Special thanks to @Hannah_Lynette
“Get to Know the Staff” is back this week with, Jillian Turpin, cocktail waitress at Maya Day and Nightclub. Meet the people who make the famous nightlife scene of Scottsdale possible.
Job Title: Cocktail waitress.
Nicknames: Jill.
AFM: What’s your story? How did you get your start in the nightlife industry?
I had just turned 19 and my friend Randy was a bouncer for the bars at the Mondrian Hotel (which is now the Saguaro Hotel) and he told me what great, easy money the girls were making so I decided to apply. I worked there for almost two years, took a little break from nightlife, but came back to it in August of 2009 where I started working in The Living Room bar and Shade Lounge at the W Scottsdale. I spent almost four years at W Scottsdale before making the move over to Maya Day and Nightclub.
AFM: What makes you great at what you do? What sets you apart from other people that have the same job as you?
I think having the social skills and adaptability to talk to different groups of people really help. I feel as though I can talk to just about anyone about anything. I once had an hour long conversation with a guy I was serving about his pet turtles. I know nothing about turtles. Once you can relate to your customer, you build that friendship with them and they will return specifically to see you and have you serve them.
AFM: What kind of unique style do you specifically bring to Maya?
I would say my style is more of the flirty but sassy type. I have a really dry sense of humor that not everybody understands right away. I also try to play wing-man for most of the groups of guys I serve which never hurts.
AFM: Why should customers want you as their cocktail waitress?
I just always want to have a great time while I’m working and I think people see that. At the end of the day, everyone just wants to let loose and have fun and my job is to help make sure that happens for them.
AFM: What’s your signature drink?
Anyone who knows me knows I love champagne, but I also drink Stoli strawberry with water and some squeezed lemon.
AFM: What do you love most about your job?
I have the chance to work with amazing people and be at the most fun place in town. Whenever I work, it feels like I am going out with all of my friends; but at the end of the night I’m making money instead of spending it and I wake up without a hangover. Not many people get to say that about their job!
AFM: What do you like least?
My least favorite part is trying to reason with drunk people. It takes a lot of patience and understanding, and I don’t think many people realize that whole aspect of it. It can be very challenging, and you need to learn to let situations roll off your back.
AFM: In this industry it’s a given that you get hit on. What’s the weirdest way anyone has ever tried to get your number or pick you up?
I don’t know about the most weird, but the most common would be, “Oh, your name is Jill? My name is Jack” or something equally as unoriginal.
AFM: Do you have anything else going on? Day job? School? Hobbies? What are you doing in your free time?
In my spare time I really just lay low. I love going to movies and out to dinner with friends. I am a pretty big homebody on my days off.
AFM: What are some of your favorite local spots to hang out at?
Olive and Ivy, Sushi Roku and Citizen Public House are kind of my “go to” dinner spots. If I’m going out, I like to jump around from place to place to check out the scene.
AFM: Everybody has “their song” when they’re out that they want to hear, what’s yours?
It changes all the time, but right now it’s between Zedd’s “Clarity” and Cazzette’s “Beam me up”
AFM: It’s your day off, you have to work tomorrow and money isn’t an object. What are you doing?
I would be on the first flight out to California to spend the entire day on the beach.
