Most people think bartending can be a fun, cool way to earn some extra cash, and it’s all true, of course. What most people don’t realize, however, is that learning to be a great bartender, or even a good one, is not as simple as it looks. This isn’t to say that it’s terribly difficult to get into the bartending field. It’s more a question of knowing the ins and outs, perfecting your bartending skills, and knowing the right people.
Anyone can be a bartender. It’s not just a job for college students. You can make a lot of money serving drinks. Depending on how much experience you have and where you work, you can make from $100 to $500 per night. This means you can earn more money than the average college graduate. But how does someone become a bartender?
Well if you have experience, it will be easy for you to land a job. And by experience I mean you have worked in clubs, bars, restaurants, ect. Through your expertise you are armed with knowledge of how to mix drinks and can make a vast amount of drinks with skill and speed. Also you are familiar with the hospitality field, you probably have a good idea of whose hiring, how much money one can make at a particular establishment and it’s pretty safe to say that you have friends who know people who can get you the job you want.
It will be a bit harder to get your foot in the door if you don’t have any bartending experience. You should first make sure your personality is suited to bartending. The more personable and outgoing you are, the better your chance of succeeding, because bartenders work for tips.
Next you want to see what place would be better suited for you. Do you like loud music and wild crowds? Then you will probably work well in a bar or nightclub. Do you prefer a quieter atmosphere? Then you could look at a lounge or restaurant. If you like to travel, then working on a cruise ship is always an option. There are many places you can go to serve drinks, try and apply in the environments that you will most likely thrive in.
So now, you have your options narrowed down, what next? Well don’t go applying for the perfect job just yet. Remember you don’t have any experience. Now I know there are a lot of bartending schools out there, but the best advice for these schools – avoid them. For one, they are too costly. And two, believe or not, a lot of managers look down on those who “graduated” from Bartending School. Don’t ask why, that’s just the way it is within the field.
Now you will need to practice mixing drinks and its best to know several drinks before you apply. With the internet you can get all the drink recipes for free and if you want you can watch videos on how to make drinks. Also you can check out your local library to see if they have a bartender’s handbook. Remember – flash cards should your best friends. Know the popular drinks and the obscure ones as well.
Once you have a little experience under your belt, apply for as many jobs as you want. If you have any friends with jobs in the hospitality field, ask them to help you get an interview where they work. Be outgoing and smile during your interview, even to people who aren’t participating in the interview. Try to create a memorable impression. Don’t lie and tell the interviewer that you have work experience as a bartender; instead let him or her know that you’re knowledgeable about how to mix drinks even though you don’t have any work experience. When your interviewer gives you the opportunity to demonstrate, use that opportunity well and show off all the bartending skills you’ve taught yourself.
Brian has been helping aspiring bartenders find a job for over 12 years. He is a great resource if you want to learn how to become a bartender. His free get bartending jobs newsletter has already helped dozens of people find bartending jobs.
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