People often work in hospitality jobs for limited periods of time before moving on to other work and careers.

For some, barista, server, bartender, security staff, etc. are jobs that one takes not because they have a passion for the hospitality industry (although for others, these are great career paths), but because these jobs are plentiful, and quick to hire, and provide an excellent way to make ends meet before landing that dream job in the job seeker’s actual field of interest.

Some might view time in these positions – called “survival jobs” – as wasted, when in fact it’s actually time well spent when it comes to showcasing qualities and developing valuable skills that are transferable across a wide variety of fields.

If you want to move into another career, make note of these, just some of those assets that you can count among your desirable qualities:

Determination: People who take service industry jobs, or any type of survival job, are committed to taking care of themselves and doing whatever it takes to achieve their dreams…Even if it means temporarily taking that bartending job so you can stay in the city where most of the jobs in your desired field are found.

Resiliency: Instead of giving up, or expecting opportunities to come to you, people in survival jobs have shown that they can balance the stress of a physically demanding job and not working in their desired profession with their continued job search.

Teamwork: Working in a restaurant or café environment can be high-stress and fast-paced. The ability to work as part of a team, as well as working in your designated role is a necessary skill, and one that is valuable in all professional environments.

Communication skills: Regular contact with new people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse ways of expressing their needs, wants, instructions and opinions means constantly adapting your communication style – a skill that will come in handy in and out of the workforce.

Customer service skills: The customer is always right, and no one knows this better than the service industry. It takes a special kind of person to be able to maintain courtesy and professionalism when dealing with difficult people.

Diplomacy: The art of dealing with people in a sensitive way is a prerequisite for working in the service industry. Not only do you have to interact effectively with customers, but you also have to manage relationships with your co-workers, all of whom are probably just as diverse as your clientele.

Multitasking ability: From taking several orders at once, to checking in with the status of those orders, resolving complaints and more, all while staying on your toes, working in the service industry is not for the faint of heart, and neither is the boardroom.

Patience: Customer service, diplomacy, multitasking…it all has to be done with a smile on your face and the patience of an angel. Those who have worked in the service industry know this first hand, and chances are, they’ll be able to apply this virtue to the position they’re applying for.

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