Bartending for Financial Success - Bartenders Pull in Extra Cash
Bartending is an excellent way to earn extra money. There are both positive and negative things relating to becoming a bartender such as working long nights and having to turn away customers that have had way too much to drink. Learning how to bartend can make you the head of a party, if you don't mind mixing for pleasure. There are steps to fulfill before officially becoming a bartender.
There can be a lot of stress with a bartending job. You have to strike a balance between making demanding, expectant customers happy on the spot and satisfying a boss who believes raking in the money is of the utmost importance. You have to be able to service your customers quickly while still communicating in a manner that makes them want to tip you. Throw in dealing with those who have had too much but still want more, and you have a stressful job that needs to be thought about seriously before taking.
You will have to remember what everyone wants, how to make it and the prices for everything. You also have to be on the lookout for underage drinkers because if anything happens to them, you will be responsible for their actions. You will need to handle your job with style and remember you'll be working for tips. Sometimes, this can be a good thing while others it may not be. Often, it isn't enough. Depending on where you work, the tips can be horrid.
Determine if the job is really the career for you. In order to be a good bartender, you must have a cool attitude and have the ability to stay calm under pressure. You will need to enjoy talking with other people and be able to add and subtract quickly to make change. Team skills are also very important in any bar as you must have excellent dedication and communication skills.
Choose a bartending school that is right for you and where you can start to learn drink combinations immediately. Going to bartender school can be the difference between making and breaking your career. Many bartending schools can teach you in under a week with seven hour lessons per day.
If you don't already know what types of glasses to use for different drinks, how to use all of the different bartending tools behind a bar, and how to mix a wide variety of drinks quickly, then you will have a much easier time finding a job if you go to a good school first.
For those who can't go to school, working as a barback is the next best thing. This position assists the bartender and will allow you to watch and learn all the needed skills to transition into a bartender yourself. Some bartenders start out as waiters as well.
Remember to get licensed. Some states require their bartenders to be licensed in order to serve alcohol. You must find out if it is necessary in your state to get a license. You can't start serving alcohol until you get this. If you are required to take the test, study from what you know. You can probably take the test online.
There can be a lot of stress with a bartending job. You have to strike a balance between making demanding, expectant customers happy on the spot and satisfying a boss who believes raking in the money is of the utmost importance. You have to be able to service your customers quickly while still communicating in a manner that makes them want to tip you. Throw in dealing with those who have had too much but still want more, and you have a stressful job that needs to be thought about seriously before taking.
You will have to remember what everyone wants, how to make it and the prices for everything. You also have to be on the lookout for underage drinkers because if anything happens to them, you will be responsible for their actions. You will need to handle your job with style and remember you'll be working for tips. Sometimes, this can be a good thing while others it may not be. Often, it isn't enough. Depending on where you work, the tips can be horrid.
Determine if the job is really the career for you. In order to be a good bartender, you must have a cool attitude and have the ability to stay calm under pressure. You will need to enjoy talking with other people and be able to add and subtract quickly to make change. Team skills are also very important in any bar as you must have excellent dedication and communication skills.
Choose a bartending school that is right for you and where you can start to learn drink combinations immediately. Going to bartender school can be the difference between making and breaking your career. Many bartending schools can teach you in under a week with seven hour lessons per day.
If you don't already know what types of glasses to use for different drinks, how to use all of the different bartending tools behind a bar, and how to mix a wide variety of drinks quickly, then you will have a much easier time finding a job if you go to a good school first.
For those who can't go to school, working as a barback is the next best thing. This position assists the bartender and will allow you to watch and learn all the needed skills to transition into a bartender yourself. Some bartenders start out as waiters as well.
Remember to get licensed. Some states require their bartenders to be licensed in order to serve alcohol. You must find out if it is necessary in your state to get a license. You can't start serving alcohol until you get this. If you are required to take the test, study from what you know. You can probably take the test online.
About the Author:
Brian has been a bartender and in beverage management for almost 16 years. He has helped hundreds of people to get bartending jobs and learn how to become a bartender.
