Have You Ever Thought About Becoming a Bartender?

On a recent vacation in Kauai we got to know the pool bartender. He moved to Hawaii from Colorado and had been working as a bartender there for almost 20 years. During the day he golfed and at night he worked. That got me thinking what a great life that could be. But it brings up the question we will ask in this article.

What does it take to be a bartender and get paid for it?

Bartenders that make the most money make it from tips because they get to know their customers. The best bartenders have people skills and that is almost as important as how you make the drinks.

Depending on where you work you are going to have to like late hours. Our friend liked to get up and go golfing and he always had his days off, but the trade off is that he works when most people are off. For him that was perfect.

Being a bartender takes skills. You have to be efficient, quick, and out going. It can be stressful in that as people get drunk they can become obnoxious and rude. When you are not mixing drinks you will be washing glasses, stocking the bar with alcohol, and cleaning up everyone's messes.

Depending on where you live you may have to be licensed or certified. You obviously have to be of legal age for where you live to serve alcohol. You can take online courses or find bartending classes at local colleges. You will learn:

- how to mix drinks

- what are the recipes for common drinks

- legal issues

- basic bartending protocol

Bartending courses cost about $40 for online training and around $400 or more for a bartending school. Schools may also have job placement services that can assist you in finding work after certification. If the school has established a good reputation it may already have arrangements with businesses that want to hire its graduates.

One of the most visited websites to get bartending information and find a bartending school near you is ABC Bartending.

Once you get your first job you will be able to learn and take that experience to eventually land a better job just like any career. You can start by applying at restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, and even local bars. It is to your advantage to start at a slower paced location as you learn the ropes. Another thing is to start part time and then work into it full time.

This has been an overview of starting a career as a bartender. It can be rewarding financially and allow you to have an enjoyable job almost anywhere in the world.