Recent graduates unsure of what's next a bit of advice: Check out the hospitality industry

A truly heartfelt congratulations to all those young men and women who have recently taken that long, slow trek to the distinguished sound of the “Pomp and Circumstance Marches” on their way to grabbing their hard-earned diplomas. You did it! Who’s better than you? Be proud of what you’ve accomplished and relish the love and support of all those that helped get you there.

So, what’s next? That could be the most annoying question to ask a recent graduate. It’s right up there with, “Are you dating anyone these days?” and, “Is that what you’re wearing?” But we hope you understand why we’re interested in what’s next for you. We’re fans. We want to cheer you on, no matter where your journey takes you. And yes, we know it’s a scary question, especially when you don’t know the answer. But you’ll figure it out, or, as Todd Angilly, the Boston Bruins official anthem singer and Middletown High School’s keynote graduation speaker, inferred, life will figure it out for you. Just enjoy the ride.

Since we’re talking about your plans (you brought it up), it would be a good time to mention the benefits of a job, or even possibly a career, in the hospitality industry. Yes, your first priority should be to enjoy this particular moment in your life while you can. Celebrate. Be with friends. Have the best summer of your life. But when you start thinking about jobs, money and all that good stuff, think about your local restaurants. They are always looking for good help, and it may be just what you need as well.

Before you dive in, you should know that restaurant work is hard work. It’s not all smiles, laughs and tips. It’s long hours on your feet with an unpredictable amount of chaos waiting for you on every shift. You’ll need to be good at preparing, at prioritizing, at executing and at cleaning. You’ll burn yourself, cut yourself and find blisters on your feet. You’ll bend over backward to help some customers who’ll only complain more. You’ll spill things at the worst possible moment, and you’ll have recurring nightmares about the side of dressing you forgot to bring to table 101. (I’m not really selling it here, am I?)

But if you can live with all that, you may just be the type of person who will do well in a restaurant environment. The first thing you’ll find exciting about the job is the money. Good cooks and kitchen help are in high demand and the best places will pay well to have you stick around. And if you’re a front of house person, coming home with cash tips is always a thrill. A good wad of cash makes those other little annoyances seem not so bad.

There’s also the pace of a restaurant job that can get you hooked. On a good night, you’re running around from table to table, taking orders, delivering food, getting drinks, cleaning tables. It just keeps coming and coming. This is no office job – you are hustling from start to finish. Your adrenalin kicks in (or maybe that’s the Red Bull), and it’s like you’re on stage dancing away. It’s an energy that you won’t find in many other jobs, and once you get a taste for it, you are in for good.

There are also some of the best people in the world working in restaurants, and those are the people that make a difference. These are the folks that make you smile when you just see their name on the schedule with yours. They are the ones that make you laugh and cheer you up, but they’re also the ones you want to have working with you when the restaurant fills up. They have your back, right when you need it. You know that they are working as hard as you are, so it makes you work a little harder to keep up. It’s pure teamwork when the doors are open, and then once the night is over, they are the friend to help you laugh about it all. They’re the good people and what you’ll remember most when you think about your time there.

Restaurants have always been a home for people that may be a bit lost or off-course, which is one of the reasons I offer it as a gentle suggestion for recent grads. It’s a good paying, reliable job with no pressure to move up the ladder. You can show up, do your job, make your money, have some fun and go home. If you want to pursue a longer career, there is no shortage of opportunities. But you can also maintain a full-time job at a restaurant while you start sorting the rest of your life out. I’m sure our recent grads are all battling that dreadful question of what are they going to do with their lives. There’s plenty of time to figure that out. But starting out on a path in the restaurant industry is one way to keep those nagging questioners at bay. It’s a great way to earn money and have some fun. And, when you least expect it, you may even find yourself in a rewarding career.

Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality-related. His column appears on newportri.com and in The Daily News. Cheers!

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Hospitality industry a welcome spot for graduates looking for work