would you quit your 1 month job (waitressing) if it isn't earning you enough?

Question

...or would you hang in there (barely making enough money for gas!) for the sake of not ruining your employment record?
i just started a job recently working from 8pm-3 am sometimes 4 am at a bar cocktail waitressing in the hopes of becoming a bartender.
however, it isn't earning as much as i expect. i get lots of cheap customers who don't tip. and i only go home with $40 on a 7-8 hour shift!
thats like $5-$6 an hour! having to waste your breath talking to cheap people who don't tip! >=(
i've only been at the job for a month--so i'm afraid it will make me look bad just to quit (for a good f*cking reason though!)
what would YOU DO?

Answer 1

If you're barely making enough for gas, then the job is actually *costing* you to be there.

Do this: make a list of all the time (including showering, driving to & from work, clothing preparation, etc) that you actually spend each day for work (including food you have to eat out that you could otherwise eat at home, gas & car maintenance - about .50/mile typically - new work clothes, etc.

Then calculate how much money you are actually making an hour.

I wouldn't worry too much about your employment record at this point - you can always say you went and backpacked through the Rockies or something. Don't waste your life.

As to if you should get another job first, that depends on how much this job is taking out of you. If your current job won't pay rent and leaves you too tired to focus on something else, leave now. But if you've got your living expenses covered and you still have several hours a day that you can job hunt, you should do that. If it's not offensive to you, check the topless/nude bars - I understand the tips there are typically pretty good.

Answer 2

Waitress jobs are a dime a dozen, especially right now... (it's holiday party time..check hotels and caterers or restaraunts that have banquet facilities..you never know a temp position could turn permanent if you bust your ***). If I were you I would give 2 weeks notice and start looking for something else....no sense burning bridges though (or racking up bad karma by bailing in the middle of a shift, after all you can't blame the people you work with for your lousy tips and they're the ones who will have to pick up the slack). As far as it ruining your employment record goes I wouldn't worry about it, I wouldn't even mention it on an application, having a month or so between jobs isn't unreasonable...just say you were taking your time with your job search so you could find the RIGHT job rather than just snapping up the first offer that came your way.

Answer 3

Cocktail waitress sounds pretty dead-end. I would get a good learn-to-type-real-fast program and then head to a temp agency and get in the door of some real companies. This money won't be stellar either but probably a little better than $5-$6/hour. While you're temping - check the internal job postings. Receiptionist is another postion you can start at. Just need to have a little charm - something fpr which cocktail waitresses are famous.

I wouldn't worry about quitting your cocktail waitress job. In fact I wouldn't even mention it if you start into the corporate world.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Well, the smart thing to do would be not to quit until you find something else. You can tell other prspective employers not to contact your current one b/c you don't want them to know you are looking for other work. If you absolutely can't take that job any longer...you don't even have to put it on your next application. Or you can think of a REALLY good excuse why you left. I don't think they'll question a month long gap in your employment, but if it was a while before that, tell them you didn't have transportation or something.
I know what it's like waiting tables....it's like being a slave and you never know how luch you're going to make. Those jobs are a dime a dozen...if you're unhappy...move on. Good luck!

Answer 5

To be honest I think I would look for other employment. When a new prospective employer interviews you and asks why you are leaving, just let them know that you aren't able to support yourself and that you are looking to better yourself with gainful employement. As long as the rest of your employement record is pretty clean, such as not long spaces between jobs you should be ok. The other thing to consider is that the holidays are coming and less people will probably be eating out, which seemingly means less opportunities to get tips. Just a thought.

Answer 6

I would consider it worth it to quit IF I had another job already lined up. I seriously doubt it will make your employment history look bad if you list your reason for quitting as being that you did not earn as much as you expected. Also be sure to give you boss two weeks notice if at all possible so you leave on good terms.

Answer 7

Well if you want to become a bartender, you have to stick it out waitressing for longer than a month.

To increase your tips, try adjusting your attitude. Keep a smile on your face. If there are regulars, make it a point to remember their names and their drinks. Talk to the customers, have fun. Remember, they're there to have a good time. Have a good time taking care of them. The better time they have, the better they tend to tip.

Be fast and be friendly.

Answer 8

If you have an arrangement with your employer that involves you learning how to be a bartender, then stay and tough it out.

If, however, you are just hoping to be a bartender, then quit. Cocktail waitressing won't help you achieve your goal unless your employer is willing to train you to be a bartender.

Answer 9

The salary/remuneration for a particular job is the market value for a particular profession and designation at the city/town where the office is located. Job postings at websites like Monster, Yahoo HotJobs and Careerbuilder carry information about salaries. The Govt Dept of Labor, (www.bls.gov) Bureau of statistics has information about median salaries for different professions and details of additional compensation offered. Other online resources are salary.com and payscale. Your salary will also depend on your educational qualification and how you handle your career. More details and links to relevant websites available at http://tinyurl.com/rndxq

Answer 10

keep your mouth shut to all those your work with and start applying for a new job.

if anyone asks why leaving so soon during an interview just tell them not enough money.

or better....just bump your last job up 2 weeks so it looks like his present job never existed. just don't mention it nor list it on any resumes.