How to Become a Bartender with No Experience
Looking for a bartending job can become a frustrating experience. There are many myths about what it takes to get a bartending job. If you really want a bartending job, there are truly only 2 requirements, a warm personality and a great attitude. Everything else can be taught. So don't believe the widespread myths below.
If you don't have experience you can't get the job. Bartenders love to keep this myth alive. In all honesty, nothing could be further from the truth. Bartenders with tons of experience have some really bad habits and even worse attitudes sometimes. Owners know they can teach drink recipes and closing procedures to anyone. They want to teach them to people with great attitudes that will help their business grow.
Bartenders need to know hundreds of drink recipes. This is a myth that bartenders love to perpetuate. The truth is that most bars only use 20-30 different drinks and if you don't know how to make it you can refer to a recipe book behind the bar. The 20-30 drinks most often served in your bar you will need to memorize but serving them is the easiest way to do this. You don't need to memorize a book. Most drinks are evolutions of an old classic, so if you know about 10 basic recipes you can build your knowledgebase of drinks off of that.
The money is in the Nightclubs. This one I truly don't understand. I guess people think if a bar is real busy, the bartenders are making a killing. Truth is that in most nightclubs there are so many people splitting the tips that each individual bartender doesn't really take home that much. Also, in a nightclub the bartenders don't get the chance to chat with their customers so each individual customer usually tips less.
You have to be a barback or wait tables before you can bartend. You will almost always hear this one from an employed bartender. Maybe that's how they got the job and their imagination doesn't let then think of any other way. Or maybe they just like feeling important and irreplaceable. Either way, it is just a myth and you better off going straight for the gold of the bartending job.
You don't need a cover letter for a bartending position. While you don't absolutely need a cover letter, or even a resume, for a bartending job, you need to separate yourself from the crowd. A well crafted cover letter and resume will help you rise to the top of the application pile. Use them as a chance to introduce yourself and let your personality jump off the page. If they start to like you before they even meet you, the interview will be a piece of cake.
You have to go to bartending school and be certified to bartend. It absolutely drives me crazy when I hear people repeating this myth. It is almost always a recruiter for bartending schools. In my 15 years in the business I have to meet a bartender who went to bartending school. Truth is that most bartending schools are scams. They will teach you how to make drinks but you can learn that on your own for nothing but a little time. Bartending schools usually charge upwards of $800 on the promise of job placement after you complete the course. Before you register for a bartending school ask them for reference of former students. If they truly can place you in a job after graduation they should have hundreds of willing references. If they can't provide the references then turn and run, they are trying to steal your money.
You need a friend in the business to get a bartending job. While a friend in the business certainly won't hurt your chances it is no guarantee either. Getting a bartending job is about getting in front of the right people, as in bar owners, and charming them into hiring you. If you make them feel like a friend during the interview, your chances of getting the job go up exponentially. Don't worry about who you know, just use your cover letter and resume to get an interview and get the owner to like you. It sounds really simple and you're going to be surprised how simple it really is.
Don't complicate your bartending job search by buying into the myths above. If you truly want to make your job search easy then stay persistent and believe in yourself. Hundreds of aspiring bartenders get a job every day, and many of them didn't have any previous experience. Stop believing in what other people tell you and go find out for yourself. You just might end up with a great new bartending job.
About the Author
Brian has helped hundreds of people in their search for bartending jobs. His insider tips and resources will help you to land your your first bartending job. Check out his newsletter and step by system today.
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