Myths About Getting a Bartending Job

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.

Tasting Notes: 2010 Layer Cake Primitivo (Pigulia IGT)

Appearnce: Deep, dark, red, with a very thin layer of translucent copper/brownish red on the top.  Definitely some body to it, but the legs seem to pool on the side of the glass more than they streak.

Aromas:  A lot of dark, rich fruit, like plums and cherry, with a hint of vanilla.  A little bit of a black pepper zip to it.

Mouthfeel:  Medium bodied, definitely gives a little warmth on the palate.

Flavors:  I get a lot of brandied cherry, a touch of vanilla, and none of the pepper I picked up on the nose.  Smooth, but rich.

Overall:  Pretty decent wine for a supermarket find, and drinkable without being bland.  Rich, dark flavors and 13.5%, but still smooth, without any overpowering flavors or bitter tannins.  Could see this with food, or on its own on a cool night by the fire.

Tasting Notes: Rex Goliath Pink Pinot Grigio

Appearance:  Pours a light peach/orange color, as one would expect from a "pink" or orange pinot grigio.  When agitated, it leaves a film, but it doesn't really streak down the glass as much as it pools its way down toward the liquid.

Aroma:  I get peaches, slightly underripe strawberries, and a touch of ethyl alcohol.

Mouthfeel:  Medium bodied while you drink it, but a definite syrupy residue when you're done.  A little heat in the finish.

Flavors:  Interesting.  I get a slight peaches and cream flavor, with again the underripe berries (this time strawberries and raspberries).  A definite alcohol/solvent flavor, and that is what lingers for me.

Overall:  While the legendary 47 pound rooster may love this wine, I'm not crazy about it.  The sweetness, high alcohol (for a sweet wine), and slight acidity don't really blend together or balance each other so much as they seem to butt up against each other.  Definitely feels more "jumbled" than complex to me.  Probably not a wine I would buy again, even at its very reasonable ($5ish) price.

Tasting Notes: "Stella Pink" from Stella Rosa

Appearance:  Pours a very dark, hazy pink, almost like a pink lemonade color, but darker.  A little bit of effervescence.  A little bit of leg going on, and very slow to move down the side of the glass.

Aroma:  I get a little bit of red fruit, but also a definite tartness, and a hint of alcohol that surprised me for a 5% wine.

Mouthfeel:  Light while you're drinking it, but definitely leaves some syrupy body behind.

Flavors:  Sweet.  I get a little peach, raspberry, etc.  Almost like a peach melba flavor going on.  A touch of strawberries, and definitely a bit of acidity up front as well, although it finishes very sweet, almost like strawberry syrup (think Nesquik).

Overall:  Pretty much what you'd expect for a $5ish, 5% ABV pink wine.  A little too sweet for everyday drinking, or drinking with food.  Not very refined or delicate.  But, not terrible either.  And at $5 and 5%, this is a pretty drinkable treat for a hot, outdoor drinking session in the sun.  More like dessert or candy than wine, though.

Tasting Notes: 2012 Gabbiano "Il Caviliere" Chianti

Appearance:  Pours a dark, opaque purplish red.  No legs.

Aromas:  Tannin, alcohol.

Mouthfeel:  Medium bodied, but rolls through the mouth, no residue or syrupy remains.

Flavors:    Balanced.  Red fruit flavors (but not really any residual sweetness) are balanced but not overpowered by the tannins.  Flavorful without being abrasive or harsh.  Just a touch of black pepper spice.

Overall: Meh on its own, but, like many Italian wines, could probably benefit from and benefit a pairing with the right food.  I want to try this wine with pasta in a nice arabiata sauce, or with a dish with spicy Italian sausage.  The food would really bring the flavors in this to life.  The tannins and slight spiciness of the wine would highlight the spice, but the fruit would also keep the spice of the sauce or sausage in check.  Probably not a bottle I would buy again to drink on its own, but next time I cook some nice spicy Italian food, I'll be trying it wit this wine for sure.  That might be partly my own bias, as I tend to think of Italian wines as being particularly well suited for pairing with food, and a little bland on their own.

Tasting Notes: 2011 "It's a Headsnapper" Sauvignon Blanc

This is a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that I'm not 100% sure how I came across.  It may have been a gift from a rep or distributor honestly, so without doing more research, I have no idea how much it costs or where it might be available.

Appearance: Pours a very light, very clear golden color, as expected from a sauv blanc.  No legs.

Aromas:  I get a little bit of tropical fruit, kiwi, melon, etc. but mostly acidity, in the form of grapefruit with a slight touch of lime.

Mouthfeel:  Incredibly light, rolls right off the tongue.

Flavors:  Bold.  Starts out very fruity, with kiwi, and melon, and finishes with a lot of acidity, both lime and tart green apple.  Don't get any of the grapefruit I got on the nose on the palate with this one.  Pretty crisp finish, although there's a slight lingering green apple flavor.

Overall:  My kind of sauvignon blanc.  Still light, crisp, and drinkable, but not shy with the flavors.  The contrast between the very soft but bold tropical fruit flavors at the front and the lime and green apple at the finish is great, and makes you want to take another sip to really appreciate both sets of flavor.  Definitely a wine I'll be trying to find in the near future.

Tasting Notes: Fetzer 2011 Goosefoot Road Riesling

Appearance: Pours a fairly dark, but clear honey/golden color.  Legs are slow to form and slow to come down the glass.

Aroma: Sweet, honey aromas.

Mouthfeel:  Medium bodied, slightly thicker/heavier on the finish, but not quite syrupy.

Flavor: Mild peach and apricot flavors, a little more honey.  Sweet in the start, but has a fairly clean, almost dry finish with a decent amount of acidity.

Overall:  A good, middle of the road riesling.  A lot of "sweet" flavors, with peach, apricot, and honey, but not as sugary or syrupy as some "sweet" rieslings.  Finishes with no residual, syrupy aftertaste, making it an easy wine to pair with either sweet or spicy foods, and not overload the palate with sugar.  This is a wine I could drink outside on a hot day, or definitely with food.