2 Ways You Can Become a Bartender
Bartending can be a great career. Many people make an excellent living and get to do a job that they love once they have gotten all the necessary training to do this job. If you love people, enjoy a fast-paced career, and like to work with your hands, being a bartender might be the perfect job for you.
The best way to become a bartender is to take an online course that will prepare you for all of the mixology skills that you will need once you are looking for jobs. The more you know about mixing drinks before you start applying for jobs, the more likely it will be that you will get the job that you have always wanted.
Ways to Become a Bartender
There are two main paths to becoming a bartender. You might take either route in your journey to become a skilled mixologist.
1. Take an Online Course
This is often one of the best ways to become a bartender. You will learn how to make many different drinks, how to be efficient with your time, and how to do your job with finesse from your course. This is often the best way to prepare for the skills that you need to thrive in the bartending world.
There will, of course, be things that you will have to learn once you are on the job, as each establishment has its own unique rules and requirements. However, the laws for your state that must be observed when you are working in the bartending profession will be familiar to you, and you will know a lot about how to mix the most commonly requested drinks.
2. On the Job Training
Many people learn everything about their bartending job while they are on the job. There are some licensing requirements that you will have to complete once you have done your on-the-job training, but you can learn all the skills that you need from an experienced coworker. This route can take a little longer than coursework because you might not always be able to work in the bar while you are on shift.
Many restaurants try to hire bartenders who already have a lot of experience so that they can save time on training. You will have a leg up if you have taken the time to get familiar with the job before you actually interview for it. This can be the right way to stand out from the crowd when it comes to competitive locations like fine dining establishments or popular clubs and bars.
What Skills Do You Need to Be a Bartender?
There are some unique skills that make it easier to become a bartender who stands out from the crowd. You might want to consider if you already have these skills. If so, you might be a natural fit for the bartending profession.
1. Memory
Bartending demands a lot of your memory. You need to remember how to make a wide array of drinks, and you need to remember orders that you have heard in noisy environments that are busy and chaotic. You will usually take your bar orders in person across the bar top, which makes it important that you remember even complex orders with ease. The better your memory is, the more impressive you will be to your patrons as well. Everyone loves to feel special, and a bartender who remembers the drink they prefer each time they come in is going to get bigger tips.
2. Preparation
You will have a whole host of preparation duties that have to be done before and after each shift when you go into bartending. You should be sure that meticulous, checklist-based processes are okay with you before you decide to be a bartender. Most of these processes are required by law due to sanitary requirements. You will not be able to skip these steps and stages before and after each shift.
3. Communication
There is a long-standing joke that bartenders act like therapists for those who come to sit at the bar. This is a little bit true since most people who come to the bar are looking to socialize and might also be trying to escape their daily routine. You need to be able to communicate effectively with everyone, from your coworkers to the customers who come to sit down and watch you make drinks. Being able to talk with almost anyone is almost a requirement for a good bartender, and most of your shift hours will be spent in conversation with people of all kinds.
4. Flexibility
The restaurant industry is known for chaotic schedules that change frequently. You might not know from week to week what your schedule is going to be. You need to be willing to pick up shifts and forgo time off occasionally as part of the job. Many people who work in bartending do have a reasonably stable schedule, but sometimes things will come up, and you will need to work longer hours or more days a week than you were expecting.
Becoming a Bartender Can be an Amazing Career Change
If you have been struggling to find a job that suits you, you might consider if bartending is a good fit for your preferences. This is a fast-paced and people-facing kind of job that can be a great way to make big tips and have fun while you are at work. You might be surprised at just how fast the hours of your shift will fly by when you are meeting new people, making drinks, and bustling around.
There are many places where bartenders are needed, from busy dance clubs to high-end restaurants to pubs and breweries. You should consider whether or not you have the skills listed above and whether or not you are willing to work a slightly flexible schedule. If you are, getting trained and licensed to be a bartender can open up new job opportunities around every corner!
