[Sleek]

My father is a proponent of hard work and constantly cites it as a reason that many people are wealthy. Because of this, I have managed two different jobs for the past month or so. One is a boring job doing data entry. I learn nothing.

The other is a cashier job at a butcher shop where I make deliveries, help customers, ring up orders, and take orders on the phone. For the most part, it is a relatively simple job, but I greatly enjoy it and have learned a plethora of things. Including:

Being a good boss means leading by example. My boss is the best. He doesn't tell me what to do, he shows me by his actions. He is not uptight and not out to micromanage. He is happy and works harder than any person I know. He typically wakes up at 6 a.m. and leaves the job at 11 p.m. He hasn't taken a day off from work in 2013. He makes work fun because of his stories and sense of humor. If I ever get to the position of management in my life, I want to act like he does.

The customer is first. A customer came into the store yesterday saying someone referred her and it was the first time she shopped at our shop. My boss gave her a $50 meal free and a $50 store credit after taking her through all the beefs and sides we sell.

A small tip can make the biggest difference. As a cashier, I'm not used to being tipped. I've done deliveries as well where I've traveled 30 miles and not received a tip ($200+ orders). When I was working behind the counter and this dude ordered $16 worth of food and gave me a $2 tip for his order, I was a little shocked. Next time, I'll let him skip the line. I was instantly appreciative.
(Note: MikeCF has definitely mentioned this before as a tactic he's used in clubs to get the bouncers on his side.)

Customers should be conversed with. This goes with putting the customer first, but I think the reason my boss' shop is so popular is because he asks about the customer's kids and has a personal relationship with a lot of people that come into the store. Even if he doesn't know them that well, he wants to get to know them. In essence, when I don't know someone that comes in, it's a cold approach. However, if someone comes in and we've had a conversation before, I ask them about their kids, family, etc and it is a warm approach. The personal relationships make a difference and bring back customers.

Tell people what they want to hear / It's okay to tell white lies.
Customer: "Do you have six burgers made?"
(The burgers are not yet made, but take 30 seconds to make.)
Me: "Yeah, I just have to get them in the back."
The first week, I was telling customers "No" to that question and because they wanted to get out as fast as possible, they would pass on the burgers, losing sales.

There is no substitute to doing your job quickly and well. When I started, I had no idea what I was doing... I would go slowly and do the job poorly. Now, I feel as if I do the job pretty well, but it still takes a while to complete orders. For most things, mastery is doing the job quickly and well (i.e. game).

**

If you have worked a job with close to minimum wage pay, what have you learned (if anything)? Personally, I have been surprised and fulfilled with my job as a cashier at a butcher shop.

[CJ_W]

(07-28-2013 07:18 PM)Sleek Wrote:  

If you have worked a job with close to minimum wage pay, what have you learned (if anything)? Personally, I have been surprised and fulfilled with my job as a cashier at a butcher shop.

When you have a job that you love, you don't notice how much it may suck to those from the outside.

Also, that love becomes infectious and people notice and respect you more.

In college I Had a job doing Stocking at my college cafeteria, I'd wake up at 4am to get there by 4:45 to open everything, pick up the food/drinks from the truck person, fill out all the forms after counting and making sure everything was in order, then loading all of the goods into the corresponding freezers/fridges, and leave out certain goods that the cooks wanted in their cooking station, all alone then I would clean out the freezer/fridge, kitchen, and serving areas before they opened at 8:30. THEN after class in the evening, I would work cleaning everything, taking out the trash etc etc. . .

Sounds kinda crappy? well for some reason I LOVED IT. so It didn't really matter waking up that early, or taking out smelly trash. And because I loved it, all of the adults respected me, from the pepsi tuck guy in the morning always making jokes, to the head cooks who were COMPLETE ASSHOLES. . .to everyone else, but were real cool with me. . .they would even leave me some extras of the food they made. . .and I'm talking chain smoking, curse and yell like a sailor, I'm-50-years-old-and-still-cooking-in-a-college-cafeteria-what-the-fuck-happened-to-my-life-type-guys. That and I loved that they were assholes to the utter twat students that were working at the place(there were some real retards wow)

so yeah no real moral, no cool boss to tell you about, just pure enjoying what you're doing and reaping the benefits of it.

Also I don't know what to tell those who don't enjoy their job what to do either...

so maybe this wasn't all that helpful.

[Veloce]

(07-28-2013 07:18 PM)Sleek Wrote:  

My father is a proponent of hard work and constantly cites it as a reason that many people are wealthy. Because of this, I have managed two different jobs for the past month or so. One is a boring job doing data entry. I learn nothing.

The other is a cashier job at a butcher shop where I make deliveries, help customers, ring up orders, and take orders on the phone. For the most part, it is a relatively simple job, but I greatly enjoy it and have learned a plethora of things. Including:

Being a good boss means leading by example. My boss is the best. He doesn't tell me what to do, he shows me by his actions. He is not uptight and not out to micromanage. He is happy and works harder than any person I know. He typically wakes up at 6 a.m. and leaves the job at 11 p.m. He hasn't taken a day off from work in 2013. He makes work fun because of his stories and sense of humor. If I ever get to the position of management in my life, I want to act like he does.

The customer is first. A customer came into the store yesterday saying someone referred her and it was the first time she shopped at our shop. My boss gave her a $50 meal free and a $50 store credit after taking her through all the beefs and sides we sell.

A small tip can make the biggest difference. As a cashier, I'm not used to being tipped. I've done deliveries as well where I've traveled 30 miles and not received a tip ($200+ orders). When I was working behind the counter and this dude ordered $16 worth of food and gave me a $2 tip for his order, I was a little shocked. Next time, I'll let him skip the line. I was instantly appreciative.
(Note: MikeCF has definitely mentioned this before as a tactic he's used in clubs to get the bouncers on his side.)

Customers should be conversed with. This goes with putting the customer first, but I think the reason my boss' shop is so popular is because he asks about the customer's kids and has a personal relationship with a lot of people that come into the store. Even if he doesn't know them that well, he wants to get to know them. In essence, when I don't know someone that comes in, it's a cold approach. However, if someone comes in and we've had a conversation before, I ask them about their kids, family, etc and it is a warm approach. The personal relationships make a difference and bring back customers.

Tell people what they want to hear / It's okay to tell white lies.
Customer: "Do you have six burgers made?"
(The burgers are not yet made, but take 30 seconds to make.)
Me: "Yeah, I just have to get them in the back."
The first week, I was telling customers "No" to that question and because they wanted to get out as fast as possible, they would pass on the burgers, losing sales.

There is no substitute to doing your job quickly and well. When I started, I had no idea what I was doing... I would go slowly and do the job poorly. Now, I feel as if I do the job pretty well, but it still takes a while to complete orders. For most things, mastery is doing the job quickly and well (i.e. game).

**

If you have worked a job with close to minimum wage pay, what have you learned (if anything)? Personally, I have been surprised and fulfilled with my job as a cashier at a butcher shop.

If I may make a humble suggestion...for the next step get away from the register and pick up a knife

[Kickb]

You can't be fly working for $6.95.

I worked at a grocery store for a while; I didn't like it. Low level service jobs can suck my dick

[Basil Ransom]

Nice write-up.

(07-28-2013 07:18 PM)Sleek Wrote:  

A small tip can make the biggest difference. As a cashier, I'm not used to being tipped. I've done deliveries as well where I've traveled 30 miles and not received a tip ($200+ orders). When I was working behind the counter and this dude ordered $16 worth of food and gave me a $2 tip for his order, I was a little shocked. Next time, I'll let him skip the line. I was instantly appreciative.
(Note: MikeCF has definitely mentioned this before as a tactic he's used in clubs to get the bouncers on his side.)

I'd add:

Tip When It's Least Expected.

In a job like waiting tables, where tips are expected, waiters won't acknowledge you for tipping the standard rate. You'd have to tip well above average to get noticed, or go a lot. Both are expensive propositions.

For positions like Sleek's, tips are rare and memorable. Getting a solitary dollar or five will stand out more than a 40% tip on a restaurant bill would. Very to easy to create goodwill cheaply with the worker, as a customer.

By the same principle, tipping a bartender well when the bar is empty is much more effective in the long run than when the bar is packed and rowdy.

Is your shop actually a butcher shop? There are very few real butcher shops left - they're usually just meat cutters, where pieces of meat come in semi-processed already. They don't start with a whole carcass.

[Sleek]

(07-28-2013 07:35 PM)CJ_W Wrote:  

(07-28-2013 07:18 PM)Sleek Wrote:  

If you have worked a job with close to minimum wage pay, what have you learned (if anything)? Personally, I have been surprised and fulfilled with my job as a cashier at a butcher shop.

When you have a job that you love, you don't notice how much it may suck to those from the outside.

Also, that love becomes infectious and people notice and respect you more.

In college I Had a job doing Stocking at my college cafeteria, I'd wake up at 4am to get there by 4:45 to open everything, pick up the food/drinks from the truck person, fill out all the forms after counting and making sure everything was in order, then loading all of the goods into the corresponding freezers/fridges, and leave out certain goods that the cooks wanted in their cooking station, all alone then I would clean out the freezer/fridge, kitchen, and serving areas before they opened at 8:30. THEN after class in the evening, I would work cleaning everything, taking out the trash etc etc. . .

Sounds kinda crappy? well for some reason I LOVED IT. so It didn't really matter waking up that early, or taking out smelly trash. And because I loved it, all of the adults respected me, from the pepsi tuck guy in the morning always making jokes, to the head cooks who were COMPLETE ASSHOLES. . .to everyone else, but were real cool with me. . .they would even leave me some extras of the food they made. . .and I'm talking chain smoking, curse and yell like a sailor, I'm-50-years-old-and-still-cooking-in-a-college-cafeteria-what-the-fuck-happened-to-my-life-type-guys. That and I loved that they were assholes to the utter twat students that were working at the place(there were some real retards wow)

so yeah no real moral, no cool boss to tell you about, just pure enjoying what you're doing and reaping the benefits of it.

Also I don't know what to tell those who don't enjoy their job what to do either...

so maybe this wasn't all that helpful.

Definitely would add this to my list. Time goes by real fast when I work. I get there at 8:30 a.m. and by the time I leave at 6 or 7 p.m. it seems as if a five or six hours have passed. Real cool.

(07-28-2013 07:44 PM)kickboxer Wrote:  

You can't be fly working for $6.95.

I worked at a grocery store for a while; I didn't like it. Low level service jobs can suck my dick

I'm only 18 years old; I make $10/hour. I don't pay for all my expenses, so for my age, it's actually "good money." Will go toward college.

(07-28-2013 08:00 PM)basilransom Wrote:  

Nice write-up.

(07-28-2013 07:18 PM)Sleek Wrote:  

A small tip can make the biggest difference. As a cashier, I'm not used to being tipped. I've done deliveries as well where I've traveled 30 miles and not received a tip ($200+ orders). When I was working behind the counter and this dude ordered $16 worth of food and gave me a $2 tip for his order, I was a little shocked. Next time, I'll let him skip the line. I was instantly appreciative.
(Note: MikeCF has definitely mentioned this before as a tactic he's used in clubs to get the bouncers on his side.)

I'd add:

Tip When It's Least Expected.

In a job like waiting tables, where tips are expected, waiters won't acknowledge you for tipping the standard rate. You'd have to tip well above average to get noticed, or go a lot. Both are expensive propositions.

For positions like Sleek's, tips are rare and memorable. Getting a solitary dollar or five will stand out more than a 40% tip on a restaurant bill would. Very to easy to create goodwill cheaply with the worker, as a customer.

By the same principle, tipping a bartender well when the bar is empty is much more effective in the long run than when the bar is packed and rowdy.

Is your shop actually a butcher shop? There are very few real butcher shops left - they're usually just meat cutters, where pieces of meat come in semi-processed already. They don't start with a whole carcass.

Definitely true and what I was getting at.

The meat comes semi-proccessed and it is cut with a machine. So nah, it isn't an "actual" butcher shop with the carcass and all. Have a feeling it is an economical thing.

[MikeCF]

When it comes to work, what matters most for your "happiness" or "mental health" is who you are working with.

I could never work in a corporation or have a "legit" job because those people are soulless and energy sucking.

It's a hard concept to really understand until you've been in an environment where no one gets offended v. one where you have to walk on egg shells. Working in a corporate environment floods your body with stress non-stop. It's chronic stress and that is what kills you.

It's also best to work in an environment around men. Even blue pill beta males can be cool if there aren't any women around to white knight for.

Throw women into the mix and then you have drama. You have white knights. You have HR policies designed to prevent the precious female snow flakes from melting due to your offensive words.

Work around other men and the time will pass by. I've done some horrible labor in unsafe environments and worked in white collar environments. By far the hazardous jobs was less stressful than working around parasites, leeches, and white knights.

[greensteelhead]

Those are excellent points, and there is much to what MikeCF just said. I have worked hard and climbed fast as a civil engineer working at consulting firms for railroads and DOTs. As you climb, the pressure and stress increases, and the suits abd bean counters play silly games to squeeze more out of customers and clients.

Those key lessons your are learning now go a long way and will serve you well. Perhaps those same suits and bean counters should go back to the cash register and work it for a while to remember what it's like.

As for me, I left that consulting world and now am in the Goverment. The games are different, but the job is stable. Allows me to work on other things outside of the 9 to 5.

[Dr. Howard]

Quote:

I'm only 18 years old; I make $10/hour. I don't pay for all my expenses, so for my age, it's actually "good money." Will go toward college.

You've figured this out at 18? You sir are well on your way to a successful working life.

[roberto]

(07-28-2013 07:18 PM)Sleek Wrote:  

If I ever get to the position of management in my life, I want to act like he does.

With your attitude at age 18 it's not if, it's when. Just make sure it's management of your own staff, not for someone else.

[Beyond Borders]

Your boss sounds like a smart guy. Keep watching him. I'm impressed that you are already trying to learn from a position like this at your age - good way to approach life. Hold on to that curiousity. It's an asset.

[Sleek]

(07-29-2013 04:45 AM)wiscanada Wrote:  

Quote:

I'm only 18 years old; I make $10/hour. I don't pay for all my expenses, so for my age, it's actually "good money." Will go toward college.

You've figured this out at 18? You sir are well on your way to a successful working life.

(07-29-2013 07:40 AM)roberto Wrote:  

(07-28-2013 07:18 PM)Sleek Wrote:  

If I ever get to the position of management in my life, I want to act like he does.

With your attitude at age 18 it's not if, it's when. Just make sure it's management of your own staff, not for someone else.

(07-29-2013 07:46 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  

Your boss sounds like a smart guy. Keep watching him. I'm impressed that you are already trying to learn from a position like this at your age - good way to approach life. Hold on to that curiousity. It's an asset.

I appreciate the compliments.

I've learned a ton, and I'm happy about my experience. Couldn't really ask for a better summer job. Learning from a guy who knows how to treat people and does his work as a full time hobby is an absolute blessing.

[Dr. Howard]

Its great when you can find a good business role model young. I got the chance to work for a small 'out of the back of the house' business for a summer when I was 18 and the owners took the time to really train me, take me on sales calls and teach the 'why' about why they did things.

I was back in the neighbourhood 15 years later and looked them up. they now own 7 separate business and are multi millionaires. Same philosophy to their work.

[Sleek]

(07-29-2013 10:40 AM)wiscanada Wrote:  

Its great when you can find a good business role model young. I got the chance to work for a small 'out of the back of the house' business for a summer when I was 18 and the owners took the time to really train me, take me on sales calls and teach the 'why' about why they did things.

I was back in the neighbourhood 15 years later and looked them up. they now own 7 separate business and are multi millionaires. Same philosophy to their work.

It's kind of funny how that works out. The guys who take the time to take on training people and caring/teaching those beneath them turn out the most successful.

For all you hear about ruthless businessmen, the ones I will have the most respect for are the ones that have the discipline to mentor the next generation.

[Truth Tiger]

Excellent insights. I think one facet about minimum or low wage work, especially as first few jobs, is that it gives you an opportunity to show your character. Do you work for the experience, the joy, the challenge, or to gain brownie points, buck for some promotion, etc.? Do you want to find out your strengths and weaknesses or start figuring out how to just get by early in life?

My first job was as a waiter, entry level restaurant. This was back when smoking was still allowed. I hate smoke. But I wanted to work and I liked interacting with people despite being pretty shy/stuttering mildly. I knew it would challenge me. I also liked the discounted food. and mastery, yes. Timing orders, reading people as to possible preferences, remembering regulars, helping out other servers, finding ways to diffuse 'it's been 30 minutes (on a busy Sunday morning) where's my food?!' situations. The live-action nature of service work gives it a vibrancy that is REAL. It makes you quick on your feet - or give up and crawl home. But as men we will rise to the occasion. I had several mentors at that job who helped me from making every possible newbie mistake but I still did drop a full tray of food. I learned to check the floor for dampness after that!

Mentoring is a big part of why I love having my own business. The exchange of ideas, seeing younger guys get excited about a field I've spent nearly two decades learning about/working in. Seeing them get ambitious, self-starting, networking. It's like having a child but without the diapers, though you still get to clean up messes.

A thirst for learning is part of any successful man's life. So is the desire to share. Sleek, you're doing both - kudos!

[Quintus Curtius]

These are good lessons, applicable to many businesses.

[Spectrumwalker]

I remember this quote from ROTC days. "Setting the example is not the main thing in leadership; it is the only thing". Very profound quote that always stuck with me.

[DJ-Matt]

The best job I ever had was working at a TV station part time when in college. Only $12 an hour, and this is in Norcal east bay where houses are $600k and up. But it was the best job, started out as just a master control operator, and gradually started doing engineering tasks. For those not in the biz, master control is playing tapes and commercials or running the satellite. Nowadays everything is computerized and you mostly just watch and click a mouse, but back in 2004 at a low budget UHF station we had 1" analog tape (on reels by the way) and only one computer VTR with just enough disk space for commercials, everything else long-form was off satellite or tape. There was very little "automatic" at that place.

[berserk]

I know this is old but the OP is a great example of the mindset any young and ambitious man should have. I've always said that you need to be able to do the simplest of tasks with responsibility and competence before you can claim wanting to do complicated tasks. There is a zen like satisfaction in perfecting a simple task. If you can find pride, passion and competition in boring tasks then you will do even better with complicated tasks. There's always something to learn, particularly while you are young. Don't be one of those entitled kids who thinks the world owes them something. Last but not least, the OP used his boss as a mentor and that is golden. Any man should strive to have some kind of mentor relationship regardless of age and should also be a mentor to the next generation. This is what keeps the world moving forward and connects the generations.

[CRR]

Having a mentor is very important.

I've worked for many total entitled dipshits, who used people, were lazy. Only reason they had success was because their competent fathers gave them a business that was thriving. No surprise they never got any better.

Best people I've worked for looked to teach people. Not only did it make people better at their jobs, but they felt engaged in the business. I've learned so much from these people, and like to pass along as best I can. And it inspires one to learn more. I just got back from a business lunch where I learned a lot about an aspect (sales) of my field (finance) that I had been previously unaware of.

I think finding a mentor, no matter what one does, is as important as any other facet of education.

[iknowexactly]

This reminds me a guy who did organizational consulting when i was in grad school. He summarized what he knew about when an organization had problems. "The problem is always at the top." he told me.

You can see the attitude of the top dog in all the employees, good or bad. It propagates downward even through many layers.

When you go for a job interview, always notice how happy the employees are. it's obvious, but you might make allowances if they give an excuse "It's been crazy lately."

[nek]

(07-28-2013 09:12 PM)MikeCF Wrote:  

When it comes to work, what matters most for your "happiness" or "mental health" is who you are working with.

I could never work in a corporation or have a "legit" job because those people are soulless and energy sucking.

It's a hard concept to really understand until you've been in an environment where no one gets offended v. one where you have to walk on egg shells. Working in a corporate environment floods your body with stress non-stop. It's chronic stress and that is what kills you.

It's also best to work in an environment around men. Even blue pill beta males can be cool if there aren't any women around to white knight for.

Throw women into the mix and then you have drama. You have white knights. You have HR policies designed to prevent the precious female snow flakes from melting due to your offensive words.

Work around other men and the time will pass by. I've done some horrible labor in unsafe environments and worked in white collar environments. By far the hazardous jobs was less stressful than working around parasites, leeches, and white knights.

My job is a "cushy" office job. It's soul sucking and leaves me far more tired at the end of the day than when I worked labor. I need a change, I just don't know which direction to go. Last time I just went for a change, I ended up here, so I need to think it through better.