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Need to craft a bartending resume?

Whether you’re looking for a bartending job for the first time, or switching jobs (to another restaurant or bar), this post is for you.

As with any industry, writing an irresistible resume holds great importance. If written correctly – with just a little extra effort – a powerful bartending resume can potentially mean higher wages, a more flexible schedule, or substantial respect from management and team members.

Most importantly, a well-crafted bartending resume will help you get HIRED in the first place.

But here’s the thing: They don’t have to be complicated or fancy…

You’ll want to highlight relative bartending strengths, key skills, while showing a little flash of personality. And we’re here to walk you through that entire core process.

As bartending jobs are often highly popular and competitive, a resume is something applicants should never overlook. The following will show you how to separate yourself from the rest… without taking any unnecessary steps.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• How managers read bartending resumes
• Writing an enticing bartending resume
• Crafting a bartending resume if you have little to no experience
• Various bartending skills you can add on your resume
• Bartending resume examples & templates

Let’s begin.

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How Managers Read Bartending Resumes

For starters, let’s think from the position of a bartending manager. This will help us gain perspective, and focus on what’s important instead of all the fluff you see elsewhere.

If you think managers will spends hours studying your resume, fact-checking details, or calling up references – think again.

In reality, bar owners and managers will usually spend less than a minute (sometimes not even 30 seconds) looking at someone’s resume before they take action.

So before we dive into resume details… and what exactly to write in each section… let’s turn our focus to the simple things. You want to focus the aesthetics and nail the basics:

• Make sure the resume design is not too long (1 page max.)
• Double check for spelling errors or grammar
• Stay away from long, unnecessary, or confusing descriptions
• Make things less convoluted

In most cases, less is actually more.

You see, focusing on the little things will help make your resume easier to read and understand from a managers perspective. Plus, it will prove that you possess an eye for detail.

A clear and concise bartending resume helps managers navigate and find what they’re looking for…

Sure, fancy designs can work. And may help your resume stand out from the others in the pile… But if the resume layout causes ANY sort of confusion or difficulty in eyes of the manager, the chances of moving on to the next step of the application process will be very slim.

As we will explain below, there are many other ways (aside from design) to get a leg-up on competition…

For now, just keep things simple and easy to comprehend.

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How to Write a Compelling Bartending Resume That Gets You Hired

After considering a managers perspective, you’ll want to make sure you have the appropriate format that highlights what’s actually important when it comes to working behind a bar.

Section by section, we’re going to take a closer look at how to build the perfect bartending resume. Let’s give it a go.

Bartending Resume Sections:

• Header
• Your purpose/ objective
• Special Skills/ Languages
• Education
• Work Experience
• References

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Section #1: Header

We’ve seen many resumes and are often surprised at how many applicants completely ignore a good header and lead. Let’s think from a managers perspective again here… What’s the first thing your going to look at when you read a resume? You guessed it – the Header. So as bartending applicants, you want to make sure what they see first is in good shape… giving managers more reasons to keep their eyes on the page.

It sounds silly, but first things first… whatever you do, do NOT forget to add your full name and contact details. These need to stick out, so we suggest to (1) bold every detail, (2) make sure you name has a font size a bit bigger than the rest of resume and (3) to center align name ALL name and contact information.

Contact details should include the following:

• Cell Phone Number (with area code)
• Email Address (make this professional; AKA don’t use the one you created in middle school ~ hotprincezz89@aol.com)
• Home Address (optional)
• *Availability (optional)

Availability is something often overlooked when it comes to bartender resumes. Again, in the eyes of the manager, availability (showing exactly what days of the week and how often you are available) is one of the most IMPORTANT factors in the application process.

Although it’s optional, meaning it’s not mandatory, we here at Bartending License Help highly recommend adding availability from past experiences.

Moving on…

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Section #2: Your Purpose and/or Objective

I’ve often heard that having an “objective” statement is important when it comes to Bartending resumes.

…FALSE.

Why? Because everyone’s purpose and/or objective is pretty obvious. You want hours. You want to make money. And you want to help the bar make money. At the end of the day, you want a job… there’s no way around it and there’s no point of dressing that up.

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Section #3: Special Skills & Languages

The following section is where you can finally show off a little…

Skills carry much importance behind the bar and will help you succeed at the workplace. Not sure about what skills to write down? Well then I suggest you head over to our list of skills the best bartenders use on their resumes. Generally speaking, we want our resumes to remain relevant to the bartending environment.

Keep in mind: If you have any specialized computer skills, don’t be afraid to include them!

Believe it or not, in today’s modern world, things like graphic design, POS (point of sale) systems, programming, social media or digital marketing can go a long way for a bar or restaurant.

Adding these skills to your bartending resume may lead managers into thinking you could potentially help them out down the road.

But fair warning: Please don’t include the typical “Microsoft Office” efficient line everyone seems to have. Knowing Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint doesn’t give you any competitive advantage from the other bartender applicants.

Now let’s get to languages…

Simply put, if you speak any additional languages it’s extremely important you mention it on paper. Regardless of how obscure the language is, you never know who’s going to walk in the bar. If there’s any communication trouble between a bar and a foreigner/tourist, it can potentially lead to a lost sale.

Language diversity behind the bar can become highly valuable at times… particularly in English dominant jurisdictions or locations. If you’re in the United States, we’ve found knowing Spanish to be the most useful.

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Section #4: Education & Training

Usually, bar managers don’t care what kind of education an applicant has received. But this doesn’t mean it’s not worth including on the bartending resume. These aren’t your typical corporate gigs, but showing off an education does say something.

Did you earn a bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Marketing, or Psychology? …How about just a highschool diploma or only an AA? 

Despite how far you made it in school, add it.

Here’s the thing.

Earning any sort of degree doesn’t only show that you have a specialized knowledge on a particular subject. It also shows that you’ve accomplished something. It shows that you’ve grinded it out, completed the homeworks, passed the tests, and earned something despite the given tasks.

This is something managers do not take lightly.

Any degree also makes you seem more interesting. Believe us, having a degree (and working at a bar) is something you’ll find unique behind a bar. And who knows, maybe the bar manager might love the fact that you know 12th-century history or philosophy.

Moving on…

This is the same section of your bartending resume where you want to include ALL relevant bartending certifications, licenses, or course achievements.

As you may already know, bartending licenses are required depending on the state or local jurisdiction. If you’re not aware of what your state requires, we’ve got you covered. Click here to check out our interactive map, choose yfour state, and see for yourself.

Not sure what a bartending license or “liquor serving license” is in the first place? You can learn more here.

If you’ve passed any other bartending courses, training programs or general hospitality classes, this is where you want to mention it. If you are currently enrolled in such program, add it into the resume as well.

Note: If you’re having any trouble finding the best courses in the bartending space, just click here. These are partners and programs we trust.

Other certifications that you don’t have much to do with making cocktails can only help. Things like CPR training, Food Handlers card, or Tobacco Sellers license are great additions.

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Section #5: Work Experience & Employment History

Now we move on to the most important section of your resume: Work Experience & Employment History.

**If you have little to no experience working as a bartender, worry no more. Skip this section and continue reading as we wrote a section explaining exactly what you should do if you are new in the field.**

Your manager may even look at this section first when browsing the resume so we want to make sure it’s looking good. 

Let’s dig in.

As you begin jotting down your work experience, it’s important to stay unique and to highlight things that don’t come across as too generic. A perfect example of something too generic would be: “Food Runner at Applebee’s”

Instead, we want to be sure to dive more into detail. Even if you were a Food Runner at Applebee’s, you still have many things to turn someones focus on:

• How many tables did you manage at a time?
• Any interaction with any customers?
• Perhaps you made drinks on the fly, filling the roles of others?
• Did you clean tables and glasses, fill waters, and work around the clock?
• Have you ever used a cash register and handle money?

These are all experiences you can attribute to your bartending resume. Believe it or not, your manager will be impressed by this.

Stay intriguing, unique, interesting… and dress up all job descriptions. This will all have a tremendous impact on your search for a job.

Tip: If you want to take a look at some examples of what “great” job descriptions look like, simply click here. These will influence you to think about your descriptions a bit differently.

As long as you’re not lying to anyone, don’t be afraid to exaggerate a little bit on your experience. Everyone does.

Just DON’T lie, as they managers can easily prove you guilty of it with a simple phone call.

Last thing, as you list your job descriptions, be sure to list them in chronological order. Thus, your most recent job experience will be the listed first… and your first-ever job experience will be listed at the bottom of the page.

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Section #6: References

For the last and final section on your bartending resume, we’re going to take into account references. References are people that have you have worked with in the past (usually someone who had a higher position than yours) that would kindly vouch for you and your work ethic.

But unlike the other 4 sections discussed in this post, references are totally optional. Meaning, it’s up to you.

The reality is that most managers don’t use references. But on the other hand, it doesn’t take anything away from your resume if you do decide to include a few references.

We suggest to use references if they are someone of high stature. A good example of this would be an top-notch chef or bar manager at a highly rated restaurant or bar in the local area.

We also feel it’s a good idea to just simply put “References are available upon request” and nothing else.

In this case, if the managers want to reach out to someone, which is highly unlikely, they can ask you at another time. The advantage of this is that you now have extra room on your resume to talk about jobs descriptions, work experience, or education.

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How to Make a Bartending Resume WITHOUT Experience

With every first job or work venture, it’s often difficult to get your foot on the ground. On the brightside, with bartending, getting a job without experience is not as hard as it sounds.

And just because you don’t have experience in the bartending space, does not mean creating a bartending resume is a waste of time. There are still many sections (see above) you can utilize to fill up your resume and make something worthwhile.

For anyone crafting a bartending resume without experience, the following is for you.

Bar managers will often look for people they can trust. This is usually people that have been through the thick and thin of working long hours or people that know what the daily grind (routine) is all about.

This is a good thing.

It means they do not strictly look for people with experience behind a bar. Instead they look for people they know, people that they can trust, or folks that work hard at what’s in front of them. And in your shoes, this is something we can take advantage of.

The best way for someone without experience to quickly jump behind a bar, is to know someone. Perhaps you have a friend or family member that works at the same place you are applying to? If not, maybe they know someone who does. In this case, it’s always worth a shot asking around because any word-of-mouth recommendation will help.

Onto the resume…

As discussed in sections 4 & 5 above, you don’t need the perfect background to prove to someone that you can accomplish things.

Just like our example with school.. Who cares what degree you have. The main thing is that having a degree in the first place shows a manager that you’ve grinded it out, learned something new, and earned something despite difficult tasks.

Thus, regardless of your experience or education (even if it has nothing to do with bartending) don’t be afraid to add it to your bartending resume. Below are some skills you can put on your bartending resume that may have learned at other establishments or stores that can be useful to a bartending job:

• Cash-handling & register
• Communication skills
• Customer service skills
• High volume retail experience
• Knowing how to work on a team
• Ability to upsell / add-on, or sell more products
• Well- rounded with ability to  speak on different subjects (keep people entertained)
• You know how to clean glassware
• Fill up ice, food-run
• ANY sort of hospitality skills

After the resume, it’s then all about the delivery….

If you don’t know anyone to hand the resume off to (to then pass it over to a manger)… the next best step is to hit the ground running and to start physically visiting the bars or establishments you wish to work at.

Noticed how I said “physically.” That’s because visiting a place in-person, during the appropriate hours (1-4pm), gives you a better chance at meeting a manager face to face. In this case, managers will now be able to match a resume and name to a face… or even better – a personality! We suggest you print out your resume on several pages this way every bar manager you visit will never be empty handed.

You can also apply to bars via the internet. We’ve seen this work in the past plenty of times. Plus it may save you some time and money on printing or transportation. 

Then, after making initial contact with a manager or employee, the key is to continue to reach out. In the restaurant industry, schedules are busy and constantly jammed. Most of the time, the managers are not going to remember to “call you back” or even take the time to “look at this (resume) later.” So don’t be afraid to continuously reach out.

After all, what’s there to lose?

In the following post, we’ll take a look at the various bartending skills an applicant can add to their bartending resume. As you create a bartending resume, you never want to sell yourself short! This means you want to show off ALL skills you have… and they don’t necessarily have to relate to making drinks.

Below is a quintessential list of skills the best bartenders (should) have… in addition to a lengthy list of resume-worthy keywords and powerful employee abilities that bar managers and employers tend to look for.

The following should help create a powerful resume. Use these keywords in your cover letter, on your bartending resume, job-experience descriptions, or throughout your interviews. In addition, feel free to use the following to refresh your memory on the skills you already possess.

And lastly, as always, nearly all bartending jobs will be slightly different from one another. So be sure to double check the job description to give you a better direction on what skills to highlight or focus on.

Tip: If you are new to the world of bartending, here are a two other publications we wrote that complement the bartending resume topic nicely:

• How to make a bartending resume WITHOUT experience
• How to write a compelling bartending resume that gets you hired

Let’s dive in…

What are the best bartending skills for resume?

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Bartending Skill No. 1: Strong Memory

Memory skills are important with any job or career, yes – but they are nearly vital when it comes to the hospitality or service industry. 

Before we dive into details, put yourself in the shoes of a customer. You know that feeling as you walk into a bar or restaurant and the employees are immediately friendly? They know your name, order preference, or maybe even something personal like where you’re from. As you know, this type of personal service is incomparable to others.

As a bartender, this is what you want to aim for. Your goal is to make your customer comfortable, welcomed, and happy. Not only will this result in better tips, but it will result in them coming back over and over again until they are one of those “regulars.”

You may not know it, but the bartenders that provide this type of complementary service and personal experience all have one thing in common: A sharp memory (both long-term and short-term).

a.) Remembering Customers

The experience above is a perfect example what comes about if a bartender has a good long-term memory. The best bartenders introduce themselves, capture customer names, and store them so they can create a personalized experience next time that individual walks in the door. Bar managers LOVE bartenders that have this ability. Why?

Because it’s what turns ordinary customers into returning, REGULAR customers.

A groundbreaking survey from the National Restaurant Association’s Operator states that “regulars” make up an average of:

• 75% of sales at family dining restaurants
• 70% of sales at casual dining restaurants
• 60% of sales at fine dining restaurants

Now although this doesn’t pertain directly to bars or clubs, this metric is something to focus on as the numbers are likely to overlap in all food and beverage categories.

But it doesn’t stop there…

Once you remember a customer’s name or face, bartenders should also focus on remembering drink preferences. This eliminates any sense of discontent from the customer as they order. You know what they want, you know how to make it, and you know it’s met their expectations in the past. In addition, knowing what they want may decrease order times… and allow you to quickly move on to the next task or customer. It’s a win-win situation.

The ability or skill to not only remember people’s name but to also remember drink or dietary preference will help create “regulars.”

b.) Remembering Cocktails

This one is a bit more obvious so we won’t go too in-depth. Every employer is going to look for an applicant that can remember how to (1) craft particular drinks and (2) what exact ingredients go into each drink.

You create a happy customer when you give them exactly what they order. This is rule number one, folks. In order to fulfill a customer’s order, you must remember the recipe and how to make it in the first place.

Tip: Don’t know many drink recipes? Well, you’re not alone. Everyone has to start somewhere. Our recommendation is to start small… get to know 5 drinks very well… and then start implementing more as you gain experience. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to learn 15 different drinks all at once. Click here to learn our top 5 essential cocktails every bartender should know.

Lastly once you are skilled at remembering recipes, it means you are skilled at remembering drink portions. Although this sounds like a minuscule detail, it’s actually a BIG deal for bar managers.

Strictly following correct ingredient portions can help management successfully estimate inventories and revenues. So not only are you skilled at remembering cocktails, you can be skilled at being accurate… which results in a more stable bottom-line for managers and their balance sheets.

c.) Remembering Orders

As you already know, bars can get really busy really quick. What may look like a slow and steady shift at first glance, can quickly turn into a fast and hectic shift at the end.

In that timeframe, bartenders will be faced with the challenge or remembering a batch of orders all at once.

The best bartenders in the space can remember up to 2 to 3 orders at once… make them in a timely and accurate fashion… and deliver them to the right customer. And it’s something all bartenders should train and practice.

This will result in quicker ticket times which, of course, will make your customers happy.

We took a pretty hard look at what it means to have a strong resume so let’s review. Below are the list of bartending memory skills you can add to your resume that we discussed.

Bartending Resume Skills (Memory):

• Skilled at remembering the names of repeat customers and their drink preferences
• IMPORTANT: Ability to turn ordinary customers into recurring (returning) customers
• Good at accurately remembering portions, helping the bar save money
• Skilled at remembering a batch of orders at once, to speed up ticket times 
• Knowledge of a variety of cocktails

Bartending Skill No. 2: Keeping Your Cool & Staying Friendly

Have you ever heard of the saying: “If you can’t handle the heat, get out the kitchen?”

It means that if something gets too stressful, overwhelming, or exhausting… then you should leave the work for someone can handle it. Simply put, if you can’t cope with the pressure, get out.

And if you think stress or pressure only exists in kitchens, think again. Bartending is awfully similar…

We’re talking about: Long hours, high demanding situations, people yelling, small or crammed work environments, and a countless number of orders in a short period of time a.k.a. rush hours.

Bartending jobs – as you can already tell – can be very stressful, high-energy, and extremely difficult at times. Thus, you want to explain on your bartending resume that you know how to cope with such situations.

Bar managers look for people that know how to carry themselves appropriately in such high-pressure situations.

Throughout all interactions with customers a bartender should always remain calm, collected, and polite. Don’t ever size-up a customer or talk back viciously. You have to prove to managers that you have thick-skin, and that you are unfazed by obstacles, impatient or irrational customers, or even other agitated employees that work with you.

A skill we always suggest to practice is to always use a cool, calm, and friendly tone of voice. And if your blood starts to boil, it’s ALWAYS ok to ask your manager if you can take a quick break to gather your thoughts, regroup, and remain calm.

Bartending Resume Skills (Keeping Your Cool):

• The ability to stay friendly, despite unfavorable or difficult circumstances
• The ability to “handle the heat,” work long hours, and deal with stressful people and stressful situations
• The ability to keep a calm, collected, and keep a cool tone of voice

Bartending Skill No. 3: Becoming a Good Judge of Character & Communicator

Another bartending skill worth showing off on your resume is the ability of being a good communicator and judge of character.

Bartenders will often chat with customers to create or maintain a friendly and welcoming environment. Some bartenders practice being friendly but often forget the most important part: The ability to LISTEN

Make sure that you are actually listening to what your customers are saying. You want to understand… speak to customers with a loud and clear voice… look at them while you communicate… and become their friend! Giving customers that friendly environment may result in them becoming a returning customer.

The bartending skill of being a good judge of character is something that is often forgotten when it comes to bartending resumes.

Whether a customer wants to simply get a drink vs. them wanting to have a conversation is a very overlooked skill to have. Learning how to read people takes practice, but after a while behind the bar, you’ll start to pick up on common trends and typical customers.

Perhaps a customer shows up to the bar under the influence (or drunk). This is when being an aware and communicative bartender comes in handy. The skill of recognizing someone you shouldn’t serve for their safety is another skill to highlight on your bartending resume.

Bartending Resume Skills (Good Judge of Character & Communicator)

• Giving customers a friendly environment that may result in them becoming a returning customer
• The ability to communicate
• The ability to create relationships and/or make friends with customers
• The skill of denying someone that shouldn’t be served for their safety
• The ability to read facial expressions and sense frustration
• Strong awareness of surroundings
• Adaptability
• The ability to adapt to certain crowds
• Personable and easy to talk to

Bartending Skill No. 4: Cleanliness

Bartending cleanliness is another great skill to add on your bartending resume.

A clean and organized bar is crucial to  a manager. If the countertops are sticky… if the alcohol is not neatly shelved… or if the bar smells bad in general… it’s bad business.

From the eyes of a customer, a dirty or unorganized bar may lead them to suspect the back of the house (kitchen) isn’t very different. Thus, owners and managers put bar cleanliness at the top of their priorities. Let’s not forget, every bar must pass regular health inspections too.

Other organizational bartending skills may include the ability and knowledge of cleaning (and drying) glassware properly, sweeping, inventory stocking, mopping, and closing procedures.

Bartending Resume Skills (Cleanliness)

• Know how to keep a bar organized and clean to appeal to a customers experience
• Constantly Spot Check: recognize when an ice bucket need filling and the trash needs to be taken out
• Knowledgable of health inspection regulations
• The ability to clean (and dry) glassware properly, sweep, stock inventory, mop, and understand closing procedures

Bartending Skill No. 5: Free Pouring

Free pouring (if you bar allows it) is a master technique and skill for all bartenders.

Instead of using a jigger (a measuring tool), bartenders may free pour. Free pouring is when bartenders eye-out and time appropriate portions in the process of making a drink or cocktail. 

Although the free pour is something that saves time, it’s something bartenders need to practice and perfect so that the drinks still taste good, while making sure the bar is still making a profit.

The risks that comes with free pouring are:

1. An under-poured drink – this mean you are shorthanding customers!
2. An over-poured drink – these can cost owners a few hundred dollars a month when taking inventory into account
3. A recipe mishap – a poorly made drink or something different from what the customer ordered

This is why practice is paramount!

On the other hand, free pouring is something that will result in quicker orders… shorter waits… and happier customers. So don’t forget to add this to your list of bartending resume skills if you have the ability. 

Bartending Resume Skills (Free Pouring)

• Free pouring
• Free pourting with accuracy
• The ability to free pour under pressure, while customers are watching

Bartending Skill No. 6: Cash Handling

Notching in at our No. 6 bartending skill is cash handling. During busy nights, cash handling skills will become highly useful and therefore important to highlight on your bartending resume.

As drink after drink (of all types) will be ordered… it’s up to the bartender to accurately ring-in the prices. The best bartenders have the skillset of memorizing the entire drink list or menu. 

This makes the customer transaction easy, accurate, and satisfying.

For example, when a customer asks for two beers and a martini, it’s vital you know the prices of each beer and the price of the cocktail. When the customer hands you a $20 bill, you now have the ability to quickly turn around, punch in the order at the register, and give the appropriate change back to customer.

Once you do the same orders a dozen times, it will get easier as you become familiar with the common bills ($5’s, $10’s, $20’s) or credit card processors.

If you are looking to improve your accuracy, we suggest taking a menu or drink list home and studying it! 

Another skill to possess behind the bar while dealing with customer transactions (or orders) is communication. 

The truth is, customers like to know how much an order is, despite them looking at the menu or price list themselves. A bartender that repeats order prices, in a loud and clear voice, reassures the customer that they are getting the correct order.

It’s also good to count out-loud the customer’s change to avoid any discrepancies.

Bartending Resume Skills (Cash Handling)

• Ability to memorize menus and drink prices
• Cash-handling skills
• The skill of repeating order prices, in a loud and clear voice, to reassure customers that they will receive the correct order
• Quick at counting and processing multiple drink orders
• The ability to quickly turn around, punch in the order at the register, and give the appropriate change back to customer.

Bartending Skill No. 7: Consistency

Our final bartending resume skill is, consistency. Bar managers like bartenders who can craft a high quality, great-tasting drink… But they LOVE it when you can do it 100 times a night.

It’s also important to note that drink recipes are always consistent. The portions, appearance, volumes and ingredients NEVER change. 

Maintaining the skill of crafting high-quality drinks throughout the shift is great for (1) the customers and for (2) the bar managers.

Consistency can often raise customer satisfaction and secure their future expectations. On the other hand, bar managers like consistency as it is good for profits and back-ordering. Inconsistency can lead to higher costs and hit-or-miss cocktails.

Bartending Resume Skills (Consistency)

• Consistency
• Ability to make drinks how they are supposed to be made
• Skill of strengthening a returning customers’ confidence
• Ability to accurately craft cocktails, without over-pouring, throughout the night

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There we have it. If you craft a bartending resume that focuses on the 7 essential skills talked about above, your chances of finding a job should greatly increase.

If you are still hunting for phrases, certain skills, or powerful keywords to add onto your bartending resume, feel free to utilize the list below.

Bartending Skills For Resume

An elite compendium of bartending skills you can add to your bartending resume…

1. Ability to “handle the heat,” work long hours, and deal with stressful people and stressful situations
2. Ability to adapt to certain crowds
3. Accommodating Diverse Clientele
4. Accuracy
5. Accurately remembering a variety of cocktails
6. Accurately remembering portions, helping the bar save money
7. Adaptability
8. Alcoholic and Non-Alcohol Drinks
9. Assertiveness
10. Attention to detail
11. Attentive Service
12. Bar stocking
13. Basic Math Skills
14. Beer, Wine and Liquor Knowledge
15. Building Rapport
16. Calmly Responding to Agitated Guests
17. Can judge if a person has been drinking too much
18. Can judge if a person just wants a drink, or is looking for a conversation
19. Capture customer names, retain personal information and order preference
20. Cash handling
21. Cash register or credit card processing skills
22. Cleaning (and drying) glassware properly, sweeping, inventory stocking, mopping, and closing procedures
23. Cleaning bar
24. Cleaning glassware
25. Collecting or managing payments
26. Communication
27. Communication cash-handling skills
28. Consistency
29. Constantly spot checks: the ability to fill up ice bucket, take out trash, sweep and mop
30. Conversing with customers
31. Counting and processing multiple drink orders
32. Crafting cocktails, without over-pouring, throughout the night
33. Create relationships and/or make friends
34. Creating a friendly atmosphere
35. Customer relations
36. Customer service skills
37. Decrease ticket/order times
38. Depicting someone you shouldn’t serve for their safety
39. Endurance
40. Engaging others
41. Ensuring customers they are getting the correct change back
42. Entertaining others
43. Flexible schedule
44. Food serving
45. Free pouring
46. Free pouring under pressure, while customers are watching
47. Free pouring with accuracy
48. Garnish preparation
49. Giving customers a friendly environment that may result in them becoming a returning customer
50. Good Energy
51. Good sense of humor
52. Greeting and meeting guests
53. Guest services
54. High volume retail experience
55. Hospitality
56. How to turn ordinary customers into returning (returning) customers
57. Inventorying
58. Keeping a bar organized and clean to appeal to customers experience
59. Keeping a calm, collected, and cool tone of voice
60. Knowing how to LISTEN
61. Knows what a bar should look like under health inspection laws
62. Making drinks how they are supposed to be made
63. Memorizing menus and drink prices
64. Mixing Drinks
65. Mixology
66. Monitoring customer alcohol consumption
67. Multitasking
68. Patience
69. Personable, easy to talk to
70. Personal stress management
71. Preparation
72. Professional appearance
73. Promoting
74. Quick thinker
75. Reading facial expressions or sense frustration
76. Receiving orders
77. Recommending other menu items
78. Reconciling cash drawers
79. Remembering a batch of orders at once, when necessary
80. Remembering customer drink preferences
81. Remembering names
82. Repeating order prices, in a loud and clear voice, to reassure customers that you are getting the correct order
83. Resolving complaints
84. Sales
85. Sideselling
86. Serving drinks
87. Socializing
88. Staying friendly, despite unfavorable or difficult circumstances
89. Stocking supplies
90. Strengthening a returning customers’ confidence
91. Strong awareness of surroundings
92. Team player
93. Teamwork
94. The ability to quickly turn around, punch in the order at the register, and give the appropriate change back to customer
95. Upselling
96. Verbal skills
97. Wash and dry glassware

As a bartender, there are thousands of terms that you may come across on a daily basis. Combine that with a loud environment and under-the-influence customers and you’ve got a recipe for confusion.

That’s why, memorizing a handful of key bartending terms will give you a headstart into your bartending career so you don’t start off on the wrong foot.

Below, we have broken up the bartending terminology into two sections.

Section one will contain bartending lingo that are “must knows.”

Section two contains other useful but not as necessary terms that bartenders should be aware of.

Let’s get started…

Must Know Bartending Terms

Up vs. Neat vs. On the Rocks

If there is a set of bartending terms that gets more bartending newcomers tripped up than any others it is the difference between Straight Up, Neat, and On the Rocks.

Here is a quick explanation:

• Neat: A shot served room temperature without any additives
• Up: A cocktail chilled and served in a cocktail glass without ice.
• On the Rocks: A cocktail or spirit served on ice

Well vs. Call

A well drink (or rail drink) is a cocktail using a lower quality spirit. It’s name comes from the well/rail that is immediately behind the bar and is in easy reach of the bartender. Well liquor usually consists of no-name brands that are used when a customer doesn’t name a spirit for their drink (for example a “Gin and Tonic”).

A call on the other hand is a drink in which the customer “calls” out the liquor that they would like included in their cocktail. Call drinks typically consist of higher quality (top shelf) liquors. For example, a patron may call out that they want a “Jack and Coke.”

Pony vs Shot vs Jigger

A pony, shot, and jigger are all references to different amounts of alcohol. Generally:

• A pony shot (aka “pony”) is 1 fluid ounce
• A shot is an informal term referring to a small amount of alcohol. Shot glasses range from 1 oz – 1.5 oz, but are generally 1.5 oz
• A jigger is a precise measurement meaning 1.5 oz of alcohol

Other Bartending Terms

ABV (AKA proof)

Short for ‘Alcohol by Volume,” ABV is a standard measure describing how much alcohol is in a certain liquor.

Bar Spoon

A bar spoon is a piece of bartending equipment that is used when needing to stir a drink rather than shake it. It is also sometimes used when layering(see below) a drink.  A bar spoon is generally made of stainless steel and has a long handle in order to reach the very bottom of a glass.

Bitters

Bitters (which aren’t always bitter) are a handy tool in every bar. Generally sold in a small bottle, they are used to add flavor to cocktails. They are made by infusing a spirit with aromatics and botanicals such as, spices, tree bark, roots, seeds, and fruits. You can consider bitters like seasoning for your drink. The most famous and ones that you will most likely see behind a bar are Angostura and Peychaud’s.

Chaser (AKA back)

A chaser is generally a small drink that is taken immediately after taking a shot to help wash it down. Common chasers include beer, soda, or even pickle juice and bloody mary mix.

Dirty

Making a drink dirty refers to the act of adding something other than the essential ingredients to a drink to slightly change the taste or color. The most common reference of dirty refers to adding olive juice to a martini.

Dry

Dry is very simply the opposite of sweet. It’s primarily describes the “mouthfeel” of a drink that is lacking sugar. Dry, may also refer to the addition of a dry vermouth to a drink.

Expressing

Expressing is the act of adding a peel of a citrus to a drink by squeezing the rind so that the oils of the fruit spray on top of the drink. It’s used to add extra flavor to the drink while also giving the drink a nice aroma. Common citrus for expressing includes oranges and lemons. Bartenders will often rub the peel around the rim of the glass before adding it to the cocktail.

Jigger

A jigger is one of the most handy tools for a bartender. Shaped like an hourglass, it’s used to make sure that you pour the correct amount of ingredients into every drink. The standard jigger measures 1.5oz on one side and 1oz on the other.

Layering

Also known as stacking, layering a drink is where a bartender adds ingredients of different densities to give the drink a layered look.

Mixer

Drink mixers are very simple. They are essentially any non-alcohol ingredient added to a mixed drink to change or enhance the flavor.

Muddle

To muddle a drink is to use a specialized tool (a muddler) to press ingredients against the sides of a glass before adding liquid ingredients. Muddling allows ingredients to blend together with the alcohol more consistently.

Twist

To add a twist to a drink is to take a piece of citrus zest and add to a cocktail as a garnish. The default is usually lemon peel. They are usually added for decoration or to add flavor (see ‘expressing’ above)

Virgin

Simply, a virgin drink is an exact version of a cocktail, but without the alcohol added. You may also hear the term ‘mocktails’ or “near beer” when referring to beer without alcohol.

86’d (AKA eighty-sixed)

A slang term that refers to when an item is no longer available on the menu. It could refer to a certain ingredient liquor brand, but it mostly refers to an exact cocktail.

A great way to get involved in the bartending world is to start off as a barback. As we mentioned in a previous post on bartending schools, sometimes you need experience to get the job you desire in the bartending industry. But even if you are not trying to work your way up to a bartending or management position, excelling as a barback is worthy endeavor.

Below are 8 helpful tips on how to be a better barback – and to set yourself apart from the pack:

Barback Tip #1: Stay Grounded

The best barbacks are grounded people and are able to slow things down when things get turned up to an 11. When the commotion picks up… when the orders back up… great barbacks move swiftly and effectively. This will spill over into other advice we’ll share later, but try to keep this in the back of your mind at all times. 

Your focus whenever possible should be on the bartenders, and making sure that they’re operating at full capacity. Be their extra set of arms, and work behind the scenes. 

Barback Tip #2: Always Be Learning

This next bit of advice goes beyond the bartending world and is something that is beneficial to many parts of one’s life. If you want to be a great barback, always be learning. There’s a plethora of opportunities for one to learn on the job, so constantly be on the lookout for them. Situations may come up where you might have to handle a drink or two, and you don’t want to be a deer in the headlights. See how your bar’s best bartenders do their job, and try to mimic them.

Another tip that goes along with this one is to always be asking questions. Ask questions to your bar managers, store owners, bartenders, and even other barbacks. Be a sponge, ask away, and soak in information. That being said, be careful to not do this when they are busy, as this is bothersome and could make you come off as an annoyance.

Sometimes bars offer bartender training (available to any aspiring bartenders), or even have optional days where they teach you the ins-and-outs of the bartending lifestyle. Do all you can to not miss these events, as they are a great way to learn bartending and to stand out as a future prospect.

If your job doesn’t do training days, you can still get some hands on experience by doing training on your own time cheaply and easily. For example, you could take a Bar Basics course such as this one. It’s affordable and we suggest it to every beginner bartender.

Barback Tip #3: Be Two Steps Ahead

Another great way to separate from the crowd is to be looking for opportunities where you can get something done before it’s needed. 

Ice running low? You already knew about this, and have a bag in hand the second the bartender first notices it.

Running low on clean glasses? Have a clean batch already on the way. 

When a bartender has you as a barback, the garbage suddenly becomes bottomless. You are always replacing it before it overflows, and the bartender can’t ever seem to see you doing it. Clean the bar when you can, grab bottles out of the way, spot-check, etc. 

A great analogy for the symbiotic relationship between you and the bartender is thinking of them as the salesperson and you as the supplier. Bartenders make their profits from tips, and the more opportunities they can have to “sell” to their customers, the happier they’ll be. Bartenders love great barbacks, because they give them more opportunities to make great tips. There is no better feeling than going home at night as a bartender with pockets full of tips, because you never had to take time away from pouring drinks for customers. Be their hero, make them rich(er).

Other ways to do this is to be hearing what drinks are being requested (especially if things are picking up), and to get the supplies ready. You hear a Kamikaze being ordered? Make sure there are limes ready and cut. You want your bartender to look down, and all the things they need are “magically” always there and within their reach.

Barback Tip #4: Stay Busy

If it is your first time ever barbacking, just know it will require some getting used to. 

Your first couple weeks may leave you coming home exhausted. Eventually your body will get used to this, so push through it. 

When you feel you can finally handle the workload, do all you can to be working round the clock. There’s some downtime? Leave that for the bartender to enjoy.. ask them how you can help make their job easier before the next wave. You become more valuable, and it’ll help pass the time. A win-win in our book.

Barback Tip #5: Feel the Pulse of the Room

Another way to set yourself apart and to be a more effective barback is to learn the ins-and-outs of all the bartenders you could possibly be working with. 

Every bartender has their own likes and dislikes, so it is your job to find them out. Either ask them or pay close attention. If you are the barback that knows that a certain bartender always wants clean towels, make sure you get it for them.

BLH side tip: A great barback isn’t just friendly with those behind the bar… Instead, they’re friendly with everyone in the entire building. This includes both front-house workers (hostesses, managers and servers) and back-house workers (line cooks, dish-washers, and head chefs). This is a little step most barbacks – and sometimes even the bartenders – overlook.

Any successful restaurant works as a collective team. There is a stickiness factor behind being well-liked.

Barback Tip #6: Keep Your Eyes Peeled

Bartenders will always have their eyes peeled for customers, but two eyes can only do so much. When they are dealing with 10+ clients at a time, they will probably miss things. You can fill this void by being an extra pair of eyes on the lookout. 

Bartenders are supposed to be wary of those who’ve had too much to drink, but they can miss the occasional person. If you see someone drunk out of their mind asking for a drink and yet trying to pull off the “sober look” for the bartender, you can let your bartender know what they’re trying to pull off. 

It’s important however when on the lookout to not overstep your boundaries. Don’t make judgement calls for which people could possibly be drunk or not. Leave that up to the bartender. If you try too hard here you can easily annoy the bartender.

Barback Tip #7: Stay Out Of The Way

The biggest pet peeve I hear from bartenders that a barback can do is to be in the way. ALWAYS make sure you‘re not in the way. This is obviously easier said than done, but it is arguably the first thing you should get good at. When things get hectic, you need to be helping out but never getting in the way.

What is a great trick to be good at this? Communication. Listen to what bartenders do with other bartenders/barbacks, and the words they use when moving around each other. In general, using words like “Behind”… “Corner!”… or “Side” are good ideas – giving people an idea of where you are in proximity to them. Another thing you can do is touch part of their upper back so they can a know where you are or where you’re coming from. It can be hard to hear at times, so sometimes this can be more effective.

Barkback Tip #8: Start From The Bottom

One thing that barbacks have to understand is the importance of what they are doing. Many high schoolers and college students will work jobs where their work output outweighs what they are getting paid. The ones who become successful are those who understand that life works this way initially, and that eventually you will profit when the roles flip.

Applying this to barbacking, you just have to think of yourself as paying your dues.

You may be undervalued, but that’s ok. Many exceptional bartenders got to where they are starting with barbacking. 

Be the best barback you can be. Not only will it make your job easier and enjoyable, but your co-workers will thank you for it as well.

Bartending school is a touchy subject. Many people in the industry have conflicting opinions on whether or not it’s worth it.

This post aims to give you all the knowledge, resources, pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision for yourself.

The benefits of bartending school:

• May help place you into a bartending gig
• Will give you some basic knowledge and confidence
• Allows you to meet others looking to enter the industry

The cons of bartending school:

• Mildly Expensive
• Can give you a false sense of importance
• May actually deter an employer from hiring you

Now, let’s get into it…

What’s the difference? Bartender School vs. Bartender License

Despite what the internet might tell you, there is no official school that you need to go to in order to become a bartender.

There are two main reasons that lead to this confusion:

1. Some bartending class providers are looking to make money off of novices, therefore will try to confuse aspiring bartenders
   
2. In some states a bartending license (different than school) is required

So what is the difference between bartending school and a bartending license?

Simply put, some states or cities in America require bartenders to become licensed before they are allowed to handle and serve alcoholic beverages.

A license is simply a certificate that proves that you have passed the mandated requirements to serve alcoholic beverages. Classes may include everything from how to mix drinks properly to understanding how to deal with people attempting to drive drunk, underage drinkers, and aggressive customers in a bar.

A bartending license course can range anywhere from 2 -10 hours and is dependent on your municipality/state requiring it. We have built a handy resource that gives you all the information you need to know about your states bartending license requirements here.

Bartending school on the other hand is not required. Bartending schools generally focus on the aspects of drink pouring and bartending etiquette rather than laws and regulations.

You will learn a multitude of different drink combinations, pour counts, proper attire, bar stocking and other best practices behind the bar.

You can think of bartending school as a shortcut or a head start into what a day behind the bar will be like. Each school’s length varies, but most courses last a few weeks.

How much does bartending school cost?

There are multiple factors that go into what bartending school will cost. Aspects such as where you live and whether or not you are taking the classes online will impact the cost.

Generally speaking, online bartending schools will cost anywhere from $25 – $100.

NOTE: Take caution when looking for bartending schools online as there are many scams. Frankly, some don’t teach you much more than what’s available for free on Youtube. There is only one online school we stand behind and that is the Mixology Certification from A Bar Above. Trust us, this one is the only one worth it.

On the other hand, in-person bartending schools usually run anywhere from $250 – $500 for a 40 hour class.

How long is bartending school?

Every school is different, but generally, bartending school’s will take around 40 hours to graduate.

The main question you will want to ask when it comes to length though is, “over what period of time?”

Some schools will provide options for you to do the 40 hours of training in one week, where as others will spread it out over four to five weeks.

What do you learn in bartending school?

A professional bartending school should teach you a few core concepts that will be needed while on the job.

These include skills such as:

How to set up a bar: A good school will allow you to get hands on experience behind a mock bar so you will have a general understanding of where equipment should be.

Sanitation: Proper sanitation is on often overlooked aspect of bartender training. Schools should give you thorough training to keep your workplace healthy and safe.

Correct pours: A correct pour can be the difference between a good drink and a bad one, leaving you with either more or less tips. Pouring correctly is also a skill that a potential employer will be looking for during a job interview.

Drink knowledge: Understanding the difference between a gin or a vodka, or a craft beer vs. an imported beer is necessary for becoming a bartender. A good school will also give you hands on experience with tactics such as tapping a keg.

State laws: Every state has different rules and regulations when it comes to the service of alcohol. Bartending schools should give you deep training into what your state/municipality requires.

Alcohol awareness: As a bartender, your first time dealing with an intoxicated customer is a day you will never forget. Bartending school should give you a basic understanding of what to look for in a customer that has had one too many, and how to deal with the person professionally and courteously.  

How to make a professional resume and interview preparation: After graduating bartender school, you’ll want to immediately begin looking for jobs while the knowledge you learned is still fresh in your mind. Having a professional resume is one of the most important aspects of applying to a job. You can also check out our guide on how to make a professional resume.

Why you may NOT want to attend bartending school

Although we believe that bartender schools without a doubt have a place for aspiring bartenders, there are absolutely some reasons you may not want to attend.

First and foremost is the cost. With prices possibly running in the hundreds of dollars, it is an expensive step to take without bartending school actually being required.

The biggest issue that we have seen with bartending school is not the material they teach or the drinks they show you how to pour, but rather the undeserving confidence that they instill in graduates.

Being a bartender is not an easy job and employers hate to see individuals graduate from bartending school thinking that they know everything there is to know about working behind a bar.

Being confident is a good thing, but you also need to have a sense of humility and know that there are others in the bar that have worked from the bottom and earned the respect of their employer and co-workers.

What’s the deal with bartending school job placement?

When researching online for bartending schools, you will eventually come across some wording around “job placement assistance.”

Bartending schools will try to entice you to join their training program by convincing you that they will help you land a job after you have gone through the school.

Through our research, we find these claims dubious.

Sometimes, yes, bartending schools have helped place students in bartending jobs, but more often than not you will end up as a barback (a job you could have gotten on your own).

Now this isn’t to say that all bartending school job placement assistance is bad. We have also seen some very local bartending schools with real relationships in the community help students get hired.

Ultimately it comes down to performing a good amount of research (which we will cover below) into the different bartending schools in your area.

What’s Your Best Option?

Without a doubt, the most quickest and most beneficial way to becoming a bartender is to get real world experience. A school can give you a head start, but there is nothing like the actual hustle and bustle of working behind a bar.

You may be wondering though: if you do not have bartender experience, then how do you quickly become a bartender?

Our suggestion is to get any job in a bar or restaurant and work your way up.

Starting as a barback

The barback is the unsung hero of the bar. He or she is there to provide support for the bartenders and make the entire night move smoothly.

Getting a job as a barback is not only easier than going directly for a bartender job, but it also allows you to get hands on experience without having to jump into the fire immediately.

If you would like to learn more about how to get a job as a barback and work your way up to a bartender we have written the article for you.

Starting from other restaurant positions

Although the move from barback to bartender is probably the easiest to make in a restaurant/bar, it isn’t the only way.

We have seen plenty of people such as as servers, food runners, and hosts work their way into the bartender position.

Ultimately, after interviewing hundreds of bars, we have found that employers would rather hire from within than take a risk on someone that they do not know.

Get a job, work hard, and make it known to your employers that you would like to become a bartender. In time, a position will open up and hopefully you’ll be first in line to claim it.

How to find a reputable bartender school

If after reading this article, you decide that bartender school is still for you, then here are a few steps to take in order to choose the best school.

Meet the instructor
In our opinion, the most important differentiator between a good bartending school and a bad one will be the instructor(s).

If you are debating between a few different bartending schools, then we suggest visiting them in person and meeting the instructor face to face.

Generally your first impression of the instructor is enough to know whether the course will be worth it to you or not.

Sit through a class
If you are still on the edge of going to school or maybe you are debating between a few different schools, you should go sit in on a few classes.

Any reputable bartending school will allow you to sit through a portion of a class before making a decision. If they don’t, there is probably some aspect of the class they are trying to hide.

Read bartending school reviews online
Generally, we have found that online reviews can be hit or miss for bartending schools. They can absolutely help you narrow down your decision, but they shouldn’t be your only resource.

Ask local bartenders
An overlooked step aspiring bartenders can take is to talk to local bartenders and ask them questions. We suggest going to a local bar during it’s off hours and sparking up a conversation with the bartender.

Let the bartender know that you are an aspiring bartender and have a few questions. In our experience bartenders love to share information about their careers (as long as it is a slow day).

Not only will you receive some good tips and tricks, but we have seen cases where the conversation can actually lead to a job offer (for a barback) on the spot.

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We hope that this post has given you the knowledge you need in order to make an informed decision on whether or not bartending school is right for you.

Every day, bartenders are getting jobs going both routes (bartending school or working their way up) so there is no wrong answer.

Good luck and we hope to see you as a bartender, raking in the tips, soon.