So one thing that a lot of people, especially in today's economy, wonder, is how to get a bartending job. Thanks to most search engines selling high results to the highest bidder, as well as most people's conceptions of bartenders, there's a lot of false information out there. Here are some of the biggest myths in the world of entry level bartending:
I'm not good looking enough to bartend. There are places (mainly busy night clubs, gay bars, pool bars) that really place a premium on someone's physical appearance when looking for bartenders. Chances are, though, that these are also the places that are busy enough they're not really where you want to start out anyway. They tend to get very, very, high volumes of business. The bartenders at places like this also tend to make very inconsistent money. Yes, these are the ones you hear about making upwards of $500/night. But these are also the places where if the busy season ends, you're laid off or making $30/night, or where a new hot club opens and you're making $50 every night, or where you're only open 3 nights a week, or when the weather is nice, meaning you might only get one or two shifts a week. These are not the best beginning bartender jobs anyway, so don't worry. As for the myth that all bartenders are attractive, I think there's something about being a bartender which makes someone more attractive. There's also the fact that you're usually 4-5 feet away from your guests in a dimly lit space.
I have to dress provocatively (if I'm a woman) to get a bartending job. Keep in mind that most places will give you a uniform or dress code once you're hired. Bartending is a business, and for more and more people, a career. Dress to impress with your professionalism, not your "assets." Wearing the right clothes to a bartending interview can be tricky. You want to look professional without being stuffy. I recommend slacks and some kind of collard shirt or blouse. Ladies, keep in mind that you are interviewing for a job where you will be on your feet and in a foodservice environment. That means that while they may look great, heels and open toed shoes are probably a mistake.
I have to know someone to get a bartending job. This is a tricky one, and more and more, I don't think this is just limited to bartending. It helps to know someone, not so much because it is required, but just because these jobs are in high demand. As a hiring manager, I gave very little weight to whether or not an applicant knew someone who already worked for me. On the other hand, posting help wanted ads costs money, is time consuming, and especially in the current economic climate, gets you way more (mostly unqualified) applicants than you have time to thoroughly sift through. If someone left my restaurant, however, our staff usually let any friends that they knew were looking for a job know that we might have a position opening up. Their applications were the first I saw because they had the good fortune of knowing when we might be hiring. If someone happened to walk in and apply the same day, they were just as likely to be considered for the job. So the best advice is to just hit the pavement and apply everywhere. Eventually you'll have the right timing.
I should only apply at the best places to start. Keep in mind that everyone starts somewhere. Places with really cool bar programs, or very high volume, or well known places, have the liberty of being able to hire working bartenders away from other bars. While it never hurts to try, your chances of walking into one of these jobs is not that great. Your best bet is to start out somewhere "less desirable" and get the basics down. Good examples: hotel bars, banquets, and restaurant bars. These tend to be lower volume, but also tend to require you to learn good foundations. You won't have a specialty drink list to learn, but you will have to have at least some idea of what the common and classic cocktails are. You'll also have a pretty good mix usually of beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails going across your bar, letting you learn a little bit about all of them, and also figuring out what you like and what you're good at.
I should only apply to bartend, because confidence is key, and I know I can do this. Bartending is the most revered and respected position in a restaurant usually. It is highly sought after. There are a lot of applicants. If you think you are going to walk into a job with no experience, there's a 90% chance you're mistaken. Apply for any available front of house position you see. In the interview, mention that you would like to learn to bartend. Then bust your ass and do an awesome job. You need to become the busser, food runner, or host who is such an awesome employee, and has such a great attitude, that your boss would hate to lose you. Without hounding them, remind them when barback or bartending positions open up that you're interested. They might just take a chance on you, knowing that if they keep you as a host, you'll find something else. The key here is to know what you want, but also understand that the way to get it is to be happy, productive, and eager even though you're not yet behind the bar. A lot of bartending is not the technical skills, but the pace you move, the way you interact with guests, and the way you work with your coworkers in a confined space. The way you do your job hosting, bussing tables, or running food will show your boss all of these things. Making drinks is the easy part, and can be taught. Also, nobody likes somebody with a bad attitude. A lot of bars will ask if bartenders are willing to serve as well in an interview. The answer should always be yes. Even if they don't actually give you both bar and server shifts, this is a smart question for an employer to ask. When the answer is no, it usually means a bartender wants the barrier of the bar, and the job title of "bartender" to excuse pour or even rude service. Bartenders are all servers. They just also make drinks. The level of service at a bar should be just as great as in the dining room, and people who are unwilling to help the team out and serve on the floor probably think they're "too good" to provide that level of service across the bar as well.
I should go to bartending school to help my chances of getting a bartending job. This is probably the most common, as well as the most harmful, myth about getting bartending jobs. Bartending school teaches you how to make drinks. That's great, as at its very basis, that is what a bartending job is all about, right? Not really. If people just wanted a properly made Cosmo, they could google it and make it themselves. For starters, every bar has their own takes on cocktails, even the classics. Is your martini 8:1, 4:1, 3:1, or is there any vermouth at all? Second, making a cocktail in a stimulated bar setting is nothing like doing it behind a real bar. Is your ice scoop missing? Are you all out of limes? Is another bartender at the same well? Do you have a drunk guy molesting a girl in front of you, a credit card declining, and need to change two kegs? Didn't think so. There is absolutely no substitute for actual experience. And because they make their money convincing you that their training is the best there is, most bartending schools put out individuals with huge egos and attitude problems. The reality of it is that in the culinary world, including behind the bar, there is often no "right" way to make a particular dish or drink. If there was, there wouldn't be a difference between restaurants and bars. A bar will teach you how to make the drinks the way they want them made. And they want people they know will be open to learning that way, not thinking about how "wrong" it is. That being said, in lieu of bartending school, there are a few ways to make sure that you stand out as knowledgeable and prepared at your first bartending gig. You should know what kind of place you're walking into, and know what type of stuff they serve a lot of. If they serve a lot of standard mixed drinks, it's not a terrible idea to get a bar book, and learn the 10 most common cocktails. If it's a beer bar, you should know the difference between an IPA and a pale ale. If it's a restaurant with an expansive wine list, look at their list, figure out what types of wines they serve, and do some basic research. If it's mostly new world wines, can you effectively explain the difference between a cab, a merlot, and a pinot? If it's mostly old world, know the grapes of the major regions represented on the list, and their basic differences. A good strategy is to literally take the entire by the glass list, and learn to rank them according to different standards (sweet to dry, light to full bodied, fruity to earthy, etc.). If you really feel like you need to get some kind of formal training or education before you feel prepared, you should consider doing it on products, rather than on "bartending" as a whole. Look into the introductory sommelier test, the certified beer server certification, or the certified specialist of spirits test. Showing that you took the time to learn about the product shows dedication, and these certifications are industry standards, which show a more recognized, and meaningful level of knowledge than a "certificate" from one of the many for-profit bartending schools out there.
Hopefully this helps dispel some of the many myths about getting a bartending job.
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