Do you need training to be a bartender?
Working in a bar is not an easy job. Learn what it takes to become a top bartender and how to get your foot in the door!
- 5 minutes to read
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- Posted 2 years ago
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- HospitalityNo experienceSonicJobs
Working in a bar is not an easy job. Learn what it takes to become a top bartender and how to get your foot in the door!
Bartender jobs are fun and vibrant, but are by no means easy. Being behind the bar is a totally different experience to being the customer in front of the bar. Serving up complicated cocktails on a Friday night with a bar full of queues is high pressure, and you need to be quick on your feet to get the job done – not to mention adjusting to night shifts!
So letâs take a look at what it takes to become a successful bartender.
No, bartending in the UK is a job that doesnât require any formal qualifications or training – although it canât hurt to have it! Many bars hire inexperienced trainees and provide training once youâve been hired to make sure you can confidently serve up the barâs hottest recipes and uphold their reputation.
The average salary for bartender jobs in London is ÂŁ22,492. But donât forget, you also have the opportunity to earn tips as a bartender, particularly if you work in a high-end bar where a lot of wealthy professionals like to go.
Barbacks donât make up the drinks, but they play a key role in making sure the bar runs smoothly throughout the night. Itâs a great way to familiarise yourself with bartending without chucking yourself in at the deep end. As a barback, youâll be responsible for keeping the back of the bar tidy and stocked, as well as collecting any glasses and loading the dishwasher.
Most bars will have their own spin on certain cocktails that youâll get to know on the job, but learning the key ingredients of the most common cocktails will help you in the interview process. Cocktails like margaritas, long island ice teas, and cosmopolitans are very popular – so knowing the ingredients to these will give you a headstart.
Do you know your dry wines from your sweet wines? How about the difference between a chardonnay and a sauvignon blanc? When youâre working behind a bar, youâll often have customers ask for drinks like a âdry whiteâ, so knowing the difference between the wines will definitely be a huge advantage.
The world of bartending has a language of its own. Expect to hear terms like âneatâ, âon the rocksâ and âvirginâ. Just brushing up on this lingo before you step foot into your first shift will make your life a lot easier.
Bartenders need to be sociable since bars are a place where people go to socialise. So to really enjoy your job and do it well, bartenders need to be warm, friendly and chatty.
A little bit of flexibility goes a long way in the world of bartending. With shift patterns changing and different problems arising throughout the night, you need to have a flexible approach to chop and change, and muck in wherever youâre needed.
Again, bartending isnât a relaxing or easygoing job. Itâs 8 hours of non-stop being on your feet in a quick-paced environment. Youâll need to show employers you can keep up and wonât be put off by the intensity of the work.
Bartenders often have several things popping up at one time. You need to be able to handle several orders in one go, all while taking payments, keeping the bar area as clear as possible and interacting with your customers at the bar.
Working in a bar is hard work – but itâs great for sociable people and, because of the quick-paced nature of the role, the shifts tend to fly by in no time at all. Just be prepared to have achy feet at the end of the night, and undergo a steep learning curve to get to grips with the world of beverages!
SonicJobs has hundreds of bartender jobs in London and across the UK. Browse our app to find a job near you.
sylvia
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