One title conjures images of design splendor, masterful planning, and enviable professional status. The other delights his diners by bringing them extra bread and butter.
One path is the traditional, proven pathway of Intern to Career Man. The other is more of an unrelated side trip, but that could be fun.
This is the story of my part-time work choice between being an Architect or a Waiter.
Spoiler Alert – I chose The Waiter!
High School
I was a high schooler when I joined the working world, on a part-time basis. Cargo pants from the mall, rounds of golf, Incubus CD’s, and gas for my 1989 Chrysler LeBaron convertible weren’t free, after all! Because I was serious about studying architecture after high school, I started looking into the local options in that field. There was an architectural firm located in the same office building where my mom worked, and she made an introduction. It was a small practice of only 2-3 individuals, and after an interview they agreed to give me the job. Hooray!
The Architect – Round 1
I learned a ton in that 10-12 month period, primarily due to exposure to drafting using AutoCAD. At this time in the early 2000’s, the firm was on the early adoption stage of the software, and one of the drafters used CAD, while the other still drafted by hand. My favorite thing to do was learn the keyboard shortcuts for all the different commands, and I got really fast with the program.
When I wasn’t clicking up a storm at the back-right-corner desk of the single-room office, I was making site visits – wielding my tape measure of authority, while sketching away on a yellow legal pad. On a good week I also had the pleasure of stopping at the local print shop to pick up or drop off orders. Unmistakably, upon entry, the smell of ink filled my nostrils and the quirky, off-beat humor of the sole proprietor filled my ears. I’m pretty sure the ink fumes were doing a number on his brain cells, but he sure was funny!
All of this was absolutely “good experience” from an educational and resume-standpoint, but it was NOT moving the needle much on my bank account. I can’t remember exactly, but I think I was getting paid $6.00/hr. At around 8-10 hours per week, which is all I could do considering I was in high school, that rate just wasn’t cutting it. As much as I was learning, it was honestly frustrating to know how little I was earning. So despite the direct link between this job and my desired future career of architect, I decided I needed a better-paying job.
The Waiter – Round 1
Through some referrals from schoolmates, I applied to work at a restaurant down the street from my house. It served typical American fare, and was golf-themed. Fun fact – 8 years prior, when we moved to that area of Florida, the site of the restaurant plaza was a cow pasture! Because I was not yet 18 years old, I was not allowed to serve alcohol, so I couldn’t be a waiter right away. I began as a busboy, served some time as a host at the front door, and also a food runner.
I quickly forgot about the office life at my architect internship. The restaurant scene was incredibly dynamic, constantly engaging with diners and co-workers, on your feet the entire time. But, this is a personal finance blog, so how was the money picture? The hourly rate for a food runner or a host was $10. Both positions also received tips, either from the waiters for bringing their food, or from customers with to-go food. The busboy position was $4.50/hr, but also received tips from the waiters for cleaning their tables. A typical 5-hour shift doing any of those positions would net me anywhere between $60-$80. Call it $15/hr on average, blasting the architect internship out of the water!
Post High School
The Architect – Round 2
I finished high school and went on to study architecture in a city two hours away. (Related – this is where the debt first appeared.) I would come home for long weekends and school breaks, and continued to pick up shifts at the restaurant. When I came home for my first extended summer break, though, it was time to get serious. I should really continue the architecture internship – that was my major, that’s what I should immerse myself in. So I went back to the architecture firm located in the office building where my mom worked, to get my old job back.
The good news – we had previously parted on good terms, so they quickly accepted me back. Hooray 2.0!
The bad news – I assumed that with a year of architecture studies under my belt, and with the general progression of time, I would be paid more than the $6/hr they were initially paying me. This was not the case. (Side note – always agree to terms before accepting a position!)
The even worse news – I resumed working under the above assumption, and made it 5 days into the summer break before finally bringing it into conversation with my boss. After a brief, awkward negotiation, the best they could do was $6.50/hr, an increase of $.50. (Another side note – where was this resource back when I needed it?) I just couldn’t stomach it, so I told them I couldn’t stay. I worked my 5 days, and cleared out my desk.
Looking back, if the work had lit me up and engaged me in a way nothing else could – OK. I would maybe have learned to adjust my expenses to make it work. The experience would be invaluable, the money, secondary. But that wasn’t the case for me at that point, so, back to the restaurant I went!
The Waiter – Rounds 2, 3, 4…
I rejoined the restaurant world, and it stuck. I started waiting tables (now over 18 years old) and making more than enough money to cover my needs and some wants. They were very accommodating to my schedule needs, always granting meeting nights off. I had discovered a balance between STUDYING one thing, and PRACTICING something else. It was nice to know that, for me, in contrast with Olympic athlete potentials, I didn’t have to do one thing, all the time, on Super Max Mode.
There were a lot of stressful times at the restaurant, sure, and late nights where I would return home exhausted. But that experience kept me just appreciative enough of what I was studying. I knew I wouldn’t be a career person in the food industry, it was just part time, and for a time. All in all, it ended up being a welcome respite from the very consuming study of architecture, and, per hour, meant I didn’t have to work as many hours to earn the money I needed.
The better part-time job was, for me, The Waiter.
The Architect vs. The Waiter – the final takeaway
Financials aside, here are some other comparisons between these 2 part-time jobs, and some of the real-life takeaways I have experienced due to my choice.
Personality
An Architect tends to be Introverted. They paid me to do work the architect didn’t need to concern himself with – produce CAD drawings. This meant my butt needed to be glued to the seat in front of the computer for me to contribute. I think they threw in the site visits as a way to keep me engaged and learning, kudos to them. My personality is definitely on the Introverted side, but at the same time I love some variety in the day and can only take so much screen time.
A Waiter has to be Extroverted – you are constantly engaging with people – making conversation, describing certain dishes, making sure they’re happy, and dealing with it when they’re not. Everyone in the “front of house” needs people skills to survive. I don’t mind being this way, as long as I get time to rest afterwards.
A different dimension
An Architect deals with measurements and buildings. It’s a technical world of proportions and hard lines. Many people associate the profession with creativity, but in my brief experience the work version was more practical. “I need a building that’s this size, with this functionality, and I have this much money to spend.” There’s not a lot you can do to change that.
A Waiter deals with food and beverage. It’s about the experience, the taste, the feel. This opens up an appreciation for the senses that in an office environment, you just don’t get.
Translatable skills
An Architect’s skills can be translated into everyday life, but it takes some effort. An architect friend who understands design principles can help you pick out furniture, artwork, and maybe even clothes. They are likely good to have along if you visit a museum, due to their background which encourages “knowing a little bit about everything.”
A Waiter’s skills are undeniably translatable, every day. This kind of surprised me to reflect on. The time I spent observing chefs prepare food has led to me being a pretty fast cook in the kitchen. I adopted an internal “critical path” understanding of the thing that will take the longest time, and I season by feel, not by measuring. Also, I saw the way restaurants portion out the same basic components into different dishes – i.e. a 6 ounce portion of chicken goes into the chicken nachos, the chicken quesadillas, and the southwest chicken salad. Knowing this, I can usually find which menu item offers the best value when I’m in a restaurant. Other things, like prioritizing good treatment of wait staff, taking recommendations on the best dishes to order, and instantly calculating a 20% tip on any check amount are all important for any of us who go out to eat.
How about you? In your school years, did you go all-in “career mode” on an internship? Or did you go for something different to pay the bills?