Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a bartender? While some think bartending looks fairly easy, there’s a lot more to it than just pouring drinks. Bartending can be a fairly difficult job and requires a motivated, enthusiastic and driven individual to carry out any task thrown their way. Bartenders see almost everything—from drunken bar fights to intoxicated college students. It’s important to learn how to deal with various personalities and different situations when people are under the influence of alcohol. If you or any one of your friends is looking to tackle this job, you must know the basics in order to succeed in such a fast-paced environment. These tips are great tools for any current or future bartender in all types of bar environments.
The best advice regional managers have for their bartenders are to kill their customers… with kindness! Nobody likes an angry bartender, regardless of how unpleasant or inebriated a customer may be. No matter your disposition, these are customers and you are there to serve them. You have to learn how to hold your own, and honor their demands. Successful bartenders will leave all their personal problems at the door and realize that not every customer will be as understanding and empathetic as they may be. Bars are a part of a service industry and their livelihood depends on it. Therefore, it’s of the utmost importance that you’re cooperative and patient with difficult patrons in order to generate lasting relationships with soon-to-be loyal customers.
As a bartender, there are things you can and cannot do on the job. Most importantly, you cannot use a mobile device while you are bartending. Simply put, it is a sign of disrespect to your business and patrons. Customers and business always come first in this industry so treating your fellow customers like family is key. Managerial staff from different bars and areas will often tell you that if you aren’t early, you’re late. The number one thing that gets bartenders fired from their job is punctuality. It’s a sign of disrespect as if they don’t take their job seriously. Customers are waiting, and you must honor their obligations. Another determinant factor that can destroy a bartender’s credibility is drinking on the job. Some bars are more lenient about this rule, but acting a drunken fool on the job will get you fired. It becomes an even greater concern when the bartender is more intoxicated then his or her fellow customers. In this industry, one of the most important things a bartender must have is a keen understanding of their drinks. It’s very important to study up on your drinks and shots regularly because bars thrive in a fast paced setting, and your customer’s do not want to wait while you attempt to get their drink straight. In order to move up in the bartending world, you will have to know your drinks like the back of your hand.
If you are looking for a job as a bartender in your district, it’s important to understand your company’s culture and your employer’s expectations. Though a company’s culture varies from bar to bar, several businesses hire bartenders internally. Employers love to hire experienced workers who have been a part of the company culture for quite some time, however employers are often looking to hire more bar backs, doormen, and servers as bartenders who have demonstrated commitment, tenacity, and the ability to have draw in their position (i.e. a following of bar patrons). Other bars will hire people from outside their company who have experience in the bar industry. Employers look for bartenders who have a keen memory, personality, and drive to make their business thrive. Beyond the bartending basics, the job offers real life skills to workers that might not have already had them. Bartending generates memory improvement, respect for chains of command, multi-tasking, and networking opportunities. Bartenders have been offered managerial positions, and incredible jobs outside of the bar setting from the skill set they acquired on the job. Find the best version of your bartender self, own it, and succeed.
Written by the staff at Willie’s Pub and Pool. Willie’s has great drink specials and is one of the most atmospheric bars Columbia MO has to offer.