How to Become a Bartender

Check the minimum age requirement to become a bartender in your area. Minimum age requirements for bartenders can vary, but are generally between 18 and 21 years old. Find out the minimum age requirement in your area. If you’re old enough, you can start your job search! ^[1]

• Many states in the US do not require bartenders to be of legal drinking age.
• If you’re not old enough to be a bartender, you can still practice your bartender skills. Let’s start learning recipes. You can also start working in a restaurant or bar as a bar assistant or waiter to gain experience.

Take a bartending course to gain skills and experience. This is not a requirement, but it will help you score points in the eyes of the employer, especially if you do not have much experience. There are many bartender training programs you can take, most of which last only a few weeks. Upon completion of a program, you will be awarded a certificate so that your skills are officially recognized. ^[2]

• If it’s in the US, you should try to find a program that’s licensed by your state’s Department of Education to make sure it’s legitimate.
• If you plan to attend a bartender school, you should arrange to visit the school before paying your tuition. Take a tour of the school and meet some of the instructors there to see if they are professional and knowledgeable about the industry. They must also use textbooks and specialized teaching materials. That way, you can avoid scammers.
• In addition to face-to-face programs, there are many online programs, but you should be careful. Double check to make sure you’re not being scammed. If possible, you should talk to students who have completed the course to make sure they have found a job after studying.
• Bartender training schools often cost a few hundred dollars, whether in person or online.

Buy a concoction kit to practice at home. The only way to progress as a bartender is to practice, so you should make the most of your time at home. You can get a cheap bartending kit with a cocktail shaker, tongs, a whisk, a spoon, and all the tools you’ll use while standing at the counter. You will make a good impression on the bar manager with your skills if you work hard at home. ^[3]

• Do not spend practice concocting recipes. You should also learn how to decorate drinks. Decor is an important element of cocktails, especially in modern bars.

Learn the recipes by heart. You may think that you have to memorize hundreds of recipes to get a job as a bartender, but that’s not entirely true. There are only a few popular drinks that guests order, so focus on those recipes. The rest you can do and learn gradually, especially with some bars with unique recipes. ^[4]

• Some of the most popular cocktails are Dark and Stormy, Old Fashioned, Negroni, Daiquiri, Martini, Whiskey Sour, Margarita, and Moscow Mule. ^[5] If you master these recipes, you probably already have the knowledge you need to land a job.
• Recipes are easy to find online. You can also buy a recipe book full of recipes.
• Be sure to also learn common bartending terms, such as “neat” or “on the rocks” so you know what your guests are ordering.

Sharpen your communication and customer service skills. Don’t forget that bartenders aren’t just about making drinks. Overall, it’s a service position, so you have to interact a lot with people. You can make a good impression on your customers by recommending different drinks, having good conversations, listening carefully to get what they want, and generally having a good time. . ^[6]

• If you don’t feel like a good communicator, you can still practice this skill. Try creating a simulated bar at home to serve friends and family to improve your skills.
• Maybe you also make mistakes while working. This is completely normal. You just have to be willing to apologize to the guest and make a fix.
• Remember that sometimes you also need to be tough. Guests who have been drinking can become rude or disruptive. You must be ready to stop them when drunk, or kick them out of the bar if they behave inappropriately.

Get your state bartender certification if you live in the US. Some states in the US require bartenders to have a professional license. Usually you have to take a short course on safety and ethics in serving alcoholic beverages, most courses are only a few hours. Then you will get your state certificate. ^[7]

• These skills courses teach how to check ID cards, detect fake IDs, recognize drunk people, and other problems that arise on the job.
• Not all bars require a bartender certification, but it will make you a strong candidate.
• Some states also offer a comprehensive bartender certificate, similar to a bartender school certificate. Some high-end bars may require these certifications.

Start by working as a bartender to gain experience. Unfortunately, it will be very difficult for you to get a job as a bartender if you do not have experience in serving a bar even though you have a full degree and certificate. An effective way to enter the profession is to work as a bar assistant first. The bar staff will do all the work behind the bar like putting ice in buckets, cleaning and washing glasses, putting ingredients in the fridge and everything else the bartender asks. Working as a bartender doesn’t sound as appealing as a bartender, but it’s a great way to start your career as a bartender. ^[8]

• Often times you can start working as a bartender with no experience or certification, so you should consider applying for a bar job while studying for your bartender certifications.