Time to end an outdated practice

I've been reading a lot of entries in a community lately. This community has been going for more than 10 years but one of the most common entries is a complaint on tipping.

Most countries don't have this practice and it's mostly common in the United States, to the best of my knowledge. Customers are asked to tip servers or waiters in restaurants, housekeeping staff in hotels, pizza delivery people and so on.

I've been to the United States and I find this practice confusing.

I also find it rather demoralising for the staff themselves as they are dependent on the goodwill of the person they are serving to make up for what they don't receive in wages.

Let's get one thing straight. I am not completely against the practice. However, as I said, it does confuse me, someone who has not travelled widely, as I have no idea who to tip or how much. Fortunately for me I had the help of wonderful staff in a hotel during my stay in Los Angeles who didn't make fun of me for never having stayed in a hotel by myself before or travelled further than Australia. I was a complete amateur and it showed but they were kind and helpful and if I could have tipped these staff (since they were on the desk) I would have.

So back to this community. The chief complaint of posters is that people don't tip enough. There are other customers who skip out without paying or expect their meal to be comped for some made-up reason, but that's for another post. From what I understand, the average gratuity is around 15% of the total bill.

If this practice were to stop, restaurants would have to pay their staff actual minimum wage. Currently, they get less than the minimum wage, which, depending on state, is I believe around $US7. I'm not sure what that is in $NZ but it's at least over $NZ10.

Okay, so if the wages are increased, then the cost will go up. So? Here in New Zealand, we pay up to $30 for meals in pubs/bars. The minimum we pay is around $15 and that's for a small meal or something entree sized.

I have to say I was shocked at the prices in the US. Even taking the conversion rate into account, I still found it less expensive than here. I ordered a Chicken Caesar Salad, lunch size, for around $US10. Firstly, the size of the meal was huge. I'd hate to think what the dinner size would be. Second, we'd be paying at least twice that here in NZ.

It's time restaurants and diners actually placed value on their staff by paying them decent wages, not expecting them to make up their wages with tips. It's unfair, especially when you consider that probably about 20% of customers turn out to be utter jerks who either don't tip or make the server jump through hoops for them, then still give them a lousy tip. The rest ... well, most probably don't leave enough in tips either.

These service people do a wonderful job in what can sometimes be very trying circumstances. They work hard, are often on their feet for anything up to twelve hours a day, and they do their best to greet their customers with a smile. They don't deserve abuse, they deserve praise. Working in such jobs shouldn't be a reason for you to look down on them or belittle them. They are not robots and are just trying to make a living like everyone else. You might be a CEO of a major corporation, but that is not a reason for you to treat a customer service person like they are lower than you. If you were to lose your job today, it might be you serving your replacement.

I'm much more than my CV

I've been looking for another job. Sort of. I've enrolled with a few job seeker websites but so far haven't had an interview.

I realise my cover letter leaves a lot to be desired, but I've never been one to blow my own horn. Besides, I have no idea how to market the skills I have, which have absolutely nothing to do with my qualifications and have everything to do with the way I do my job.

For instance, I have a pretty good long-term memory. I can remember customers from several months ago and something we might have discussed, even without looking up notes. I've surprised people a few times with what I can remember. I'm not saying I have a photographic memory; far from it. However, I do think it's a skill. The big problem is, it isn't something I can put in my CV.

I am pretty good with numbers. While I'm no expert in calculus or geometry, I can still calculate an amount fairly well without using a calculator, although I have to admit it is a lot faster with one. I can remember phone numbers and I'm good at determining where someone lives based on their phone number.

Someone commented to me: "Wow, you really know your stuff." I take the time to get familiar with what I'm doing. I don't know if that's attention to detail, but whatever.

This is the kind of thing I can reveal at interview stage. The problem is, how do I get to the interview stage? How do I get past the HR department or whatever and get them to look beyond my CV and my terrible cover letter. I know they're terrible, but I really don't like trying to sell myself. I live in hope that my skills and experience speak for themselves.

The worst part? I'm going for jobs that I really don't want. I don't want to be working in customer service. I want to get back into reporting. Yes, I have been out of it for five years and I haven't done much in the way of journalism since then, but I'm still writing. Yet it's not enough for potential employers. I have to be 'current'. How can I be current when I don't socialise, don't have the money to do so and am stuck in a job for forty hours a week that has nothing to do with current events.

I'm tired of never getting what I want out of life. I hate the fact that I may be stuck in the same job, doing exactly the same thing for the next twenty years. Yes, I'm negative, but put yourself in my place. Watch people you know get everything they want out of life, but it just passes you by. You'd feel this way too.