5 Things to Keep in Mind Before Visiting the Workplace of the Unskilled Laborer

We all have to visit the territory of the unskilled worker on a regular basis. If you need gas, groceries, or perhaps clothes, you will undoubtedly encounter the 'unskilled' worker. But don't let the 'unskilled' part fool you, many of these workers are much smarter than you may want to give them credit for.

Many college students, much like myself, have worked their fair share of remedial jobs. Jobs where they have had to preform the same mundane task time and time again for less money than it takes to feed the family pet. And, much like myself, many of these working college students have high hopes for their futures, and the ambition to get them what they want. So, do you really want to make the future president so mad that they remember your face?

Here are 5 simple ways that you can avoid irritating the more-intelligent-than-you-know unskilled laborer.

1. Please don't pretend like you know more about the job than the worker who has been doing it for a few years.
While you may be tempted to give attitude when the employee at your local discount clothing chain tells you that they don't have the size you are looking for in the latest bedazzled jeans in the back, please refrain. Contrary to popular belief, there is not a whole other clothing store behind those secret-code-guarded doors at department stores. Your attitude will not make those jeans, that though you crave them so badly you really should not be wearing anyways, magically appear. All your attitude will do for you is imprint your face in my long-term memory. You will inevitably become lunch-time humor for the employ you enraged and their fellow coworkers.

2. Under no circumstances should you let yourself believe that the unskilled workers measly wages in anyway substitute for common human decency.
Any of my coworkers from the several unskilled jobs that I have held could recount for you a time when a customer has felt no shame is saying something to the tune of, "Oh, that's alright Hun, they can do that, it's what they are paid for," when speaking to their child or other fellow customer. Correction: No, it really isn't alright. While the workers may be paid to do whatever remedial task their job requires, you should still be considerate. It is not cute when your child paints the table at your local restaurant with milk. It is not funny, contrary to what most adolescents believe, to make disgusting concoctions with whatever food is left over when you are done chewing with your mouth open. Please do not allow yourself to feel that my paycheck is meant to make me immune to thinking of you as an asshole. Do you enjoy cleaning off the family table after your child has turned their dinner into an art project?

3. Cell phones. Enough said.
While society is becoming more tolerant of their fellow shoppers talking loudly on their cell phones as their wander the aisles of their local grocery store, it will never be acceptable to talk on the phone while checking out anywhere. At most places now-a-days there are these little things that employees fear almost more than the commonly rude customer, customer surveys. We fear our name showing up on one, we fear our scores being too low, and we fear the wrath of the manager who's yearly bonus depends on the contentment of the customer. So, what is the unskilled worker to do about the customer who is randomly chosen to complete a customer survey who spent their whole time in check out on the phone? Are we to assume that it is ruder for us to talk to you while you are one the phone or to not talk to you because you are on the phone? It is a lose-lose situation for us, and for you in the end. If you want to be asked if there is anything I could help you find, then please hang up and try back later.

4. Use common sense.
If you are visiting your local ice cream parlor, not a chain that is bitch to the latest dieting fad, you are probably not going to have much success when ordering carrot sticks and small cartons of milk for your child. If you are looking for a new shirt, please do not unfold the same shirt in every color. A small in yellow is the same size as a small in pink. It is easier on the fitting room attendant if you bring out a heap of unfolded unhung clothing than it is to go back to your fittingroom to gather up a heap of unfolded unhung clothes (and nothing is more obnoxious than you asking if we would like you to bring them out). It is not the waitresses fault when your food is undercooked, overcooked, or tastes like ass. We write down what you want right in front of you, so if you received the correct food item, but it just isn't up to snuff, please do not penalize the waitress with an insulting tip. And in the case of waitresses especially, remember that your tip is actually part of their hourly wage, as they are paid less than minimum wage.

5. If you are capable of it empathize.
I am trying to put myself through school, do you remember trying to pay bills and rent and eat while you went to school? If you didn't go to school, do you remember a time when you didn't know how you were going to afford the next couple of weeks? If so, use that. Think about how it would make you feel if some customer came into your place of employment and treated you as if you were the dumbest piece shit to grace the face of the earth.

Believe it or not, unskilled workers are not all that unskilled, many of them are simply trying to afford the ability to better themselves. You never know what someone else's life is like, or how intelligent they are, so don't assume they are dumb, and don't assume that your visit to the local grocery store will be the most important thing to happen in their lives that day. While I do feel that unskilled workers need to provide customer service, cleaning your feet with my hair is not part of the deal, unless you are Jesus.