Tess, 21
What's your job? Where do you work?
I work at the Caledonian Hotel in Wonthaggi as a bar attendant. I have been working there for nearly seven years. I started there a couple of weeks after I turned 15, as soon as I was legally allowed to work, starting as a waitress in the kitchen. When I turned 18, I started working in the bar and now I share my time between the bar and the office.
Is it part-time or casual? How many hours a week do you work?
It is casual. My hours vary between five hours in winter when it's quiet to 40 in summer when it's busy.
What does the job involve?
The job involves a variety of things:
- Serving drinks
- Taking bookings
- Waitressing
- TAB
- Supervising other staff
- General cleaning
- Counting lots of money (I think that’s the best bit - I love counting money!)
When you started looking for work, was this the sort of work you wanted?
I didn't really look for work. The job came up and was offered to me. I thought it would be great to have some extra cash and I've been there ever since. I think that this is what sort of job I would have wanted anyway. I couldn't really imagine myself being a checkout chick at Safeway, which was the other option that a lot of my friends took!
What are you hoping to get out of this job?
Having worked there for so long, I've gotten a lot more out of it than I originally thought I would. I've had the opportunity to work in all areas of the hotel and opportunities to increase my responsibilities. It’s also a fun place to work, which helps!
Does this kind of job have any relevance to your desired career path?
Not directly. However, there are a lot of skills learnt in hospitality, such as dealing with customers, and communication skills that are important in many areas of work.
Do you find it difficult to balance this job with the rest of your week?
At times! As with anything, time management is important - balancing work, homework and other commitments. Working weekends interferes with your social life a bit. Luckily, mine is non-existent at the moment!
What advice do you have for people looking for part-time or casual work?
Choose something that you enjoy. It's much easier to motivate yourself to go to work if you know you’re going to have fun.
Find out more about this career path at myfuture.edu.au (Note: free registration is required to access the myfuture site).