Lasting Lessons From A Part-Time Job

As college students trying to make ends meet, summers are often filled with summer jobs rather than beaches and sun. This summer, I worked at a restaurant that I initially attained to make some money on top of an unpaid internship, however, it supplemented my knowledge of PR in a way that I never thought it would. Nestled in an up and coming neighborhood in South Philadelphia, I was able to watch the restaurant grow and gain popularity before my eyes. Though you might not be planning on owning a restaurant one day, here are some of the things I learned that I believe are important to any industry or brand:

Building Networks

As a two-year-old restaurant, it was very important for the manager and executive chef of the restaurant to build lasting relationships with other people in the restaurant industry. With any new company, building these relationships is vital, because not only does it help you learn and grow, but it also helps build support and connections for further growth in the future.

Social Media

Though the restaurant hired a PR agency to handle most of their traditional PR, the restaurants General Manager decided it would be best if she took on social media. By doing so, she was able to give the restaurant a neighborly voice and interact with customers on a more personal level. Making sure your social media channels have a voice that your followers not only enjoy, but also trust in believe is can enhance and retain your social media presence.

Every Customer is Important

With social media constantly transforming, Yelp has become on of the most feared public forums for restaurant owners but one of the most loved for their customers. Customers trust other customers, so by being genuine and attentive to every customer, Yelp can turn more into an asset rather than a horror. 

What part time jobs do you do in your very little spare time?  Let us know in the comments! 

This guest blog was written by PRowl staff member Rute Barkai.