4 Useful Job Skills I Learned From a Cupcake Shop - The Muse

4 Useful Job Skills I Learned From a Cupcake Shop - The Muse4 Useful Job Skills I Learned From a Cupcake ShopWhen I departureed my first post-college job as the manager of a bakery, I thought I had it made. (Come on, doesnt everyone want to run a cupcake shop?)Fast forward a year later, when I was applying to higher-level corporate jobs, and I realized that the intricate skills Id learned- like how to pipe frosting, neatly arrange a dozen cupcakes in a box, and set up a killer wedding display- didnt quite prepare me for the advanced career I had in mind. I suddenly started doubting the year Id spent behind the bakery counter. Was it all a waste?Turns out, once I spent some time really evaluating my cupcake shop days, I realized that Id learned a lot more than how to make the perfect red velvet cake. In fact, I gained skills there that I still use today.So, if youre currently working at a job that isnt quite at the level you want it to be- or are struggling with a job from your past- read on for some of the invaluable skills I learned at a bakery, and how theyre still serving me well today.1. Excel Can Do Way More Than You ThinkAs an undergrad, Id taken one course that specifically taught me how to use Excel- but to be honest, I really only used it to organize information into a neat, gridded table. No math, no v-lookups, and no fancy formulas.That all changed when I started managing a bakery. Want to know how many chocolate, red velvet, and carrot cake cupcakes to make on a Wednesday in December? A well-made Excel spreadsheet helped me calculate that, as well as how much buttercream frosting and how many staff members Id need each day. I cant say I made the genius spreadsheet from scratch- the owner of the store helped tremendously- but learning those skills certainly gave me an edge when I started in a more corporate environment.2. Staying Organized Is Essential to Your SuccessDespite the awesome daily production Excel spreadsheet, my bakery wasnt very high-te ch. When we received a next-day bestellung, the details were hand written on a sheet of paper, which was then tucked into a binder for the next days 5 AM team.I remember one situation in particular when I took an order over the phone and tossed the order sheet in a stack of papers to organize later. The next day, after all the orders had been picked up, a woman came in and told me her name, waiting expectantly for her daughters birthday cupcakes. I nervously walked to the back, knowing full well that there were no pink-frosted birthday cupcakes there. I frantically shuffled through drawers and papers, wondering where the order form went. After a few minutes, I found it- it had punkten behind the counter. The order hadnt been made, and since the bakers had already left for the day, there wasnt much I could do.So, I offered the customer her choice of the cupcakes that were in the front case, but it wasnt the same. And it felt terrible.Translate that to my job today, and you can bet th at with higher-risk clients (i.e., people who invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into software, rather than $100 in a few overpriced cupcakes), I take great care to make sure I know my project deadlines, keep them organized, and dont- ever- let them fall behind the counter.3. Patience Is a VirtueIt took me about two days working the front counter at the bakery to get tired of explaining the difference between a plain chocolate cupcake and the King Chocolate cupcake. (Answer King Chocolate had crushed Oreos mixed in.) Every customer in the door meant going through my spiel of all 14 cupcake flavors- then starting again, because the next person in line wasnt paying attention to the first six.Answering the same questions over and over again was irritating, but it taught me a great deal about patience, with both customers and employees. You see, no matter what industry you work in, youre going to have a few common issues among your clients. In my current job, its invoicing issues r egarding our cancellation policy. And if you become a manager, youll find that no matter how many times you answer the same question from your employees, theyll keep asking it- and you cant just blow them off.Answering endless cupcake questions helped me learn to treat each customer interaction as a separate experience- the customer who walks in the door the minute youre about to close up shop deserves the same amount and quality of attention as the first in the door that morning. Retail environment or not, that kind of patience and dedication to customer satisfaction will help you make your clients (and employees) happier.4. Cupcakes Make Networking Way EasierIf I ever had cupcakes left at the end of each day, I had two choices Throw them away, or bring them home to my roommates. Well, it didnt take long for my roommates to start asking me to not bring them home (truth You can only eat so many cupcakes)- but throwing them away seemed like such a waste.So, instead of dumping the per fectly good pastries in the trash, I started packaging them up and delivering them to nearby stores and restaurants.I thought it might be awkward (Um, you guys want some free cupcakes?), but really- who says no to a free cupcake? It was an easy conversation starter, earned me some free frozen yogurt at the shop next door, and helped get the bakerys name out among all the nearby shops. Most importantly, it helped me get more comfortable with networking, which served me well in my next gig at a startup company.Looking back, that year in the bakery taught me far more than I thought. Including a lesson for anyone It can be hard to come to terms with the less-than-impressive jobs you work on your way to your dream gig. But as soon as you stop referring to them as less-than-impressive and really evaluate what you can learn from them, youll realize that youre probably much better equipped than you thought.