Bartending is a fast-paced and rewarding profession that offers the benefits of working in a sociable environment while also getting paid. There’s plenty of room for growth. If you’re already a bartender, you may be wondering how to grow your career, and if you’re about to embark on your bartending journey, you’ll want to know how to make an impression. Being a great bartender is about more than just pouring drinks and smiling at your customers. To make your mark, you need to keep a few things in mind. Here are five tips to help you secure the best bartender job.
Learn As Much as You Can About Bartending
Even if you’re lucky enough to get your foot in on the ground floor without experience, there’s a lot to learn. You’ll need to absorb every bit of training you can get because you don’t want to make mistakes in such a fast-paced environment. Another great way to learn bartending skills is to take a course. With a certificate in bartending and responsible service of alcohol, your resume will already stand above some of the other applicants. Not forgetting that an RSA is a prerequisite to working in any establishment that serves or sells alcohol.
Find a Bartending Mentor
A mentor is someone who does more than train you. They take you under their wing, influence, and support you. If you can learn the secrets of bartending, from making cocktails and keeping up with trends to experimenting with flavours, a great mentor will be invaluable. You’ll need to network, attend industry events and get to know other bartending professionals to find a mentor, but it’s worth it.
Perfect Your Customer Service Skills
Bars see all manners of social behaviour. You’ll deal with different types of customers, and it’s up to you to serve each person to the best of your ability and ensure they leave with a smile. Customer service is about offering a welcoming environment, meeting your customer’s needs, getting to know your regulars, and making a few friends along the way.
Take Care of Your Team
While you’re still learning the ropes, your team will help you along, and you will give them a hand when they need it. To pay it forward, you’ll help the new recruits just as much as others have helped you. When it gets busy or something goes wrong, we need our team. Foster good connections and respect, and your team can be one of your best assets. A team that speaks highly of you will give you the edge when you apply for a new position.
Keep Working on Your Resume
To secure the best bartending job, you must be dedicated to continuously growing your career. Take note of each milestone, be it a certificate earned, a promotion, or just recognition for work well done, and mention these things in your resume. A brief mention of your customer skills and teamwork will be helpful to any prospective employer.
These five tips and a certificate to your name will help you secure the best bartender job. You can ascend the ranks, and soon enough, you may find yourself heading up a team at one of the best bars in your city!
