I really need to make extra money in addition to my full time job. I hear bartending is good money and I'm considering going to bartending school. Is it worth it?
I bartend and waitress at the restaurant I work at and I love it . Its so much fun and I make really great money. Bartending/waitressing is usually flexable so its good for me because I go to school and have a family so a few days works out great. And every place has different hours, some early some late. And ive worked alot of places and have never, seen a huge drug problem,(which by the way can be anywhere even in office jobs) just dont work at the dive bars and im sure you wont have much of a problem. ( every job has it downfalls ).But You do not need Bartending school it really is a waste of time and money. In this industry they just dont hire that way. They hire someone whos usually out going with a great personality and is willing to learn. Employers expect to train you when you come into the "restaurant/bar world" so dont sweat it. Go out and apply youll get a job in no time :)
an eduacation for bartending is not that important...most bosses and bars have their own way of doing something so they will teach u their way.that way,everyones happy! =)
Although bartending and cocktail waitressing is a great way to get money quick, I hope you have a full idea of what that usually entails.
1.) Late nights, working until the bar closes at 2 and closing down and cleaning which might last an additional hour.
2.) you will (if you are at a reputable bar) need to be educated or certified on your states laws.
3.) be prepared to deal with beligerant drunks that just might grab try to harrass you or intimate you (if you cut them off, etc.)
4.) Many trendy bars I've worked at in downtown Dallas have horrible drug problems (behind the bar and in front of it) and this is, for someone like me, repulsive.
So many young women that I know say "oh I'd love to bartend and make lots of money" but don't realize that if one does not have the luck of being at a clean, ethical bar, then you might end up in a place that's not really healthy. Just be careful and good luck!
I loved bartending! I made more money in tips than anything. School is not necessary, for all the reasons everyone listed.
heres another tip: flirt. not in a sexual way but work to make everyone feel important. females in bartending make money when they flirt. it also helps sell more drinks. keep your ears open and your mouth shut. the client isn't interested your life story, they just want someone to listen to them and their problems. get to know your regulars, what they like, what the do for a living, their kids names, etc. flirt with the women too. be nice, smile, listen, make everyone feel welcome.
I bartended at a fridays and cheesecake factory in college. paid my rent and kept me in coach bags for 4 years.
-the ceeg
I went to bartending school and while it's not imperative, it worked out in the end. My first bartending job was at a country club where the manager wanted inexperienced people, so he could train them his way. But after a year of that, I was able to get a job at a busier bar and make a ton of money. I even ended up teaching at the bartending school about ten years after I first went.
If you don't have the money for tuition, I'd say don't worry about going. But it may be hard to try to find someplace to hire you with no experience.
Jaime is right...bar-tending school is a waist of time and money. I bar-tended all through college and some after. Most bars (at least good ones) want to train you themselves since they will probably have drinks that are signature to just them. As for the more classic cocktails...all you really need is a good bar book to get a feeling for what is in the most popular drinks. You will probably not get a job as a bartender with no experience right off the bat, but if you are willing to cocktail waitress or barback first you can probably move up pretty quick.
Don't waste your money on bartending school. My husband has run nightclubs for 10 years...and has always said that it doesn't matter if someone goes to bartending school...because every place makes their drinks differently anyway, so it's best to start bartending at a small bar that can train you, it's pretty easy to catch on...experience as a bartender will usually get you hired over having been to bartending school. Plus, a lot of bars prefer new people that have not bartended before...because that means they can train you the way THEY want you to pour, and not have to worry about trying to break you of old habits you learned else where. So just start going to different bars/clubs/casinos...and see who will hire ya! Best of luck! (Some places will start you as a server or barback first, and then you usually can earn your time to become a bartender...that's mostly corporate chain bars though.)
Bartending?
I really need to make extra money in addition to my full time job. I hear bartending is good money and I'm considering going to bartending school. Is it worth it?
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