Question for bartenders?!
Answers: I want to be a bartender but have no previous experience. I've been told that a certificate is a joke and really unnecessary. I've been looking online and theres a place in my area that wants to charge $350 for the certificate which includes job placement and assistance. I guess the question is, is this worth it?
Most respectable establishments do not hire bartenders right off the street - too much at stake. You need to get hired in as a server and express interest in someday tending bar. After you put your time in waiting tables and prove yourself trustworthy and competent, you will get promoted to bartender.
if they have job placement then yes..
but look at their terms for the placement part
What you need is bar tending experience!I don't think you can get that with $350.00 for a certificate .What i did was worked for a small bar that did not pay much the training was the best !After i had experience i went to a club and worked hope this helps!
Bartending is a strange animal. You can only get a job through experience, but you can only get experience through a job. You may have to be a server somewhere and work your way up to bartender.
Depends on what type of bar you want to work at. A more populated and upscaled bar might require it but a local pub might not. Also if you do have the cert. you might be able to get a higher pay. There is a bar tending class that you can take.
If they are actually going to help you find a job, then yes it's worth in. Generally only chain restaurants and bars will require a certificate where many places will ignore it in favor of experience.
Get a job as a barback and go from there. Usually they will get you an interview but this hardly ever guaranties a job
NO it' not. Unlss you are a hot girl that certificate means nothing it's not required and everyone will just say you have no experience. The class may be helpful to you in order for you to learn drinks, but that will happen anyway. I'm a bartender I took the class and felt stupid once I started barbacking. Start looking for places with openings for barbacks. You will basically be the guy that gets the bartenders what they need and run out of and they tip you for it. I worked in a Indian Casino barbacking and I made aver 100 a night on swing shift. When you're good at barbacking hang out with the bartenders they will have you help them make drinks plus this helps your tips if you stick around the bar. If you don't know how to make something the bartender will tell you how. Then after gettting paid to learn how to bartend you will get promoted to bartender when there is an opening if you have been being a good barback.
If you try to skip this I'm telling you the school is okay but you won't get a good job even with the assistance at a place thats worth working at. You might end up bartending for 12 dollars a day or 30 at night. until you get at least a year of experience any way. So find a good place to barback at and you will be glad you did. All of the bartnders I know started out barbacking even though alot of the cute girls just took the class and got hooked up even though they suck and alot of them quit because they think its to stressfull.
By the way that certificate is meaningless there is no law saying it's needed and no one has ever asked any bartender at an interview, " do you have a certificate in bartending". Thats like asking someone if they have a bachelors in martini shaking.
And most guys who take that class end up barbacking any way. It gets better the guys who don't show a certificate and lie about going to bartending school still get hired as barbacks.
once again - depends on the kind of bar you want to work in. I'm a bar manager and i won't hire anyone just out of one of those certification programs. Experience is key. The respectable thing to do is to start as a server (in fine dining or casual) and express interest and try to help out/learn where-ever you can. If you're just wanting to tend bar in a dive or club - start as a barback. It's more valuable than going to some class.
The point is this. Memorizing those drink recipes and procedures - Easy. Getting the flow of a busy bar? Talking with guests? dealing with any number of guest issues to numerous to list? invaluable experience.
Most of these people are right. Start at a restaurant that has a bar and start as a waiter and work your way up. It sux but all the money your gonna spend is not gonna be worth what you're gonna get. As soon as you make it to the bar, LEARN every single trick of the trade and gain experience with this. The longer you work behind the bar and get regulars and learn, the more you'll be accepted at other places easier.