In the summer of 2009, I was a young(er) designer working at my first full-time gig at a small (five-person) agency. Unfortunately, in the wake of the recession, our client roster dwindled and subsequently, as the most recent hire, I had to be let go.
A couple of days later, still reeling from the fact that I no longer had an income, I made the responsible adult decision to go to my regular bar to drink and hang out with friends. While there, contemplating how much longer I would have to live with my parents, I jokingly asked my favorite bartender if he would hire me. To my surprise, he asked if I had any experience serving (I had a little) and told me to come in the next weekend for training. I hesitated, as I considered that this was maybe a step in the wrong direction for my career. However, I needed money now if I ever expected to move out of my parents’ house. And so began a three-year-long adventure in serving and bartending. During this time, I tried to maintain a balance as a designer, working as a freelancer by day, slinging drinks by night. At moments, it felt like I was living two lives, however, in hindsight, I can see how the restaurant industry helped me develop professionally during my sabbatical as a server.
Time Management
As with being a designer, time management is imperative as a server. At any moment, you are tasked with a handful of needs from various parties who, of course, all think they deserve instant gratification.
“You have a new table at 23.” “Table 5 is waiting for their drinks.” “Table 17 asked for extra dressing.” “Why isn’t there ketchup and mustard at Table 12?” “Ugh, the coffee is empty, we have to brew more.”
A designer should be comfortable with the idea of juggling projects. Not only is it more efficient, but it also keeps the creative mind nimble.
Organizing priorities in a restaurant happens on a smaller and faster scale, but nonetheless it informs how a designer can deal with multiple projects at once. For example, it’s not always best to complete tasks as they are given to you. A server who takes a drink order from one table and then ignores another table until they have completed their first task would be, by all accounts, a crappy server. Prioritize your tasks. A designer should be comfortable with the idea of juggling projects. Not only is it more efficient, but it also keeps the creative mind nimble. Laboring over one task is a creativity killer and usually results in overworking a project and going above allotted hours, which is never a good thing.
Communication
Speaking and listening are vital to being a good server. Not only do you have to pay attention to your customers’ needs and preferences, you also have to be able to read their urgency and mood. You, on the other hand, should be charming, educated and have the ability to sell. Like a server, designers should know how to give an informed opinion based on their experience and knowledge. Talking to hundreds of customers a day has made me much more comfortable while in front of my superiors or clients. Eye contact, reflective listening and confident speech all come more naturally to me now and have helped me prove my self as a presenter.
Teamwork
As a server or bartender, you will sometimes find yourself “in the weeds.” It’s an inevitability, but it can be infinitely more manageable if you have a positive relationship with your co-workers.
“Can you check on Table 12 for me?” “Could you drop off my drinks at 23?” “Shoot, I’ve got a thing next weekend, can you take my shift?”
A team that has each other’s backs during the most stressful times will undoubtedly do better work.
In a creative agency, it’s important to have this kind of support. Will your co-workers stay late to help you when you’ve got too many deadlines at once? Will your art director step up to the plate to defend your idea during a review? Will your account manager be sympathetic to your workload and help to manage a client’s expectations? Designers like to think of themselves as little creative islands that thrive off recognition for their work. But sometimes we need to put our egos aside in order to get things done more effectively. A team that has each other’s backs during the most stressful times will undoubtedly do better work.
Being Humble
If being in the service industry taught me anything, it’s to be a humble worker. When people would order, I would try to guide them towards what I perceived to be the best choices, items that I felt they would get the most out of. However, despite my “professional opinion,” many people tended to be guided by their own subjective impressions. Furthermore, some people simply don’t want to hear what you think. Many are just there to look at the options, ask for a few modifications and be served in a timely fashion. Subjective perspectives and difficult clients are going to be a reality in any line of work, but especially in a creative one. There are times when, as a designer, you need to swallow your pride the best you can and simply deliver. Don’t force your perspective because you think you know best. Overall, don’t take yourself too seriously.
Don’t force your perspective because
you think you know best.
On paper, being a server may not have seemed directly related to my career trajectory. And at times it felt like a professional misstep (especially to my parents). However, without a doubt it helped me hone some of my most valuable skill sets, which have increased my ability as a visual communicator. It has given me a unique perspective and it reminds how lucky I am to have my current success in my chosen field.