Become a Bartender and Make Some Extra Money
Most people think bartending can be a fun, cool way to earn some extra cash, and it's all true, of course. What most people don't realize, however, is that learning to be a great bartender, or even a good one, is not as simple as it looks. This isn't to say that it's terribly difficult to get into the bartending field. It's more a question of knowing the ins and outs, perfecting your bartending skills, and knowing the right people.
Bartending is not just for college students; anyone can be a bartender. Serving drinks is very profitable because depending on the establishment and your experience you can make anywhere between $100 -$500 a night. You can make more money than your average college educated individual. But how does one get started?
If you're an experienced bartender who has worked in restaurants, bars, clubs and so forth, you won't find it difficult to get hired. You'll already know how to mix drinks and make a wide assortment of them skillfully and quickly. You'll also be familiar with the hospitality industry, and you'll probably have a fair idea of which places are hiring and how much money you could make at one of them. It's also pretty safe to say you probably have some friends that know people who can help you get the job you want.
If you don't have any experience in bartending, it will be harder to get your foot in the door. First you want to make sure that your personality is suited for bartending. Bartenders work off of tips, the more personable you are the greater chance you have in succeeding.
Next, you'll want to decide what type of establishment would be best suited to you. If you enjoy wild crowds and loud music, you would probably like working in a bar or a nightclub. On the other hand, if you like things a bit quieter, consider looking into a job at a lounge or a restaurant. If you love to travel, working on a cruise ship is always an alternative. There are many choices for places to work as a bartender, so try to apply for jobs that offer the atmosphere you will most likely succeed in.
Once your choices are narrowed down, it's time for the next step. I don't mean that you should go out and apply for that perfect job quite yet. After all, you need to keep in mind that you don't have any bartending experience. And before you bring up all those bartending schools that are out there, my best advice is to just ignore them. They are way too expensive, for one thing. The other problem with these schools is that a lot of managers look down on people who "graduate" from bartending schools. It might be hard to believe, but that's the way it is.
Now you will need to practice mixing drinks and its best to know several drinks before you apply. With the internet you can get all the drink recipes for free and if you want you can watch videos on how to make drinks. Also you can check out your local library to see if they have a bartender's handbook. Remember - flash cards should your best friends. Know the popular drinks and the obscure ones as well.
Once you have a little experience under your belt, apply for as many jobs as you want. If you have any friends with jobs in the hospitality field, ask them to help you get an interview where they work. Be outgoing and smile during your interview, even to people who aren't participating in the interview. Try to create a memorable impression. Don't lie and tell the interviewer that you have work experience as a bartender; instead let him or her know that you're knowledgeable about how to mix drinks even though you don't have any work experience. When your interviewer gives you the opportunity to demonstrate, use that opportunity well and show off all the bartending skills you've taught yourself.
Learn how to become a bartender the easy way. Brian has helped dozens of people with no previous experience get bartending jobs. His 16 years of experience can help help you too.