4 Tips for Landing Your First Bartending Job

Bartending is one of the most lucrative jobs you can get without formal training – one of the reasons it remains a popular profession among people in their 20s.

But don’t let its typical demographic and lack of school training fool you. Bartending can be physically, intellectually and emotionally demanding, requiring you to balance the enjoyment of your patrons with their safety and wellbeing. It’s neither an easy job, nor is it necessarily a “stepping stone” job. Some people make a long and fruitful career out of bartending, aging into the profession like – pardon the pun – a fine wine.

Before you enter your tenure as “the best bartender on the block,” there are a few things to know. Here are four tips for landing your first bartending job.

Start as a Barback, Busser or Host

One of the prevailing myths about bartending is that you can just blow into any establishment with a resume and get hired on the spot. Perhaps that’s how things worked decades ago, but it’s not (usually) how it happens now.

Instead, you will likely begin your blossoming bartending career in a supportive role: bar backing, bussing or hosting, depending on the establishment. Rather than eagerly attempt to bypass this step, consider it an opportunity for informal training. Barbacks, especially those who support the bartender by refilling garnishes, retaping kegs, etc., can learn a great deal about the profession by observing.

Make Flashcards of Popular Cocktails, Common Terminology

Let’s get one thing out of the way now: You don’t need to attend bartending school to become a bartender. It helps in some cities (and some finer establishments), but it isn’t typically mandatory.

Nevertheless, the job requires you to keep a mental rolodex of several recipes, drink names and terms. Before you go into your first interview, review popular cocktail recipes and common bar terminology by studying off flashcards. This Vine pairarticle on the world’s most common cocktails (in ascending order) is an excellent reference as you study.

Get Your Responsible Beverage Service Certification

Part of what makes a great bartender great is their capacity to manage safety and responsibility with a fun time. As the purveyor of a potentially harmful substance, you are responsible for whogets alcohol and in what quantities. That’s why training and certification are of paramount importance; they allow you to learn the laws/regulations relating to alcohol, the impacts of alcohol, and how to prevent overserving.

As a bartender in some states, you will be required to undergo training to obtain certification in responsible beverage service. These training courses, designed for servers and managers who work with alcohol, are convenient and inexpensive, and can be completed from the comfort of your computer or mobile device in an afternoon.

Practice Your Soft Skills

Lastly – and this tip is tangentially related to the last – it’s wise to work on your soft skills before landing your first bar job. Effective communication, in particular, is an asset that weaves its way through several facets of a bartending job.

You need to communicate effectively with your serving staff and barbacks to ensure the timely expedition of drinks. You need to communicate effectively with patrons, many of whom view their bartender as an unofficial therapist (yes, this is part and parcel of the job!). And, critically, you need to be firm and resolute in your communication to stop serving someone, despite their dogged insistence on another drink (and occasional rude words in your direction).

Some of these steps are quick and easy (getting your RBS certification, e.g.), while others take a little longer (honing soft skills and researching drinks, e.g.). All told, however, the whole process of preparing for your first bartending job shouldn’t take too long. Before you know it, you will be behind the taps of a bar, ready to embark on a lucrative, exciting and stimulating career.