Gen Z is facing a tough job market . The unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year olds has climbed to 10.5%, and a growing share of young people are NEET —not in education, employment, or training.

For those looking to get ahead, the best career training might not come from a classroom or a corporate internship, but from a low-wage job in the service industry, says Jeetu Patel , now chief product officer at Cisco .

Before overseeing products at the tech giant, which has a market cap of about $270 billion, he spent his early 20s waiting tables at Sizzler , a steak house chain, making just $4 an hour. Far from something to hide, he says the experience shaped his work ethic and people skills—and ultimately helped him climb Silicon Valley’s corporate ladder.

“I think everyone in the

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