Shutterstock

Starting a new job is always stressful, especially when you don’t think that you are doing very well.

What would you do if you started working as a server at a steakhouse for the first time, but you kept making mistakes and being too slow, so you think you might get fired?

That is the situation that the young man in this story is in, so he is looking for ways to quickly improve.

It is great that he wants to improve at his job. Read through the full explination below and see what you think he should do to get better.

Struggling Server at a steakhouse

Hello. I’m a 22 y/o male student and I recently started serving to have some extra money for my tuition next semester.

Nobody is great at their job from the first day.

But I have been struggling severely as a server since this is my very first gig working in the service industry.

My managers have said I do have potential to become a good server. But we all noticed that i make a lot of mistakes, and if i’m being honest, I’m on a very thin line at work currently unless I severely upgrade.

At least he is looking to improve.

I need some tips regarding these things I’ve noticed i commit:

I lack knowledge of a lot of drinks and alcohol since I barely drink at all.

Well, at least this one is easy to fix. Just don’t chat so much.

Talk too much sometimes to my tables.

Get distracted too easily.

My coworkers have to run food for me at times (a bunch of them)

Most of these things seem like normal problems for a new employee.

Sometimes lack the knowledge of who ordered what when it comes to serving their food (primarily on more than 5 people at once)

Take too long emptying the bartender’s bus tub.

I messed up severely a customer’s check on a very busy day when we were understaffed.

This will all improve with experience.

I spend a lot of time talking to coworkers or trying to be “super server”

Ask bad if not stupid questions to my manager or bartender.

I struggle with having guests get up to the bar and ask for a different drink.

Messing up on beverage napkins a lot.

The training process can be stressful.

I’m really stressed because i don’t wanna lose my job.

I try my best every day but I still manage to screw up a lot for some reason.

Maybe he shouldn’t have told his coworkers about these issues.

I won’t use this as an excuse but I have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). My coworkers are aware, but I did not disclose this after recently because I didn’t want that to play a factor on me not having a chance of getting hired.

I need all the tips I can get in order to have a complete rebuild of myself at work regarding serving.

Having the desire to improve is important.

All tips are helpful! Thank you so much.

The good news is that none of these issues are major (though combined, they aren’t great) and all of them can be fixed with experience and effort.

Take a look at the suggestions that the people in the comments gave to this young server.

Serving becomes a rhythm, but it takes time.

This commenter struggled at first too.

Know where the money is coming from.

A system like this is very helpful.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a client who regretted paying for a cross-country flight after the IT specialist just flipped a breaker.

This commenter gave a great idea.

Wanting to improve is the most important first step, and he has taken it. From here, he just has to focus on each of those items in his list to get a little better at them every day.

The people in the comments have given him some great suggestions, so hopefully he can put those into practice.