Most all part-time jobs pay on an hourly basis, rather than a yearly salary. However, many part-time workers have more freedom than full-time workers to choose their schedules. Furthermore, many part-time jobs do not provide benefits such as health insurance and retirement funds, though there are exceptions. In addition, job seekers usually need only a high school diploma to qualify for part-time jobs. Most customer-service employees receive all the job training they need from their companies.
The main drawback of part-time jobs, however, is that they rarely pay sustainable income on their own. The average server, for instance, gets paid about $8.00 per hour plus varying amounts of tips. Though highly trained servers working in luxury restaurants often have double-digit hourly earnings, most servers work irregular hours and therefore do not earn enough to live on. That is why it is common for people to work two part-time jobs, rather than a single part-time job. Furthermore, jobs in customer service are common for at least one of those two jobs, because the worker may earn tips or commissions from customers that turn into their spending money.
Besides server jobs, many part-time workers choose to work jobs in retail. These jobs are usually customer-service sales jobs. The job responsibilities for these sales jobs are to help customers find items, try on items in dressing rooms, complete sales transactions at the cash register, package items, stock items, and offer company credit cards or other discount programs to customers. From their sales generated by both merchandise and company credit cards, sales associates earn commissions. Their managers often promote or demote them based on how many sales they make per month. Therefore, sales associates put on a friendly face and strive to assist customers as much as possible.
Many part-time workers also choose to work in customer-service receptionist jobs at hotels. There, they book reservations, check people in and out of the hotel, and respond to customer queries. They also respond to customer complaints, offering discounts or other deals if a customer is dissatisfied with some aspect of their stay. Another receptionist is a concierge, who makes restaurant reservations and books tickets for customers. Concierges also give advice to customers on how to make the most out of their stay at both the hotel and the surrounding city.
Customer-service careers at banks take the form of either customer-service representatives or tellers. Customer-service representatives often work at the “help desk” in a bank’s lobby so customers can quickly find help if they are unsure where to go. Therefore, bank customer-service reps are completely knowledgeable about all the bank’s assorted services and benefits. They are also aware of bank compliance regulations, having memorized their bank’s professional and ethics codes. They are able to answer all types of questions about their bank. Their bank often offers professional seminars to these reps to enrich their knowledge about the bank’s policies.
Of the two banking jobs, teller jobs do more of the hands-on functions for customers. They deposit and withdraw money, monitor bank accounts, and direct customers to other divisions at the bank. Increasingly, they are handling account transactions through e-mail, or e-banking. Since banks usually have a local clientele, many tellers strive to recognize customers by name and remember the details of their accounts. Other tellers may specialize in business or commercial accounts, and interact with business representatives. Besides providing excellent and discreet customer service, tellers are usually numbers-oriented and have a high attention to detail.
Like hotels, restaurants are completely hospitality-centered, with each employee (with the possible exception of cooks and dishwashers) practicing customer-service skills. Hosts and hostesses are the initial customer-service providers, because they greet customers and set the tone for customers’ experience. After customers are seated, a server will take their drink and food orders, perhaps offering daily specials and personal recommendations on the menu. The server is also able to answer all ingredient-related questions about the restaurant’s products. The server then takes the order to the kitchen, where the cooks follow each order paying special attention to allergies or other dietary requirements. The server then takes the food to the table, checking on the table afterward to make sure the food is satisfactory. If it is not, and an order was not processed properly, the server may have to discount or even “comp” (make complimentary) the customer’s bill. At the bar, bartenders perform this same customer-service except they take beverage and appetizer orders.
Servers usually have the most hectic customer-service jobs of all. At lunch and dinner hours, their restaurant may be crammed and they will need to run back and forth to various tables. They often cope with rude customers who are dissatisfied with many aspects of the restaurant, requiring them to practice patience and empathy to dissipate conflicts. If servers faithfully practice these qualities, and remain cool-headed under all the tension, the odds are high that they will make good tips. In fact, some outstanding servers make $400 in tips on weekends or at other busy periods.
Part-time employment is widely expected to rise. Many companies are cutting full-time jobs, citing them as too expensive with their collective salaries and benefits. Therefore, more people—even college graduates—are being forced to work two or more part-time jobs to make ends meet.
