greyeyes

So I've been wanting to get a bartending job for quite a while now but I haven't been able to find a job as a bartender or even as a barback that might graduate to becoming a bartender. I live in a big city (big enough) so I wouldn't think that finding a job as such would be too hard. Well, now that I feel that I can't go around anymore asking if someone needs a bartender that has no experience and would need to train; I've decided that I should look into bartending schools. Does anyone here know about bartending schools and how they work, if they work, or if there might be a better way to get a job as a bartender?

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Cynthetiq

had a friend do a bartending school... passed all tests etc.

they said they would place...

he never once got interviewed or even got placed.

Hot chicks... they got hired as bartenders.

Offer bars to work day shifts, since those are the ones you're going to be getting anyways. You'll get monday or tuesday day shifts since they are slow normally and not sought after by other bartenders who command the 10pm friday/saturday slots.

Make friends with bartenders and waitstaff, at least you'd get some good meals and a few free drinks that could pan out to knowing openings and lasting friendships.

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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Carno

Ummm, I would really recommend lying about your experience. My friend looked for a job as a barback for a long time and got nothing. Eventually she told one place that she'd been a barback for three months, and they ended up hiring her.

Normally I wouldn't advocate something like that, but apparently bartending is a hard job to break into, and you can kinda fake it if you're only a barback.

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Bossnass

Chat up a bartender. Become friends with a bartender. Be nice to the manager. I happened to have a classmate who was a bartender, we went for wings a couple times where he worked, a met a couple other people that worked there. I didn't know one of them was the manager, until she picked up one of tabs.

I went from zero service industry experience to being a bartender on any friday or saturday night I can make it. Sure, I only do shots, beer, and simple highballs, but that keeps 90% of the customers happy.

snowy

That, my friend, is exactly the key.

You don't need to go to bartending school. Become friends with your local neighborhood bartender and watch them work. Take a job in the kitchen or serving--eventually you too can become a bartender. Depending on where you live, it's different, but here in Oregon bars are required by law to serve at least 4 food items. That means a bartender has to be able to not only tend bar but serve food sometimes.

Having general foodservice and service skills sets you up better for bartending than bartending school ever will.

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

greyeyes

I know many many servers (I have also been one in the past) that have tried to graduate from this job to become a bartender. Sadly I know of only one who actually accomplished this and it took him about four years to do so. I understand that becoming a bartender's pal would help, are their any other techniques to getting a bartending job?

__________________
I'm kind of jealous of the life I'm supposedly leading.
- Zach Braff

Toaster126

What an odd law. Do you know why this law exists?

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Cynthetiq

Same reason why in some states if you have a happy hour you must serve some food. It's all about promoting "drinking" and drunk driving liability.

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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Redjake

My mom owns a bar. It seems all the people she hires as bartenders are extremely outspoken and are willing to strike up conversations with strangers. I would follow Bossnass' formula quite closely. It also doesn't hurt to know some people that know some people. This can be done by once again following the Bossnass Strategy to Success®

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Bossnass

And every weekend I work, the weekend is shot.

Being social with friends, going to a movie with my wife, etc, ends because I have to be at work by 8 or 9. And then I get home at 3. Or 4. Or sometime 5. Then you do it again on Saturday, and sunday-day is a write off. And your ears are kind of dull, and your throat is a little sore because every needs to yell to be heard. Ok, it isn't usually that bad, unless I get stuck in the shots bar near the speakers.

And a Monday morning never seems earlier than after two days of going to sleep in the wee hours. Maybe not a problem for a career bartender, but when you are trying to live a 'normal' life, it makes things tough.

But damn the tips can be good.


**not to mention that I'm picking up the work because my half-assed 'accredited engineering' education is taking too long and I need money. "Success" used loosely.

serlindsipity

Being a bartender is hard. Finding a position is even harder. yes the dayshift is an option, but you will make horrible money unless the state minimum wage for bartenders is equal to all other minimum wages. my state (CO) is not like that, so you should o your homework. Thats just my recommendation.

This job is hard to get, hard to keep, and hard to deal with. Drunks, messiness, and late nights will wear on you.

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