Busser Jobs in the United States

Busser Jobs Overview

Looking for your very first job to sustain yourself during school, or for an easy way into the food and service industry? Busser jobs are a great place to start. You’ll learn how food and beverage establishments work and build crucial skills like teamwork and communication. 

Bussers are entry-level positions in which you’ll assist the serving staff. Although the exact responsibilities vary between organizations, as a busser you can expect to carry out the following:

• Clearing, cleaning, and resetting tables between seatings.
• Moving tables and chairs to adapt to customers’ needs.
• Bringing water glasses to the tables and refilling them throughout.
• Supporting waiters to serve food when necessary.
• Refilling condiments, napkins, and cutlery on tables and in the restaurant pantry.
• Helping to clean the dining area after service.

Bussers typically work on shifts, which vary depending on the business you work for. These often include holidays, early mornings, late evenings, and nights. Part-time and seasonal jobs as bussers are also very common.

Busser jobs are projected to grow at a 9% rate over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations. So, it’s a great time to secure one.

Salaries for Busser Jobs

As a busser you’ll earn between $9.89 and $13.6 per hour on average, with $11.19 per hour as a median rate. Depending on your industry, experience and location, however, your salary could be more than that.

For example, people in busser jobs have a higher wage in the food and beverage departments of the following industries:

• travel arrangement and reservation services
• management of companies and enterprises
• business, professional, labor, political, and similar organizations
• special food services
• museums, historical sites, and similar institutions

Location-wise, here are the top-paying states for busser jobs:

• District of Columbia
• New York
• Washington
• Arizona
• Vermont

Check out what your salary as a busser would look like in your city on Monster’s Salary Calculator. You’ll also discover where bussers are in highest demand, as well as positions you can work towards to progress in your field.

How to Find the Best Busser Job for You

When looking for job openings for bussers, identify the best fit for your skills, needs and career goals. Below are the factors you should keep in mind to help you decide:

• Work schedule and hours: Consider if the shift timings align with your availability and personal commitments. If you’re a student, for instance, evening or holiday shifts could be convenient to leave you time to go to class during the day.
• Career growthopportunities: Is your end goal to work in hospitality or food and beverage? If that’s the case, focus on applying to organizations that are well known for promoting employee growth and advancement. However, if you’re in the market for a seasonal job that might not be as important to you.
• Work environment: think about what kind of establishment you’d be most comfortable working in. Do you prefer working in a fast-paced restaurant, fine dining, a causal eatery, or somewhere else? Different environments might have varying demands and atmospheres that could suit different people better.
• Personal preferences: assess your working style and preferences. Do you enjoy interacting with customers or prefer an environment with less contact? Knowing this can help you guide your choices.

How to Apply to Busser Jobs

Secure more interviews by dedicating the right amount of time to prepare your resume. Here’s how:

Reset Your Resume for a Busser Job 

To write a good resume you must understand what businesses are looking for and capture that in a tidy and easy-to-read document. But how do you do that? First, start with our busser resumetemplate. All the important sections you need to include are:

• contact details
• career objective
• experience
• skills
• education
• hobbies, interests, and volunteering

Next, analyze the job postings, identify the experience and skills necessary for the job and highlight them in your resume. Use the same keywords as found in the job ad. For example, abilities and traits busser jobs require, no matter your background, are:

• working well in a fast-paced environment
• high energy and customer service orientation
• attention to detail
• excellent communication
• teamwork
• multi-tasking
• being physically fit to stand for many hours

Have limited experience? Use previous internships and volunteer opportunities to showcase how you’ve developed certain transferable skills. Above all, make sure to tailor your resume to the specific job and company you’re targeting.

If you need extra support, sign up to Monster’s Resume Writing Services. We’ll help you craft a custom resume that will catch recruiters’ attention. Finally, upload your document to your free candidate account to apply in seconds to any future openings you’re interested in. We’ll also keep you updated with the latest job ads matching your criteria.

How to Follow Up with an Employer

Following up after sending your job application for busser jobs is always a good idea. It shows employers that you have a high interest in the role, and it helps you get noticed. Here are our tips to do it right:

• First, allow employers reasonable time to get back to you. That might vary depending on how busy the establishment is and how urgently they need to fill the busser role. A few days to a week is the norm. After this time, check your SPAM folder as well – just in case.
• Next, increase your chances by writing your follow-up directly to the hiring manager, instead of a vague “To whom it may concern”. If you are unsure of their contact details, call the company or swing by in person and inquire.
• Finally, write a short, but effective follow-up email. Introduce yourself and state which role you applied for. Express your enthusiasm to work for the company and ask for an update about the hiring process.

Interviewing Tips for Busser Jobs

Get ready for the job interview for a busser position with our easy steps. 

1. Start by learning as much as possible about the company. What is it famous for? What are its values? Get on the company website and social media profiles and read customer and employee reviews. Hiring managers love to ask “What do you know about our company?” so this step will help you be ready for that.

2. Prepare your answers to the most common interview questions. This way you’ll increase your chances of giving the best impression possible since you’ll feel confident in your answers. A few examples of what you may be faced with include:

• “Tell me about yourself.”
• “Why should we hire you?”
• “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

3. Focus on specific questions for bussers. Hiring managers want to make sure you’re organized, have time-management skills, and can work under pressure without compromising on customer service. They might ask you:

• “How do you prioritize tasks?”
• “How do you handle difficult customers?”
• “How would you handle a mistake or miscommunication?”

Review our customer service and barista interview questions for more tips on how to approach these types of questions.

4. Prepare your own questions. Inquire about specifics of the role, the responsibilities, and the work schedule. This will help you understand if that employer is a good fit for your needs.

5. Follow up within 24 hours. Don’t wait more than a day to send a thank-you message after your interview. Express your gratitude and enthusiasm for the opportunity and reiterate why you're the ideal candidate. Then, ask about the following steps in the hiring process.

What to Do When You Get an Offer

You’ve received an offer for a busser role, congratulations! Are you unsure about your decision or have you already made up your mind? Regardless, it’s important that you thank the employer for the offer. Expressing your gratitude is the foundation of a good working relationship. It also leaves the door open for future opportunities in case you decide to not accept the offer.

If you’re evaluating many offers, clearly communicate with the company about when they can expect an answer from you. Hospitality businesses usually need to fill busser roles fast, so we recommend you respond within 48 hours. Take that time to review the job offer. Make sure that job responsibilities, salary and other benefits are clear and in line with industry standards. 

Busser Job Career Paths

Busser jobs can be stepping stones for many different positions in the hospitality industry. Here are a few that you could move on to:

• Waiter: Once you’ve gained some experience as a busser, you’ll be able to easily transition to server roles. Build a waiter resume by taking orders, interacting with customers, and serving food and beverage.
• Bartender: Would you like to specialize in mixology and beverage service? Are you able to work in a fast-paced environment and engage with customers? Sounds like you could become a great bartender.
• Restaurant host: Got great interpersonal and organizational skills and enjoy customer-facing roles? Why not become a restaurant host? You’d manage reservations, coordinate table assignments, and ensure a positive dining experience.
• Catering staff: Interested in working in large-scale events and gaining organizational skills? Start working on your catering resume. As a catering employee you’d assist in organizing and setting up events and ensuring guest satisfaction.
• Restaurant manager: Have a deep industry knowledge and great leadership skills? Pursue a restaurant manager role. You'll run the restaurant's day-to-day operations, manage staff and handle customers’ issues.

Similar Occupations

Not the job you were looking for? Check out all the food service jobs to find the one right for you. Here are some the most searched positions:

• barback jobs
• barista jobs
• server jobs