A Restaurant Leap of Faith (Backed Up By Hard Numbers)

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Choosing a career is hard. It’s even harder when the economy full of uncertainty. Sometimes the key is just to stop worrying and take the plunge. But which body of water is safest? According to the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation it’s restaurants.

Your first job is fundamental to understanding the world of work. If and when you land a good one, that can set the stage for a lifetime of meaningful, enjoyable labor. Restaurants can provide that essential initial experience, since 92% of workers younger than 18 say that their first job was or is in the foodservice industry.

Restaurants tend to offer a fast-paced, challenging environment, with real opportunities to make good money. That is what makes it attractive to younger workers, and the ones who thrive can move on to more lucrative positions in the industry. The median tenure of foodservice workers aged 25-34 is 10 years. That indicates a level of satisfaction with the job that doesn’t tend to happen in other retail environments. And it lasts. For restaurant workers aged 35-44, the median tenure is 19 years.

Beyond the tangible benefits of good money and a fun place to work, the flexibility of restaurants is conducive to taking classes on the side. 64% of bartenders, 64% of bartenders, 49% of restaurant managers and 41% of servers are currently pursuing higher education. And that means four-year colleges or universities.

Even if restaurant workers jump to other industries, they tend to find their way back to the exciting world of foodservice. 62% of employees over 35 in restaurants have returned to the front of the house or the kitchen after trying out other careers.

These stats prove that restaurants can provide a jumping-off point, a means to higher education, a fulfilling life of work, or all three. The opportunities are there. All you have to do is jump in. Check out A Career for Everyone in the infographic below.