Buzz
If you enjoy socializing, have a friendly and approachable personality, and love the lively atmosphere of a bar, bartending might be the perfect career for you! However, you may not know where to begin. The good news is that bartending typically doesn't require formal training or advanced education. What you really need is experience working with customers and key skills such as the ability to perform under pressure, a strong memory, and a sense of responsibility. By honing your skills and practicing mixology, you can kickstart your bartending career.
Steps
Meet the Requirements
Check the minimum age requirements to become a bartender in your area. Minimum age requirements for bartenders can vary, but they are generally between 18 and 21 years old. Research the legal drinking age and bartending age regulations in your region. If you're old enough, you can start looking for your bartending job!
- In many U.S. states, bartenders don't have to meet the legal drinking age to serve alcohol.
- If you're not yet old enough to be a bartender, you can still start developing bartending skills. Begin learning cocktail recipes, or consider working in a restaurant or bar as a barback or server to gain experience.
Take a bartending course to master essential skills and gain experience. While not a mandatory requirement, completing a bartending course will give you an edge in the eyes of employers, especially if you're just starting out. Numerous bartending programs are available, most of which last a few weeks. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate that formally acknowledges your acquired skills.
- If you’re in the U.S., look for a program accredited by the state’s Department of Education to ensure it is legitimate.
- Before committing to a bartending school, it’s a good idea to visit the campus, meet some instructors, and confirm that they have professional expertise and use recognized teaching materials. This helps you avoid fraudulent programs.
- In addition to in-person courses, there are online programs, but proceed with caution. Verify the program’s credibility, and, if possible, speak to alumni who have secured employment after completing the course.
- Tuition for bartending schools generally ranges in the several hundred dollars, whether attending in-person or online.
Purchase a bartending kit to practice at home. Practicing at home is the key to improving your bartending skills, so make sure to take full advantage of your time there. You can get an affordable kit that includes a cocktail shaker, tongs, muddler, spoon, and all the essential tools you'll use behind the bar. By practicing at home, you’ll impress bar managers with your abilities.
- Don’t just focus on mixing drinks—learn how to garnish as well. Presentation is crucial for cocktails, especially in modern-style bars.
Memorize cocktail recipes. You might think that memorizing hundreds of recipes is necessary to become a bartender, but that’s far from the truth. There are only a few popular drinks that customers typically order, so focus on mastering those. The rest can be learned gradually, especially at bars with unique recipes.
- Some of the most popular cocktails include Dark and Stormy, Old Fashioned, Negroni, Daiquiri, Martini, Whiskey Sour, Margarita, and Moscow Mule. Mastering these recipes will give you the core knowledge needed to get a bartending job.
- Cocktail recipes are easy to find online, or you can purchase bartending books filled with various recipes.
- Be sure to also familiarize yourself with common bartending terms like “neat” (no ice) or “on the rocks” (with ice), so you know exactly what customers are ordering.
Develop your communication and customer service skills. Remember, bartending is not just about making drinks—it’s a service role that involves interacting with people. You can make a lasting impression on customers by introducing them to different drinks, engaging in small talk, listening carefully to their preferences, and ensuring they enjoy their time.
- If you don’t consider yourself a natural communicator, don’t worry. You can practice these skills by setting up a mock bar at home and serving drinks to friends and family.
- Making mistakes at work is completely normal. Just be prepared to apologize and correct the issue promptly.
- Sometimes, you also need to be firm. Drunk customers can become rude or disruptive. Be ready to intervene and, if necessary, ask intoxicated customers to leave the bar if their behavior is inappropriate.
Get certified as a bartender if you live in the U.S. Some states in the U.S. require bartenders to hold a certification. Typically, you’ll need to complete a brief course on alcohol safety and ethics, which usually takes just a few hours. Afterward, you’ll receive a state-issued certification.
- These courses teach you how to check IDs, spot fake IDs, recognize intoxicated individuals, and handle other workplace issues.
- Not all bars require a bartender certification, but having one will make you a more attractive candidate.
- Some states offer a comprehensive bartender certification, similar to those awarded by bartending schools. High-end bars may require these additional certifications.
Start by working as a barback to gain valuable experience. Unfortunately, landing a bartending job can be challenging if you don’t have bar experience, even with all the necessary certifications. A practical way to enter the field is by taking on a barback role first. Barbacks assist bartenders with tasks such as filling ice bins, cleaning glasses, stocking the fridge, and completing other duties as requested by the bartender. While being a barback may not sound as glamorous as bartending, it’s a fantastic way to get your foot in the door.
- Typically, you can start as a barback without requiring any prior experience or certifications. So, consider applying for a barback position while working on your bartender certification.
Search for job opportunities
Write an impressive cover letter. Like with any other job, you’ll need a cover letter when applying for bartending positions. Your bartending cover letter should be short and easy to read, just like other cover letters. Be sure to highlight your experience, qualifications, and certifications early on, so the bar manager can quickly see that you’re a great fit for the role.
- Don’t forget to include your contact details in the cover letter! It’s a simple yet often overlooked step.
- If you lack bartending experience, emphasize any customer service roles you’ve held. Jobs such as server, cashier, receptionist, or customer support can demonstrate that you know how to interact with people and provide great service.
- Keep in mind that most people spend less than a minute reading a cover letter. Ensure that your experience is easy to spot at a glance.
Visit the bars you regularly go to. Bars and restaurants often receive a high volume of bartender applications, making it difficult for yours to stand out. If you’re a regular at certain bars and know the staff, you’ll have an advantage. Stop by and mention that you’re looking for a bartending job and would like to speak with the manager. If the staff already knows you, there’s a higher chance that the manager will hire you.
- Be sure to bring a copy of your cover letter in case the manager requests it.
Use online job platforms to search for open bartender positions. Many bartending jobs are posted online, just like any other profession. You can find opportunities on websites like Indeed or Glassdoor by searching for “bartender.” There will be numerous listings for you to apply to.
- Make sure to adjust the location filter to match the area you want to work in. Otherwise, you may end up scrolling through many irrelevant job listings.
- Since applying online is so easy, you’ll likely face stiff competition. Combine this method with in-person visits to increase your chances.
Visit local bars to submit your application in person. Not all bartender positions are advertised online, and applying in person remains a common practice in the bartending industry. Make a list of bars in your area and visit them to apply. Bring your resume and be ready to introduce yourself to the manager.
- Be prepared, as the manager may want to interview or test you on the spot.
- Try to visit bars during quieter hours, such as mid-afternoon, to ensure the manager has time to speak with you.
- If you know anyone working at these bars, let them know you’re job hunting. They might speak highly of you to the manager.
Get the job
Dress professionally for the interview. You’ll want to make a great first impression, and wearing a neat, tidy outfit will help. Even when interviewing at a casual sports bar, you’ll never regret wearing a well-fitted pair of pants or skirt paired with a clean shirt.
- Remember that upscale bars might have different expectations. Bartenders at these places often wear ties and formal attire, so dress appropriately for your interview.
- The general rule is to dress a bit more polished than the bartenders working there.
Be polite and enthusiastic throughout the interview. Your personality plays a significant role in getting a bartending job. Employers favor candidates who are charming, easygoing, and responsible. Show the manager that you have these qualities. Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, smile, sit up straight, and speak confidently to demonstrate you’re the right fit for the job.
- Try to treat the interview like a conversation. This approach will make the manager like you on a personal level, increasing your chances of getting hired.
- If asked why you want to work at this bar, respond with something like, "I love the atmosphere here, and I believe I would connect well with both the customers and staff, contributing my best work here."
- The manager may intentionally ask difficult or stressful questions to see how you handle pressure. Stay calm and friendly throughout the interview, even if you feel nervous.
Highlight your customer service experience. Regardless of how skilled you are at mixing drinks, one of the most crucial aspects of bartending is interacting with customers. The manager will likely inquire about your previous customer service experience, whether or not it was in a bar. Be prepared to showcase your communication skills and how you handle interactions with the public. This can make a strong impression on the manager.
- The interviewer may ask how you would handle hypothetical situations, such as remembering orders for a large group or spotting fake IDs. Be ready with responses to scenarios you might face while working.
- Prepare stories about how you’ve resolved conflicts, such as dealing with an overly intoxicated customer. These situations may arise on the job, and the manager will want to know how you handle them.
- You might say something like, "I remember once when a customer staggered into the bar and I could tell he was drunk. Serving him was not the right move, so I asked him to leave. When he refused, I called security to escort him out."
Make a thank-you call or send a thank-you letter after the interview. No matter how well the interview went, failing to call or send a thank-you note afterward is a mistake. The day after the interview, take the time to send an email or make a call to thank the manager for their time. This is also an opportunity to reiterate your enthusiasm for the job. If they are still undecided, your enthusiasm may give you the edge.
- You don’t need to write a long message. A simple “Thank you again for your time yesterday. I am really excited about the position and look forward to hearing from you soon” will suffice.
Perform well during the trial shift. If you’ve passed the interview, the next step will be a trial shift. This is your probationary period to ensure you can actually do the job. The manager will assign you a shift under their supervision. This is your final test for the position, so give it your best effort!
- Be sure to bring everything the manager requests, such as pens or a bottle opener. And remember to dress appropriately.
- Stay calm during the shift. The work may be stressful, and the manager might schedule you during busy hours to observe your performance. Apply all your skills and experience to shine.
- Remember to collaborate well with your colleagues. Being a bartender means being part of a team, so contribute to the team to the best of your ability.
Advice
- Try not to be too picky when you’re first starting out, especially if you lack experience. The most important thing is to get your foot in the door, so don’t turn down a job that’s not exactly what you envisioned.
- If you want to be a bartender, you’ll need to be prepared to work nights, weekends, and holidays. These are the busiest times when you’ll earn the most tips.
Warning
- Never lie about your skills and experience. You may get through the interview, but if you make a mess of things when actually working, the manager will quickly realize that you weren’t honest.
