Working Wednesdays: Uniforms

I always learn a lot from working. I've been working nearly non-stop, earning wages since I was 11 years old. That's more than half my whole life.

In order: I've worked as a paper boy, neighborhood babysitter, Japanese-style tutor, sushi waiter, men's dress clothes salesman, a professional soldier, gourmet food salesman, security guard, elementary school teacher, library bookshelver, personal assistant to an author, and now I work in an office as part of "client services" (an all-around office assistant/clerk).

This will be my first "Working Wednesdays" post - thoughts, lessons learned, memorable moments and occasional venting from the working life. Most posts will probably be reflective of my current job, and some will be reminiscent of life-long principles learned from previous jobs.

Today, on uniforms:

As soon as you put on a uniform, you represent something outside of yourself. Everything you do, neglect to do, say or forget to say doesn't only reflect you, but the whole company. Putting on a uniform is symbolic, a responsibility, privilege, and burden all wrapped up in a polo shirt. Think about cops. A cop pulled me over in the state of ____ a couple of months ago - I was speeding, and he was a total jerk. Therefore, my impression of ALL the cops in that state? All jerks. Of course that's not true, but that's just the way we think - in categories, labels and neat generalizations. It's easier that way, to stereotype; we don't have to take the extra effort to get to know people as individuals.

Uniforms come loaded with expectations. If I see a paramedic in uniform and need medical attention, guess who I'm going to for help? There's no such thing as "off-duty" when you're in uniform. Another way I've seen this is, in the food courts. Whenever I see the Sbarro guy eating at Teriyaki Boy across the way, I can't help but judge the poor guy and think, "Traitor!" It's stupid, I know, but that dang uniform screws up my perception of people.

Uniforms are also social shields, they work for and against you. When wearing a uniform, you can say/do things that you normally wouldn't do. There's a sense of empowerment and protection that comes with wearing a uniform. The uniform enables me to stay "professional" and even aloof to customers' emotional outbursts. On the other hand, people feel entitled to treat a uniformed person as some kind of emotionless entity, and there are no holds barred in treating someone in uniform as a whipping boy.

In some ways, I'm thankful I don't have to wear a uniform to work these days. Though I'll admit, sometimes I do miss the convenience of not having to worry what I'll wear for the day. So, bottom line of the day? The best part of uniforms for me... not having to do as much laundry.

Stay cool, people. Stay cool.