A Bartender is an essential part of any bar, restaurant, or hotel. They provide exceptional customer service, serve drinks, and maintain the cleanliness of the bar area. If you’re looking for more information on Bartender roles, we will explore what to expect from this job role and how to get into Bartender work.
What is a Bartender?
A Bartender is someone who sells, serves, and prepares a variety of drinks behind a bar or similar location. You could be serving as part of a bar, restaurant, or hotel and be required to prepare a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Other names for a Bartender include Barman, Barmaid, Barkeep or Mixologist. Depending on your place of work, you might be required to specialise in cocktail and mocktail making, creating a variety of drinks to your customer’s tastes.
This role requires a good customer service manner as you will be required to take orders and serve to a variety of customers. You will also be required to keep the bar area clear, tidy away glasses and equipment, and ensure that the stock room is organised. This requires a good level of multitasking and communication, as well as time management skills.
Working as a Bartender can require long hours on your feet, with a variety of shift patterns including daytime and night-time positions. Some weekend work might also be required depending on your role and employer. Bartending can be a rewarding and creative job role with reliable hours and over-time opportunities across the UK.
How to Become a Bartender?
If you’re wanting to become a Bartender, you will need some experience in drink making. You can start with a Bartender course to learn the majority of drink-making skills and recipes that you will need, or as a Barback. Both will give you the opportunity to learn the skills, measurements, and recipes needed to explore Bartender work. Some bars and restaurants might offer entry-level positions where you can train on the job.
What to Put on a Bartender CV
It is important that you put any experience with drink-making on your Bartender CV. This can include courses or prior work experience. Bartender CVs need to highlight more than your drink-making ability. If you have little drink-making experience, you can explore different Bartender CV templates to highlight your interpersonal skills and customer service experience.
Similar Jobs to Bartender
Some jobs that require a similar skillset to a Bartender including Mixologist, Barista, Beverage Manager, Catering Manager, Restaurant Manager, and Event Coordinator. The timekeeping skills, organisation, and understanding of food and drink required to be a Bartender sets you up for many positions within the hospitality and catering industry.
Other Jobs in Hospitality and Catering
Bartender work sets you up with the skills and experience needed to work within various other hospitality and catering positions. Due to your experience and understanding of food and drink service, managing customers, and stock room organisation, you could transition into other work such as Event Coordinator, Bar Manager, and other senior level positions. You could also specialise as a Cocktail Server. Your strong interpersonal skills and customer service capabilities would also make you a strong Restaurant Manager.
View more hospitality and catering vacancies here.
Apply for Bartender Jobs Near You
Bartender roles are available across the UK, making them a great position for people looking to expand their drink-making skills. Whether you are wanting to work in a bar, restaurant, or hotel, there are plenty of opportunities for you to expand your customer service and drinks serving skills with Bartender jobs near you.
Bartender Job Description FAQs
Is a Bartender a Good Career Choice?
A Bartender job can be a creative and rewarding role for people looking to work in the hospitality and catering sector. With roles available in various establishments across the UK, it is a popular job choice for anyone looking to build their customer service and drink preparation skills.
What Skills Does a Bartender Need?
Bartenders need some experience in drink-making – whether this is through a course or prior work experience. Some other key skills necessary to be a Bartender include:
- Time management
- Multitasking
- Organisation
- Team working
- Customer service
What Are the Biggest Challenges of Being a Bartender?
Bartender work can be physically demanding with long shifts on your feet. It can also be a stressful environment that requires patience. Some people can find the working hours unsociable with night and weekend work as common shift patterns.
What Personal Qualities Make a Great Bartender?
To be a great Bartender, you’ll need to be patient, a good communicator, and able to work both independently and within a team. Working well under pressure is needed in most bar environments and a good level of stamina is important for longer shift patterns.
