So You Want To Become A Bartender
The definition of a professional bartender is someone who is behind a licensed bar serving beverages to customers. Bartenders can be found in many places, some examples of where you might find a bartender at are taverns or pubs, clubs, private parties, restaurants, basically anywhere that there is a bar and alcohol.
The majority of the drinks that a bartender will be serving contain alcohol in them. They also serve beer and wine, along with other types of alcohol. Not only do they serve alcohol they also have to serve juice, soda, water, and non alcoholic beverages to those who do not drink alcohol.
As well as make and serve drinks, the bartender is also responsible for taking payment for drinks, in some cases (either from customers, waiters or waitresses), keeping the liquor supplies and glassware stocked, keeping the bar area clean, maintaining enough ice and garnishes on hand and serving food to customers sitting at the bar, if the bar offers food for sale.
Almost anywhere you go the bartender will be expected to dress appropriate, this makes the whole atmosphere of the bar better. There are even some places where the bartender will be expected to be the main entertainment of the bar.
Bartenders are expected to be able to make hundreds of types of drinks to please any paying customer in a quick, accurate and non-wasteful fashion. In some establishments, such as a busy nightclub, the bartender is only expected to serve the customer a drink and nothing else. In a smaller place such as a tavern however, the bartender might be expected to be a good listener, and allow the customers to have a shoulder to cry on.
Another must from a bartender, especially you are working in a pub or tavern, will be your people skills. It is very important to interact with your customers. The better you try and serve your customers and interact with them, the more likely they are to return, and not only that the more money you will make overall.
There are some places where minors are allowed into the bar, so it is crucial that the bartender checks identification cards to ensure they are at the legal drinking age if someone tries to order a drink. If you think there is any chance that the person may be underage, it is always recommended to check for proper identification.
So there is much more to being a bartender than just serving alcohol as you can see. The most important thing you must do well is your people skills since the majority of bartenders work for tips. The better people skills you have the more money you will see coming in.
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