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The differences between caterers and shift leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a shift leader has an average salary of $33,841, which is higher than the $28,891 average annual salary of a caterer.
The top three skills for a caterer include food service, kitchen equipment and food delivery. The most important skills for a shift leader are patients, customer complaints, and customer service.
| Caterer | Shift Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $28,891 | $33,841 |
| Hourly rate | $13.89 | $16.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 1,648 | 229,485 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A caterer is responsible for monitoring food preparation and presentation, ensuring the adequacy and accuracy of food stock based on the clients' specifications and guest count. Caterers often work with clients for special occasions and events, identify their needs, including the menu and nutritional requirements. They arrange food services from the dinnerware to choosing the appropriate staff to help with assisting the food preparation in the event's location. A caterer should maintain the highest sanitary standards at all times to guarantee the foods' safety, as well as showcase communication skills when responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns.
Shift leaders are tenured or experienced employees who are assigned to oversee employees in specific work shifts. They manage team members who are assigned in their shift. They also ensure that business goals are met. Shift leaders check whether team members are working, and they ensure that they always comply with company policies and guidelines. They also monitor the performance of their employees and coach them should the employees need help in any area of their work. Shift leaders should have good communication skills, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.
Caterers and shift leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Caterer | Shift Leader | |
| Average salary | $28,891 | $33,841 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $36,000 | Between $26,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | The College of St. Scholastica | IBM |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a caterer and a shift leader in terms of educational background:
| Caterer | Shift Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 41% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between caterers' and shift leaders' demographics:
| Caterer | Shift Leader | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.0% Female, 57.0% | Male, 44.2% Female, 55.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.5% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |