If you're a good listener, you might make an excellent bartender. Unfortunately, that's not a qualifying factor. As long as you're 18, though, you should be good to go. Generally, bartender serve their drinks at restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels. But if you don't like working late evenings, weekends and holidays, then this may not be the job for you.
Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff.
Most bartenders learn their skills through short-term on-the-job training usually lasting a few weeks. No formal education is required.
Many bartenders are promoted from other jobs at the establishments in which they work. Bartenders at upscale establishments usually have attended bartending classes or have previous work experience.
Although most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years old, most bartenders are 25 or older. Bartenders must be familiar with state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages.
EducationNo formal education is required to become a bartender. However, some aspiring bartenders acquire their skills by attending a school for bartending or by attending bartending classes at a vocational or technical school. These programs often include instruction on state and local laws and regulations concerning the sale of alcohol, cocktail recipes, proper attire and conduct, and stocking a bar. The length of each program varies, but most courses last a few weeks. Some schools help their graduates find jobs.
TrainingMost bartenders receive on-the-job training, usually lasting a few weeks, under the guidance of an experienced bartender. Training focuses on cocktail recipes, bar-setup procedures, and customer service, including how to handle unruly customers and other challenging situations. In food service establishments where bartenders serve food, the training may cover teamwork and proper food-handling procedures.
Some employers teach bartending skills to new workers by providing self-study programs, online programs, videos, and instructional booklets that explain service skills. Such programs communicate the philosophy of the establishment, help new bartenders build rapport with other staff, and instill a desire to work as a team.
Work Experience in a Related OccupationSome bartenders qualify through related work experience. They may start as bartender helpers and progress into full-fledged bartenders as they learn basic mixing procedures and recipes. Some bartenders also may start as waiters and waitresses.
AdvancementAdvancement for bartenders is usually limited to finding a job in a busier or more upscale restaurant or bar where prospects for earning tips are better. Some bartenders advance to supervisory jobs, such as dining room supervisor, maitre d', assistant manager, and restaurant general manager. A few bartenders open their own bars.
Important QualitiesCommunication skills. Bartenders must listen carefully to their customers’ orders, explain drink and food items, and make menu recommendations. They also should be able to converse with customers on a variety of subjects and create a friendly and welcoming environment.
Customer-service skills. Bartenders must have good customer-service skills to ensure repeat business.
Decisionmaking skills. Bartenders must be able to make good decisions. For example, they should be able to detect intoxicated and underage customers and deny service to those individuals.
Interpersonal skills. Bartenders should be friendly, tactful, and attentive when dealing with customers. For example, they should be able to tell a joke and laugh with a customer to build rapport.
Physical stamina. Bartenders spend hours on their feet preparing drinks and serving customers.
Physical strength. Bartenders should be able to lift and carry heavy cases of liquor, beer, and other bar supplies, which often weigh up to 50 pounds.
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of waitress you might progress to a role such as teacher eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title general manager.
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 20.9% of bartenders listed beverage orders on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and customer-service skills are important as well.
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Bartender templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Bartender resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
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Have you ever taken a sip of beer and wondered why it tastes a certain way or what effect the alcohol has on your body? In this course, you will learn all about beer, including how it's made, the raw materials used, it's supply chain, how it's marketed and the effect of beer consumption on your body. After this course, tasting a beer will be an entirely new sensation: you will enjoy it even more since you will better understand what's inside your drink. Not to mention, to be a responsible...
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a bartender. The best states for people in this position are Hawaii, Washington, Massachusetts, and California. Bartenders make the most in Hawaii with an average salary of $47,675. Whereas in Washington and Massachusetts, they would average $34,873 and $31,004, respectively. While bartenders would only make an average of $30,337 in California, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Hawaii
$47,675
Avg. Salary
2. Arizona
$25,328
Avg. Salary
3. California
$30,337
Avg. Salary
Rank  | Company  | Average Salary  | Hourly Rate  | Job Openings  |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Aramark | $36,427 | $17.51 | 234 |
2 | Darden Restaurants | $32,038 | $15.40 | 739 |
3 | Texas Roadhouse | $27,881 | $13.40 | 222 |
4 | Dave & Buster's | $26,096 | $12.55 | 317 |
5 | Red Robin | $25,948 | $12.47 | 256 |
6 | TGI Fridays | $25,914 | $12.46 | 998 |
7 | Bar Louie | $25,481 | $12.25 | 257 |
8 | Chili's Grill & Bar | $24,807 | $11.93 | 367 |
9 | Ruby Tuesday | $24,730 | $11.89 | 542 |
10 | Applebee's Canada | $24,650 | $11.85 | 1,310 |
It takes 4 years of professional experience to become a bartender. That is the time it takes to learn specific bartender skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.
Beginners can become bartenders by:
Learning the basic liquors and alcoholic beverages
Getting their bartending license
Learning how to properly mix and pour drinks
Finding employment as a stocker or barback in the food industry
Mentoring under a more seasoned bartender
The quickest and most effective ways to get hired as a bartender are to
Understand the position and legal regulations
Hone interpersonal skills
Learn the differences in terminology
Study mixologists and other bartenders
Create a short and simple resume that highlights the soft skills required for bartending
Be available for any position that puts you in working proximity to the bar -- such as barback
Yes, bartending is a good job. While it seems to pay less than other entry-level positions, most have reported significant happiness with the job itself. Many often take on bartending as a part-time position to either help with financial responsibility or to produce a revenue stream while they balance other career goals.
Female bartenders are called bartenders. There was a period in which female bartenders were called barmaids, but that time has since passed. Most bartenders, at least 60%, are female.
Other names for a bartender include:
Barkeep
Barperson
Server
Barkeeper
Mixologist
Bartenders do not need traditional or formal qualifications. However, it is a good idea to become certified and get your license, though one is not necessary to become a bartender. Bartenders must have a decent set of soft skills and learn the drink formulas to be sold on the job. The latter can be learned in real-time.