i want to become a bartender, what do i have to do?

Question

i dont want to do it as a full time thing, just doing it during college. what are the age requirements for NY and PA and what do i have to do?

Answer 1

In New York State, find a bartending school (if you have friends who are bartenders ask them, they will recommend one). You'll pay about $ 2,000 for a 60 hour course, and you'll get your New York State bartending license at the end.

Then, you have to actually LEARN HOW TO BARTEND, since they don't really teach that in bartending school.

Go around to bars until you find one that's hiring (it helps if you have bartender friends, or if you're a really hot girl). Let them know you're new, and they will train you - probably on the day shift. If you learn fast and have a friendly personality (and, if your female, if you're really good looking) you will get to keep your job. After a while, you'll get the better shifts when you can make good money off tips.

If a bar only serves liquor, you have to be 21 to work there. But if they also serve food, you can be as young as 18 (you just can't ever drink any of the alcohol)

Answer 2

I am currently in college, and bartend full-time as well. Schools are great for getting used to using your wells, setting up your wells, backbar, and various other tricks and tips. They are also good for learning drinks and getting used to the feel of being behind the bar.

HOWEVER, this happened to me and a lot of other bartenders after they take a certification course. We get out into the job market and employeers laugh when we tell them we are trained and are qualified. They laugh because they know just because you know how to make a few drinks doesnt mean your a good bartender!!!

So what does?? Personality, it will be the deciding factor in your success as a bartender. For example:

I have had crazy nights where my other bartender calls off on a saturday and the club is packed. Drink orders are pilling up so fast. What would you do?? Most bartenders hurry up and rush to try and get each drink prepared as quickly as possible!! That isnt wrong so to say, but its not right either. Hurry with the drinks, but while your at it, entertain your guests. Do a little non-working flair, some quick bar tricks, some tasteful jokes. Before the customer realizes it, there drink is made and the time flew by because they were concentrated on you and not the time. This will also lead to happy customer and more $$$$.

Bartending is all about perception. If they like you, your jokes, tricks..etc..then you will be successful.

Here are some tips:

Always serve women first

Always make your customer feel important (harder then you think with 20 people wanting orders)

Try and do non-working flair whenever possible

Try and upsell to your "top-shelf" brands.
For example:
Customer: "give me a vodka tonic"
You: "sure, would you like grey goose or absolut?
Customer: "absolut
-so basically what you did is instead of a using your well vodka which is cheap, you use a higer price liquor, this will mean a higher bill and better tips. BTW: whenever a customer asks for a drink and doesnt give you a brand name, you use the well liquor, the cheap house stuff.

There are so many tricks you can learn. some bartenders use jiggers to pour the measured amount of alcohol. I do a count system. Like a small but very efficent trick is to pour your jigger 1/2 full of the amount, and count the rest. this will look like you "hooked up" the customer, without actually giving him any extra. This goes back to perdception, if it looks like he is getting hookedup, he will believe so, this will mean youll get hookedup with some tips!!

Oh, and I second the Bartenders Bible!

Sorry for the rant, hope this helped a little.

Oh.. and I see your Female...you have it made dont worry, women get treated very well when it comes to bartending.

Its about looks, perception and personality!

Answer 3

Take a bartending course and learn as much as you can. Stand out from the rest of the class. Memorize every drink, ask every question that pops in your head, dumb or not, and answer every question asked to the class. Dumb or not. It shows your thinking outside the box which the teachers like. Graduate with the school as a reference. To do this, you have to know your stuff and be good enough for the school to give you their name and reputation. Now, find a job. That's the harder part of it all. To find a place that will take you in with no experience is a very hard few weeks. If you keep at it though, you're bound to find a nice little place to start up your career. Don't expect to hit the jackpot of bars first off and make your millions in tips. This is just like any other business world. You have to work your way to the top. Good luck.

Answer 4

Take the short course - Bar Training - maximum about $600 and then take Certificate apply at Bars, age required between 19 to 30 , depends on your skill, some bartenders are older still work good job in bars

Answer 5

You don't really have to do anything except know how to deal with people. That's the main thing - you hold a good conversation, making drinks comes second, it all tastes good. If you don't know how to make a drink, since you're on the computer check out drinks-I'm sure there are lots of sites. But you have to be able to deal with people & stand there & hold conversation.

There's no scooping out the brain - it's all in its' realm. Some are good, some are bad.

For NY & PA , I would look up NY sites & PA sites. Sorry, not one to give sites as I don't know specific sites.

Good luck & take care!

Answer 6

Call 1-800-Bartend

Answer 7

learn how to be a bartender... i don't know how to but i heard you need to be edjucated on that type of stuff. then find a bars that are hiring an keep aplying until you get a job... goo luck
~Me

Answer 8

Get a job in a bar

Answer 9

Scoop out half your brains, memorize the Bartender's Bible.