Food Servers, Nonrestaurant

Overview
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Experience

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Education

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Job Training

Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Examples

These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.

Serve food to individuals outside of a restaurant environment, such as in hotel rooms, hospital rooms, residential care facilities, or cars.

Salary Salary

Salary at 10th Percentile: $19K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $22K
Median Salary: $25K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $30K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $37K

Demand
Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend
Core Tasks

Place food servings on plates or trays according to orders or instructions.

Clean or sterilize dishes, kitchen utensils, equipment, or facilities.

Monitor food distribution, ensuring that meals are delivered to the correct recipients and that guidelines, such as those for special diets, are followed.

Examine trays to ensure that they contain required items.

Load trays with accessories, such as eating utensils, napkins, or condiments.

Take food orders and relay orders to kitchens or serving counters so they can be filled.

Total checks, present them to customers, and accept payment for services.

Monitor food preparation or serving techniques to ensure that proper procedures are followed.

Remove trays and stack dishes for return to kitchen after meals are finished.

Carry food, silverware, or linen on trays or use carts to carry trays.

Record amounts and types of special food items served to customers.

Stock service stations with items, such as ice, napkins, or straws.

Prepare food items, such as sandwiches, salads, soups, or beverages.

Determine where patients or patrons would like to eat their meals and help them get situated.

Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Data base user interface and query software
Picis CareSuite Dietary Manager
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Capital Codeworks MenuMax
Office suite software
Microsoft Office
Operating system software
Microsoft Windows
Point of sale POS software
Point of sale POS software
Web page creation and editing software
Facebook
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Computer Equipment and Accessories
Desktop computers
Institutional food services equipment
Chefs' knives
Office machines and their supplies and accessories
10-key calculators
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
73%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

English Language
73%
Importance

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Administration and Management
60%
Importance

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Food Production
60%
Importance

Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

Education and Training
58%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Public Safety and Security
58%
Importance

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Mathematics
56%
Importance

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Psychology
51%
Importance

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Law and Government
48%
Importance

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Clerical
47%
Importance

Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
60%
Importance

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Service Orientation
60%
Importance

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Speaking
60%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Coordination
58%
Importance

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Critical Thinking
58%
Importance

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension
58%
Importance

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Social Perceptiveness
58%
Importance

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Time Management
58%
Importance

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Judgment and Decision Making
55%
Importance

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring
55%
Importance

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
70%
Importance

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Near Vision
63%
Importance

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Expression
63%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Selective Attention
60%
Importance

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Speech Clarity
60%
Importance

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition
60%
Importance

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Arm-Hand Steadiness
58%
Importance

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Deductive Reasoning
58%
Importance

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning
58%
Importance

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Information Ordering
58%
Importance

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Top 10 Work Activities
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
88%
Importance

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Getting Information
86%
Importance

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
82%
Importance

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Performing General Physical Activities
79%
Importance

Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
77%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Handling and Moving Objects
76%
Importance

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Assisting and Caring for Others
73%
Importance

Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
69%
Importance

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
67%
Importance

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
67%
Importance

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Detailed Work Activities

Monitor food services operations to ensure procedures are followed.

Clean tableware.

Arrange food for serving.

Stock serving stations or dining areas with food or supplies.

Communicate dining or order details to kitchen personnel.

Collect dirty dishes or other tableware.

Cook foods.

Move equipment, supplies or food to required locations.

Assist customers with seating arrangements.

Record operational or production data.

Process customer bills or payments.

Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions

How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Time Pressure

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Spend Time Walking and Running

How much does this job require walking and running?

Spend Time Standing

How much does this job require standing?

Contact With Others

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Physical Proximity

To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?

Work With Work Group or Team

How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?

Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?

Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body

How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?

Education
Interests
Social
91%
Importance

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Realistic
62%
Importance

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Enterprising
58%
Importance

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Conventional
39%
Importance

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Artistic
19%
Importance

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Investigative
15%
Importance

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Top 10 Work Styles
Attention to Detail
90%
Importance

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Self Control
90%
Importance

Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Stress Tolerance
90%
Importance

Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Dependability
89%
Importance

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity
89%
Importance

Job requires being honest and ethical.

Adaptability/Flexibility
88%
Importance

Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Cooperation
87%
Importance

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Independence
86%
Importance

Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Initiative
84%
Importance

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Social Orientation
84%
Importance

Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Work Values
Relationships
53%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support
53%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Independence
34%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Working Conditions
34%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Achievement
24%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Recognition
24%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.