Guide to Getting a Cocktail Job in Los Angeles

Los Angeles may be famous for films and pop music, but there is one class of Angeleno that wields power over all: the "cocktailers", that is, the bartenders, barbacks, and cocktail servers in the city's thousands of nightclubs and bars. This particular segment of the service industry is known for providing short but intense shifts in high-octane settings where braggadocio and cash flow like chilled vodka. As a result, every Tom, Dick, and Mary wants to be a bartender at the latest, hippest night spot.

If you've got a little experience, a lot of tenacity, and a guardian angel in the know, you could have what it takes to be part of Tinseltown's glamorous nightlife. Read on for real-world tips from the cocktail servers and bartenders who've made it.

1. Know someone.
Obviously, your best "in" at a trendy bar or club is going to be a human connection. If you have a friend or family member who could put in a good word, or if you're particularly friendly with the barkeep at your local watering hole, this might be a good time to use those connections to your best advantage. The cocktail industry can be a tough nut to crack; if your buddy is a barback at a hotspot, you just found yourself a nutcracker.

2. Timing is everything.
Hopping through the door at 10:30 on a Friday night is not the way to find a job at a club or bar. Your best bet is to arrive on a weekday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Approach the host, hostests, or bartender; smile; and confidently and politely ask to speak to the manager.

3. Dress to impress.
Depending on the establishment, you may be best served to show up in a T-shirt and jeans or dress slacks and a formal shirt. Just make sure you know your audience, and let your clothing demonstrate your appeal to that bar's clientele.

3. Bring a good résumé.
Have a bartending pro examine your resume before you hit the pavement. A cocktailing résumé should include any and all relevant experience, including food service at restaurants that served alcohol and barista jobs at coffeehouses. Be sure to include accurate contact information for your former managers who have moved on to new clubs or bars. If you've worked with touch-screen food-and-drink-service software, be sure the résumé says so. If you don't have the most extensive experience, highlight your personality and ability to sell. An excellent example of a bartending résumé can be found here, and you can read a tutorial on cocktail-résumé writing here.

4. Don't flirt.
Although cocktailing might seem like a sexy profession from the outside, L.A.'s best bartenders got their jobs with knowledge and charisma. Flirting will get you nowhere at this interview.

5. Love money.
One important rule of sales, including alcohol sales, is that managers look for people who crave cash. If you're hungry for money, you'll want to work better and harder to make more; and the more you make, the more the bar makes.

6. Start small.
Especially if your experience isn't extensive or if you're new in town, don't expect the hottest clubs to throw their doors open. Start off at less well-known dives in less trendy locales, or even think about working in the bar section of a restaurant.

7. Don't give up.
You might not get your ideal cocktailing job right away, but keep shopping yourself and your résumé around town. Eventually, you will be part of L.A.'s nightlife and have the fun and the cash to prove it.