Waitress jobs

Get your Food Handlers Card 1st off and start going to every restaurant that you would like to work at with a resume and a smile dressed in a clean outfit and show a willingness to work and you should really have no problem.

Take any shifts they can offer, do a good job and work well with others, don't gripe about the tips, show up on time, do the side work, and you will usually end up with enough shifts both scheduled and filling in for others.

Also be aware that is the time a few of our restaurants close for a month or so

Yes many restaurants do close in Aug, Sept and even into Oct. - It is a very slow time of year - I am not as familiar with the STX restaurant climate as I am on STT/STJ - the places that close over here are usually 2-3-4 weeks - usually staff vacations and maintenance.
As a few STX posters chime in I may well be proved to be too optimistic with my advice - it was more directed at waitress jobs in general and does lack the insight into the slow season and economic difficulties in STX.

The problem with finding a job in August is that September is next. A lot of places might not be looking to hire new staff just before we hit the brick wall of September. That said, there are quite often huge changeovers in staff after the slow season and you could get picked up in the upswing. Finding a job without being physically on the island is next to impossible.
All the people who have said to move with a huge amount of cash to get you started weren't lying. Don't let this dissuade you from moving, just be prepared to be unemployed, or barely employed, for a while when you first arrive.
Your first priorities on arrival should be food handlers card, and reliable transportation.

There are restaurant jobs everywhere and if you are half competent and show up for shifts, you'll get plenty of work, which is good, because a lot of people here don't tip at all and a majority tip less than 5%. Regardless of service.

However, you can make a good living doing it, but you'll quickly see why everyone in the service industry has 5 jobs.

i find it hard to believe that the majority of customers tip less than 5%.

Please tell me that servers are tipped more than 5%...

I plan on relocating next year and the service industry is where i plan to find work until I can secure something permanent. Nobody can live off less than minimum wage and 5% tips, working 5 jobs or not.

I'm not sure where Jamison is getting that "5% or less". I owned and operated a restaurant on St Thomas for 16 years, frequented by both locals and visitors, and my waitstaff was regularly tipped average 20+%. Day shifts are obviously not as lucrative as evening shifts (I was open only evenings) but it was a once in a blue moon occurrence when somebody either didn't tip at all or tipped less than 15%. I don't know anyone in the business anywhere on STT (or on St John) who makes only 5% in tips and can't believe this is the norm for STX.

15%-20% is the norm, with excellent service/personality potentially getting more. The thing that throws me is, most "locals" never tip. It was explained to me that they don't understand the concept of the service industry and believe the restaurant owners pay a prevailing wage. Maybe this is what Jamison is referring to.

"most "locals" never tip."

Easy with the stereotypes, oh "tolerant" Left Coaster!

I've worked for tips on STX for 3 1/2 years and yes, that's about average.

I've worked fine dinning in Csted and late DJ parties, so I've seen all sides of it.

Some places are better than others. Some people are better than others. As far as tips.

I do much better now that I know people. I've gained some respect.

The "local" topic is such a sore spot.

I've worked for tips on STX for 3 1/2 years and yes, that's about average.

Seriously, Jamison, if your "average" tip is 5% you're working in the wrong places! Since you mentioned such a low I've spoken to several friends on STX, and likewise friends on STT who know more about STX than do I, and they were as flummoxed as I!

I've worked for tips on STX for 3 1/2 years and yes, that's about average.

Seriously, Jamison, if your "average" tip is 5% you're working in the wrong places! Since you mentioned such a low I've spoken to several friends on STX, and likewise friends on STT who know more about STX than do I, and they were as flummoxed as I!

I have and have had great jobs here.

I do well, but the tip average is certainly lower. 5% might be a little too low, but it ain't much higher.