Bartending Is No Cakewalk!

Bartending is an unusual and highly rewarding way to make a living. But its not as easy a job as you might thinkand not everyone is cut out for it.

If you are new to bartending you might want to consider starting at a smaller bar, or a place that is not overly busy, so you can hone your skills and learn how to prepare a variety of drinks quickly. If you like it youll want to move on to a busy bar, where the real money is.

As a bartender, you will be earning a very low wage, so your main source of income will come from your tips. An experienced bartender knows how to maximize tips by working the customers while doing the job quickly. He or she has a keen sense of what individual customers want: who requires a little extra pampering, and who wants to get their order quickly and get out of there. Of course, a bartender will be expected to be a little flirtatious with customers, its important not to lay it on too thick or come across as pushy.

Bartending can be hazardous to your health! For one thing, the night-time lifestyle doesnt work for everyone. The pace can be highly demanding, and you are often coping with drunk and unruly customers. Bartending is no office job. Youre be on your feet all night, and if its a busy night you wont get to stop until after last call. When customers are waiting, you wont have the opportunity to go for a half-hour dinner break! Many people find the stress of the job is just not worth it, while others have the personality to thrive in the bar world. Consider whether you are temperamentally suited to be a bartender before you decide to spend money on bartending school or seek a job in a bar.


Another thing to consider is thata bars money is mostly made on the weekend. If going out with your friends on a Saturday night is important to you, bartending might not be the right job for you. A lot of bartenders are frustrated at losing touch with all their friends with regular daytime jobs, not to mention working all night and getting to sleep near dawn.

Bartending requires you to have a strong memory: you may get an order from one customer for several different drinks at a time. A manager might test prospective hires by having them make about five drinks in rapid successiongin and tonic, Jack and Coke, vodka soda, rye and ginger, vodka tonic, for example. If they cant remember the quickly-recited drinks accurately, they probably wont get the job.

Bartending truly requires the ability to multi-task. Not only must you remember the customers drink orders, you must keep track of whether your bar is properly stocked, clean, and so on. Crucial sales can be lost if you run out of, say soda water or cranberry juice 15 minutes before last call and have to get more from storage.

You must have well-developed social skills, and be willing to handle a variety of people, not all of whom may be to your liking. A good bartender knows how to find just the right balance between being friendly and professional. You need to know how to engage in small talk with your customers, and to make them feel special and valued without slowing your pace. Remember, every minute you spend talking to a customer on a busy night is a minute less youre spending making drinks for the next person. Not only will that irritate the other patrons who are waiting, it will potentially reduce the total number of drinks you make thus lowering your nights tips.

One final important thing to remember, is that you have important professional and even legal obligations when you serve alcohol. You will need to obtain some form of certification. So now you can clearly see that bartending isnt all fun and games. If you still think youve got what it takes, then go for it!