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Waitress

Date: 
1996
Location: 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Running time: 
8 minutes
Subjects: 
Waitresses
Teaching Notes: 

Professor Goodman interviews Toni, a waitress who worked at Scotty's Diner, Pittsburgh, for 23 years. Toni enjoys the social aspect of the job, but she underlines how physically tiring it is. She characterizes a good waitress as an "actress" who can get herself into a good mood to go out of her way and make customers happy. She is successful at what she does, soothing problem customers and keeping track of a complex sequence of activities for preparing and serving food. Toni views her job as a means to an end, advising younger people to finish school and find a better job for themselves.

The video can be used in teaching to illustrate work motivation and performance, and to learn how to conduct a job analysis, using a type of job familiar to all.