New York lawyer explains why working in food service is an employment advantage: ‘It’s Game of Thrones’

Working in the service industry is challenging, and Atty. James Sexton from New York values the experience to the point that he’s turned it into a hiring requirement at his lawfirm. Particularly, he only hires those who have experience in the food service industry.

“For any position at my firm, you have to have worked in food service,” Sexton said in his podcast.

His co-host was surprised by the statement. What if a rockstar candidate came in? He was asking if Sexton would be willing to make an exception for this candidate.

Sexton insisted, “Every single person who has ever worked for me in the 25-year history of the firm has worked as a server or a bartender.” Needless to say, the dedication to the principle is unmatched. Surprisingly, even the attorney himself has previously worked as a waiter. It wasn’t a one-time stint for Sexton either. He mentioned Pizza Hut, Bennigan’s, Steak and Ale, and Coven Cafe as restaurants he used to work at.

“Because I genuinely believe that everything I needed to know about law and politics, I learned from working as a waiter,” he said.

The attorney further explained that a food service job is necessary for success, saying, “It’s Game of Thrones, it’s politics.”

Foor service is a survival game disguised as employment

Essentially, there is a hierarchy in the restaurant. Those who survive this system are either personable or adaptable.

“You have the hostess, whom you need them to seat you at good tables. You have the manager, who decides what section you get.” He continued, “You have the cooks who decide how quickly your food comes out and if you need a side of ranch dressing, how quickly you’re gonna get it.” It’s a people-facing role that requires a team player, who has to learn how to get along with everyone—but only to a professional extent. Those who get too close with the higher-ups in the restaurant also get burned, Sexton thinks.

The job is everything but stress-free, since customers have a temper of their own. There’s a balancing act that people need to master in food service.

“You had to figure out how to, like, get working with everybody. So, everyone thought you were cool, but nobody had an issue with you,” he said. For that, social media seemed to agree with the attorney’s sentiments.

One TikTok comment reads, “Working in food service is a crash course in navigating the human psyche.”

Another boss wrote, “When I was a sales manager, I specifically looked for ex-servers.”

Scoping for people who can tolerate immense pressure

But pressure can be found in many, if not all roles. Responsibility and learning how to adapt to others in the team can be gradually learned overtime. What makes food service special—even ten years down the line?

For those looking forward to a profession in the legal system, immense pressure is expected. Dealing with clients of differing backgrounds and personalities is also part of the job. Although immensely rewarding, legal professionals are expected to be on call when working on a case.

Those who’ve worked in the food service industry have already experienced similar conditions—a high-stress environment, the need to deal with multiple people, irregular hours, and a heavy workload—all for less pay. They’d already survived the worst of the professional world. Working at a law firm is all this but with better rewards. Perhaps what Sexton is after are people who’ve proven to be unbreakable in the face of immense pressure.

(featured images: khezez, Dave H, Khaled Hossain)

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