How to Become a Bartender
To become a bartender you need an affinity for the
hospitality industry. This is one of the most intensive customer
service jobs in a customer oriented industry.
Education and training
Bar training is conducted by vocational colleges. There are no entry
requirements for hospitality training, but the standards for entry to
the industry are often high, particularly in upmarket
businesses.Bartender training involves:
Mixing drinks: Cocktails, aperitifs, basic spirits mixes, and learning the measures of drinks.
Equipment operations: Beer taps, mixers, and other equipment.
Customer service:
The bar tending business is based on customer service, and employers
demand high standards. The course teaches students the industry
standard customer service techniques.
Hygiene and sanitation: Essential practices, and required training due to legal requirements for operation of public premises.
Glassware: Drink glassware varies considerably, students are taught their use in formal settings and for specific drinks.
Working with pressure situations: Students are taught how to deal with difficult situations, and the issues that bar tending may involve.
Some
of these courses come with placement opportunities, or other forms of
incentive. If you're thinking of becoming a bartender, however, the
real need is for good vision of your career options. Bartenders can
become senior hospitality industry staff, trainers, managers, and
supervisors. These are excellent jobs in the industry, and can lead to
further promotions.
Employment options
The quality
of jobs is often an issue in bar tending careers. Bart ending work can
require working in difficult conditions for long hours. It's
recommended that you evaluate any place of employment before
application. A poorly operated or unclean establishment should be
avoided.
The best bar tending jobs are easy to recognize. They have:
- Very good quality, clean premises
- Modern facilities and patron amenities
- Friendly, relaxed staff who are obviously competent
- Very high quality service
As an experienced bartender, you will have considerable job mobility, and should be able to find good quality jobs and opportunities for advancement. Areas of employment include:
- Hotels
- Clubs
- Restaurants
- Casinos
- Tourist resorts
Licensing issues and good practice
Some courses
provide certification, but in practice the real issue is licensing
required for people employed in the liquor industry. Many US states
require servers of alcohol to attend an "alcohol server training
course". The best option is to look for a course that will provide both
certification and meet licensing requirements.
These licensing
issues should also be considered as essential training for good
bartenders. They provide training in areas of alcohol service which are
also laws affecting liquor establishments:
Protection from legal liability
- Effects of alcohol
- Recognizing and dealing with effects of alcohol on customers
- Preventing intoxication
- How to respond and withhold service from an intoxicated customer
- Checking IDs and dealing with minors trying to buy liquor
- Use of incident logs to record legally relevant events
The laws regarding alcohol are a result of serious issues created in
people's lives by alcohol addiction and abuse. These are very serious
social issues, causing much suffering in people's lives. The
bartender's job is a highly responsible job requiring a lot of
knowledge of the industry, the market, and the clientele. Bartenders
act in the best interests of their employers and their clients by
upholding the standards of good service, as well as the law.
