Had to choose between a boring stable job and a risky career switch

Last year I was working as a line cook at a chain restaurant in Minneapolis, making $18 an hour with solid hours. I got offered a spot at this new fine dining place that was just opening, but it paid less and had no guarantee of tips for the first few months. I went with the risky option anyway, and after 8 months I'm now making $22 an hour plus tips and learning way more skills. Anyone else taken a gamble on a job change and had it work out better than you thought?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancygrant1mo ago

Respectfully, I see it a little different. Taking a salary drop for an unsigned thing (like tips that might not show up) can backfire hard if the place doesn't take off or you can't bank on those tips covering your rent. The fine dining skill building part is real, but for every success story there's probably three people who ended up back on the line at another chain after six months, you know? It's great it worked out for you, but the gamble can be a lot bigger than people expect when they're counting on tips that aren't promised.

grant_allen851mo ago

fr that's a W, sometimes you gotta roll the dice

blairtaylor1mo ago

Knew a buddy who jumped from warehouse work to selling handmade furniture online, lost his shirt for the first year, but now he's booked out three months in advance. @grant_allen85 nailed it, sometimes you just have to roll the dice and see where they land.