ファミリーレストランのキッチンのアルバイトで、一人で全ての注文に対応する時間帯では、オーダーが入ったら、まずは唐揚げをフライヤーに入れて、揚げている間にドリアを準備し、オーブンに入れている間にサラダを提供する。このような、待ち時間がどこで発生し、その間に何が準備できるかを考えることで常に動いている状況が作れ同時ディッシュアップ、15分ルールを守れた上で、一度に出来るオーダー数も増えていきました。次々にくる注文についても随時、状況を更新し仕上げていくことで、最終的には各4種、同時に5組くらいのオーダーまでは一人でこなせるようになったと思います。

この経験が企業の仕事でどのようにいかされるのでしょうか？学生時代は思いも付かなかったですが、いろいろなプロジェクトをリードする上でスケジュールやタスク管理をする上でこの考え方はとてつもなく役に立つものとなっています。

具体的には、あるプロジェクトリーダーを任された際、全体的にどのタスクが、いつ、どのくらいの期間必要なのか全体スケジュールを描きます。これは、注文が入った際にディッシュアップまでのフローを思い描く行動ととても親和性があると感じています。また、全体像が思い描けた後は各タスクに抜けがないか、待ち時間はどこかで発生していないか、その期間に別のタスクを平行して動かせないかを考えることもあります。これもファミレスでのアルバイト経験で経験が活かされていると思います。言い方をかえると計画、実行、確認、対策というPDCAサイクルを学び、実践できていたのが当時のファミリーレストランの経験であったと感じます。

このファミリーレストランの経験は、特殊なモノではなく自身で工夫してきたひとつのエピソードでしかないと思います。しかし、当時はこの経験が企業での業務につなげることが出来ずESや面接でも披露することはありませんでした。

みなさんも特別ではないと思っている経験が、どのように企業での業務につなげられるかを意識してみると思いがけないエピソードに仕上がっていくかもしれません。企業での業務経験がないからわからない点は重々わかるので、お父さんやお母さん、親戚のおばちゃんやおじちゃんなど経験者に聞いてみるのもお勧めします。使えるモノは何でも使う、知らぬは一瞬の恥、聞かぬは一生の恥の思いをもって就活に臨めるメンタルの学生が増えることを願っています。

In my part-time job working in the kitchen at a family restaurant, there were certain hours when I had to handle all incoming orders by myself. During those busy periods, I learned to manage the workflow by identifying where waiting time occurred and what tasks I could complete during those intervals. For example, when an order came in, I would start by putting the fried chicken in the fryer, then prepare the doria while it was cooking, and place it in the oven. While the doria was baking, I would plate and serve the salad.

By constantly thinking ahead about what could be done during each waiting period, I was able to keep moving without pause, complete multiple dishes simultaneously, and consistently meet the 15‑minute service rule. As I refined this approach and updated my plan in real time with each new order, I gradually increased the number of orders I could handle at once. Eventually, I became capable of managing around five sets of orders—each consisting of four different dishes—on my own.

How does this experience translate into work in a corporate setting? Back in my student days, I never imagined it would be relevant. But now, as I lead various projects, I’ve found that the way of thinking I developed back then has become incredibly valuable for scheduling and task management.

The ability to identify waiting times, break tasks down, and decide what can be done in parallel directly supports effective project execution. It helps me manage multiple workstreams at once, adjust priorities in real time, and keep projects moving forward without losing momentum.

Specifically, when I was assigned as a project leader, I began by mapping out the overall schedule—identifying which tasks were required, when they needed to be completed, and how long each would take. This approach closely mirrors the way I used to visualize the workflow from receiving an order to plating the dishes at the family restaurant.

Once I have a clear picture of the entire process, I then check for any missing steps, determine where waiting time might occur, and consider whether other tasks can be carried out in parallel during those intervals. This mindset is directly rooted in my part-time experience at the restaurant.

In other words, that job taught me how to apply the PDCA cycle—Plan, Do, Check, Act—in a practical, hands-on way. Looking back, I realize that the ability to design a process, execute it, review it, and make improvements was something I had already been practicing in the kitchen.

I don’t see my experience at the family restaurant as anything special—just one example of something I tried to improve through my own effort. At the time, I couldn’t connect this experience to corporate work, so I never mentioned it in my application materials or during interviews.

Many students assume their experiences aren’t special, but once you start thinking about how those experiences can be connected to real corporate work, they can turn into unexpectedly strong stories. I fully understand that it’s hard to see this connection when you haven’t worked in a company yet. That’s why I recommend asking people around you who do have experience—your parents, relatives, or anyone who has been in the workforce.

Use every resource available to you. As the saying goes, “It’s only a moment’s embarrassment to not know something, but a lifetime’s embarrassment if you never ask.” I hope more students can approach job hunting with that mindset.