yes, more social, persuasive, etc. although you might be able to still suggest menu items and wine pairings that make sense because it's part of your job and people will appreciate that you aren't there to "chat them up" but to do your job.

Also, if you do anything in hospitality, stay in waitstaff, the money is better. What other jobs can you do that you bring home cash daily? Not many, so serving is a good part-time job. Also you don't work as long for the same money, you might work, say, dinner shift, from 4-9 and make $100, so that's what $20 an hour? not too shabby.

Um... you do need to be extremely social to do that.

I tried it when I was a kid. I lasted four days at one job (because they were kind) and two days at the other.
I had no idea why it didn't work until years later.

One problem is that I am mildly faceblind. I've learned a few tricks over the decades that help in other areas, but I still couldn't make it as a waiter. One trick is to describe the person, in words (short guy, white hair, bright blue shirt...) and run that verbal description through my head constantly until that customer's job is done. I can't multi-task while I'm doing this. I got a million of 'em, and they all take tons of energy. And you can't tell anyone how hard you're working at it. You need to be like the duck, all serene and confident on the surface, while paddling like a bastard underneath. The trouble with that is, if you make an effort to look like you don't care, people tend to believe that you don't care.

Then there's the obligatory flirting and joking. Like the old guy who jokingly ask me to put my finger in his coffee to sweeten it up. I just stared at him until I got the joke. I didn't know at the time that I was pretty, and I still can't really grasp why it's important outside of mating rituals. The answer to that puzzle is that EVERYTHING is a mating ritual, whether conscious or subconscious, and if you don't play at least a little, it will be taken as a rejection and an insult. They won't bother to explain it because they think you already know, and that the insult is deliberate.

I could go on and on.

In response to kirayng, I really don't think I'd make a good waiter for a few reasons. I can't multitask, I don't deal with people well and most importantly, while I do have my food handler's card I'm not licensed to serve alcohol and will not be allowed to apply for a license for about a year and a half.

I work part-time in hospitality by choice - mainly for a little extra cash and to get out of the house and see people (I work from home at a computer most days). It works for me because:

1) I do it on a limited basis.
2) I am involved in serving at large events - institutional dinners, weddings, etc - in which the meal is 'scripted' in the sense there is a preset menu, a large catering company makes it and brings it to the venue. This means I am not taking orders from a large menu and dealing with preferences of multiple people.
3) In these types of situations, I am not interrupted too often with requests - we serve the meal, and sometimes set the tables, or clean up after.

In short, I think the only hospitality situation that works for an aspie is one in which you aren't interrupted often, or deviating from a preset agenda.