You won’t find it too difficult to get a bartending job if you have a certificate from a bartending school and enough experience. Still, applying for a bartending job is not easy, since thousands of young people are also doing it. You have to have both experience and education to immediately get hired as a bartender.

How to Get Hired as a Professional Bartender

The bartender is in charge of many things, including taking care of customers’ needs, and maintaning the supplies in the bar’s inventory. The employer won’t hire you if he thinks that you don’t have enough skill and experience to be trusted with these things. After all, wine bottles alone cost thousands of dollars, so they have to be sure that the bartender is perfect in handling supplies. Here are other things that employers are looking for in a bartender:

• Bartending certificate: Bartending certificates are offered by both brick and mortar and online bartending schools. You can get your own certificate after you complete one to two weeks of bartending training. The schedules of brick and mortar schools are more regular than online schools, but some of them also accept adjusted schedules. Online schools have more flexible schedules, and you can study in the comfort of your home. Once you finish the program, the online school sends you the certificate or provides a link where you can download it yourself. You then have to print that certificate, so you can show it to employers.
• Complete bartending skills: Brick and mortar schools are generally better than online schools because they offer face-to-face interaction with an expert instructor. They also have a complete set of facilities that you can use to mix drinks, and identify beverages. Online schools are usually limited to subjects about customer service and tip maximization. It’s difficult to learn mixing techniques through online schools because the instructor can’t directly point out your mistakes. During the job interview, the employer would ask about these skills, and he would prefer that your bartending skills are complete.
• Pleasant personality: Many bars are famous for their wise bartenders who can offer precious advice to different customers. While it’s hard to learn this skill in school, you can always practice being a friendly guy when you’re already working either as a bartender or as a barback. The best bartenders are well-rounded in all subjects, including road directions, sports trivia, and relationship matters.
• Drink mixing: Employers today are increasingly looking for bartenders who can do fancy mixing techniques, also known as “flair bartending” or “flairing.” It’s usually easier to learn these mixing techniques in brick and mortar bartending schools because doing it on your own can result in injury and a lot of broken bottles. Flairing may include flipping and juggling bottles, setting liquors on fire, and even performing magic tricks. If you’re really good at flairing, you can join flairing competitions and be the star of an establishment.
• Lots of experience: Your chances of getting hired as a bartender increase as you gain more experience in the field. While a bartending certificate can get you a long way toward becoming a professional bartender, you can easily lose the job to someone who has years of experience working as a barback. In addition to your certificate, you must work in the field as much as you can, even only as a barback, because this will make your resume more attractive. Some applicants even go through the trouble of being waiters and waitresses first, before they work their way up to become a real bartender.

Where to Find a Bartending Job

Bartending is staple where there’s plenty of nightlife happening. Cities that are nightlife hot spots employ hundreds of bartenders, waiters, and waitresses. Going to such cities is the best way to start your career as a bartender. The following are the famous nightlife cities inside and outside the United States:

• New York City, New York: The Big Apple never sleeps because its nightlife is scene is pumping and on fire 365 days a year. The city has cocktail bars on the Upper East Side, and rowdy bars in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan. New York City is the birthplace of disco, and it’s famous for bars like Bungalow 8 and Studio 54. It’s a challenge to become a part of New York’s nightlife scene, but once you get in, you’re bound to rake in cash. Also, consider applying for a bartending or barback position in hotels and restaurants, so you can gain lots of field experience.
• Miami, Florida: Miami is a nightlife hot spot that is absolutely wild every night. You have to know how to mix mojito in order to get a job as a bartender in this city. Mojito is made of white rum, carbonated water, mint, lime, and sugar. It’s very popular in Miami, where customers drink them to have the energy to dance and go wild all night long. Check out places like Skybar, Mansion, and Nikki Beach to see if they have openings for bartenders or barbacks.
• Las Vegas, Nevada: Vegas is the party capital of the world, and it’s the best place to find a job as a bartender or a barback. In fact, it’s already an accomplishment to get hired as a waiter or waitress in this place. Money flows into Vegas every day of the week, and you’re guaranteed a good pay as long as you do your job well. Consider applying for a waiter position first, then work your way up as a bartender if the pay is really good. Any bar or establishment along The Strip is a good place to work in as a bartender.
• London, United Kingdom: If you live in the UK, then the best place to show your skills as a bartender is London. Be sure to check out clubs in Mayfair, Camden, and South Kensington if they have job openings for barbacks and bartenders. You’re guaranteed huge tips in these places because even Prince William and Prince Harry party at these places. You can also visit the Leicester Square where they hire lots of professionals in the food and beverage industry for hotels and casinos.

Don’t hesitate to invest time and money in your training as a bartender to get hired by the best establishments in the future. You can get into any hotel or bar if you completely develop all your skills and work hard.

There’s no such thing as a “bartending license” that you have to get before you can become a true bartender. Employers today however, are looking for bartenders with lots of experience and good bartending training. Bartending schools award their graduates with bartending certificates that many employers in the food and beverage industry recognize. Getting a bartending certification helps you get hired as a bartender faster.

Benefits of Being a Certified Bartender

Bartending is a very competitive field because many young people are drawn to this professio. It’s described as a “recession-proof” career. The hourly salary of a bartender is about $5 to $8, plus tips that are about two to four times that amount. Indeed, few jobs let you party for so much money.

You are already one step ahead of other job applicants if you have a bartending certificate. A bartending certification guarantees your employer that you at least have the basic skills that are required of a bartender. These skills include: customer service, mixing drinks, bar magic, and many others. The following are the other benefits of being certified by a bartending school:

• Greater chance of a higher salary: Some bars and hotels do recognize certificates by well-established bartending schools. They may offer you a higher salary if you graduate from a bartending school that has provided them with many brilliant bartenders, barbacks, waiters, and waitresses before. Your chances of getting a higher salary increase even more if you have experience working as a bartender or a barback.
• Easier employability: Many aspiring bartenders today apply for a job without having any experience or training at all. It’s almost impossible for them to get hired by the best establishments, unless they have a good educational background and they’re willing to work their way up from the lowest levels. Having a bartending certificate immediately puts you ahead of these people, especially if your bartending school has a very good reputation.
• Show your specialization: Bartending has a wide range of responsibilities, but their duties are different from that of a barback, a waiter, or a waitress. You’re basically in charge of expensive beverages and alcoholic drinks that you need to distribute to the right people. One mistake and you can cost the bar or hotel thousands of dollars, either by breaking precious champagne bottles or giving drinks to underage people. Studying in a bartending school guarantees your employer that you know all the basics of bartending, and that you are a “safe investment.”
• Be a full-fledged bartender: The best brick and mortar bartending schools will equip you with all the skills and knowledge you need to become a successful bartender. Online bartending schools are also good, but the complete equipment and face-to-face interaction you get from brick-and-mortar bartending schools will prove more useful when you’re already immersed in the field. A bartending certification assures your employer that you’ll act professionally when they hire you, and that you’ll know exactly what to do in different bar situations.

Brick and Mortar Schools that Offer Certification

Almost all bartending schools offer certificates to their graduates, so you’ll likely get a certificate whatever school you choose, whether brick and mortar or online. The real trick is to find a bartending school that is well-respected and widely recognized. Here are a few brick and mortar schools you might consider:

• American Bartenders School (Palm Desert, California): The American Bartenders School has been operating for almost 40 years, and has branches in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and California. The school is well-known in the bartending industry because of their highly skilled graduates. The training they offer lasts for only two weeks.
• ABC Bartending Schools (New York City): ABC Bartending Schools have branches all over the United States. Tony Sylvester, its founder, has been producing excellent bartenders since 1977. The school accepts all students 18 years of age or older. You only have to finish 40 hours of bartending training to become an ABC bartender. The curriculum includes topics on bar equipment, drink mixing, tip maximization, and catering.
• Bartending Academy (Tucson, Arizona): The Bartending Academy in Tucson, Arizona also gives certificates to their graduates. Like other schools, the training lasts for two weeks, although some students finish it earlier. The school’s official website has testimonials written by their successful students already working in the industry.

Online Bartending Schools that Offer Certification

Many online bartending schools award their certificates after their students finish their exams. Some of them send it to their students’ e-mail addresses, others provide links where students can download the certificate. Sometimes, it’s up to the student to print the certificate. Consider the following online schools if you want to train as a bartender:

• Nexgen Bartending School: Nexgen Bartending School requires its students to pass an online bartending test with a mark of 70 percent or higher for them to receive their certification. You can take as much time as you like to complete the program if you have a busy schedule.
• Professional Bartending School: The Professional Bartending School offers a 30-day refund policy, which means you can quit anytime you think their program is not helping you improve. After you finish all their downloadable exercises and tests, you’ll receive their certificate which is recognized by many establishments.
• The Bartending College Online: You can’t go wrong with the Bartending College because its brick and mortar school has been in existence since 1980. The Bartending College Online is just an extension of that service, where students can study bartending in the comfort of their own home. The school also gives its successful students real certificates of completion that many employers recognize.

Wouldn’t it be nice to apply for a bartending job in a big-time establishment with a certificate in your hand? You’ll feel much more confident, knowing that you have all the skills that the employer is looking for. Go and get your bartending certificate now to start your successful career as a bartender.

Bartending Courses: Online or Live?

There are two types of bartending courses you can take: live and online bartending courses. Live bartending courses are done in brick and mortar bartending schools or academies, while online bartending courses are done on the Internet. Brick and mortar schools are generally better than online schools because you’ll have face to face interaction with the expert instructors. The advantage of an online school over a brick and mortar school though, is that it’s much cheaper and more convenient, because you can do classes at home.

The courses covered in both types are generally the same, although the method of instruction is different. Brick and mortar schools rely on hands-on education of their students, while online schools use downloadable e-books, video tutorials, simulation programs, chat, e-mail, and phone conversations to teach their courses. Many people find brick and mortar schools more effective because of the face-to-face interaction, while some prefer online schools because they’re inexpensive and provide flexible schedules.

Live Bartending Courses: Master the Art of Bartending

Brick and mortar bartending schools offer their students complete equipment and facilities, so they’ll get a real feel of what it’s like being a bartender. The following are just some of the courses that you have to take when you attend a brick and mortar bartending school.

• Customer Service: Bartending schools try to produce bartenders that give customers a sense of satisfaction. The best bartenders are those that can talk to any customer. Some bars are known for their wise bartenders that advise customers on their problems. Not all customers want a shoulder to cry on though, and the bartender has to know who needs his counsel and who doesn’t.

Another skill that bartenders have to learn is remembering the favorite drinks of regular customers. They must also have good recommendations for local nightlife outside the bar. You must be well-rounded on many topics if you want to become a bartender, because customers will ask you everything from road directions, sports trivia, to the marital status of other customers.

• Basic Bar Equipment: As a bartender, you’re in charge of taking care of the bar equipment; and you have the responsibility to use them properly. Bartending courses will teach you the different bartending tools, and their purposes. Here is a list of basic bar equipment that you will have to master:

• • Cocktail Shaker: A cocktail shaker is a device that’s used to blend cocktails. Bartending courses typically include shaking techniques for cocktails.

• • Electric Blender: Not all cocktails are possible to blend by manual shaking. You have to learn how to properly use an electric blender in order to mix ingredients smoothly.

• • Scoops and ice tongs: Simple things like handling scoops and ice tongs should be thoroughly learned to avoid mistakes in the bar; for example, the minor mistake of using glassware as a scoop can have disastrous consequences if the glass chips or breaks, and you spill blood on the liquor and ice.

• • Juice extractor: You may know how to use a juice extractor, but do you know how much of a particular juice is needed to make a specific cocktail? Bartending schools teach you the details of cocktail preparation so you can satisfy your customers.

• • Measuring cups: Some drinks rely on exact measurements of ingredients to taste right. Bartending courses discuss the correct use of measuring cups, and what drinks need exact measurements.

• Types of drinks: There is almost an endless variety of drinks today that customers can choose from. A bartender has to know most, if not all, of these drinks so that he can concoct them perfectly. He has to know all the popular wines, beers, champagnes, and liquors; and which brands are good, and which are not. Some bartenders even develop expert noses that can tell the exact ingredients and age of wine. Some of these skills can’t be learned in just two weeks of bartending training, but taking bartending courses can get you a long way toward mastering such skills.

• Drink mixing: Flair bartending or flairing involves doing flashy mixing techniques that entertain customers. It’s hard to learn these techniques on your own without breaking lots of bottles and injuring yourself. Flairing includes flipping, juggling, handling liquors on fire, and even performing magic tricks. Flairing competitions are also widely popular; and you can’t enter these competitions if your mixing skills are just average.

• Job interview techniques: The best bartending schools guarantee their students job placements when they graduate; which is why they include job interview techniques in their courses. You’ll learn how to properly showcase your skills as an excellent bartender during a job interview, so you’ll get hired immediately.

Online Bartending Courses: Quick and Easy

Most online bartending schools require their students to read a book that discusses various topics about bartending. The book covers the responsibilities of a bartender, bar equipment, liquors for different situations, and other bartending basics. The book may have exercises that you need to answer in order to complete the course.

The drawback in studying online bartending courses is that it’s difficult to learn bar tricks, flairs, and bar magic just by watching video tutorials. You may get tips from the instructor online or over the phone, but it would still be difficult because he won’t be there to closely supervise your training. Instructors in brick and mortar bartending schools work with their students face to face, which means they can point out their unique mistakes in doing various bar tricks.

Some online bartending schools offer simulation programs that let the student imagine what it’s like to work in a real bar or hotel. The program may have animated games to teach the student what to do next in different situations. While these games help familiarize you with bottles, drinks, and other simple things, you’ll find little use for it in real flair training.

At the end of the online bartending program, the school asks you to finish a bartending exam that covers all the previous topics that you’ve read and discussed with your instructors. Most online schools require their students to pass with a certain grade to complete the program. If the student fails the exam, he’ll not be able to download the certificate; and he may have to retake the courses again.

Bartending Classes: Your Key to Success

Bartending classes usually last for just one to two weeks; then the school gives you a certificate stating that you’ve passed their requirements and standards. The schedules of brick and mortar schools are more regular than online schools, but some of them also accept adjusted schedules. Some schools ask their students to attend four hours of bartending training Mondays to Fridays in order to complete the program. Online schools, on the other hand, give you as much time as you want to read their book and complete their exercises. You have all the time you need to master everything that they have to offer, before taking their certification exam.

Increase your chances of working in a well-respected and popular bar or hotel by taking bartending courses now. Get that edge in bartending that many applicants lack, and make your dream career come true.

Bartending is a very lucrative and fun career. You earn lots of money while helping people out, listening to their problems, serving them drinks, or even performing in front of them. Becoming a bartender though, isn’t easy if you don’t have the proper education and skills for the job. You have to study in a bartending school or a bartending academy to get hired by the best bars and hotels around the country.

Why Go To a Bartending School?

More and more people are drawn to bartending because few jobs let you have so much fun for so much money. The typical hourly salary of a bartender is about $5 to $8, plus tips that are two to four times that amount. If a bartender earns $8 an hour, he can get tips of $16 to $32 per hour. It’s possible for a bartender in a popular establishment to earn $50,000 to 75,000 a year.

The best way to be a successful bartender quickly is to get bartending school certification. Attending a bartending school or a bartending academy gives you the edge over other applicants because your certificate guarantees your employer that you know everything about bartending, including the responsibilities of a bartender, how to properly serve and mix drinks, and how to do flairs and bar magic. In fact, it’s difficult today to land a bartending job in a popular bar or hotel if you don’t have the proper training and experience.

Bartending Training: Learn to Flair in no Time

Many of the skills that you can learn from a bartending school are impossible to learn on your own. While you can read about bartending tricks on the Internet, you can only go so far in your bartending training because you lack the right equipment to fully train yourself. You also don’t have a professional bartender who will teach you how to do things properly.

The best bartending schools today have professional offices and classrooms that look just like real bars or cocktail lounges. Classrooms allow you to talk directly to your instructors, while working with your classmates who also have their own complete sets of bartending equipment. These schools have cocktail units, ice machines, soda gun dispensers, stainless steel bar sinks, blenders, and glassware. Their expert instructors teach you exactly what to do in different bar situations. The precious knowledge that you can get from the courses that these schools offer can’t be found on online bartending training articles.

Brick and Mortar Bartending Schools

Bartending schools can be found anywhere there are hotels, clubs, and casinos. There are brick and mortar bartending schools, and online bartending schools. Online bartending schools can help a lot to improve your bartending skills, but brick and mortar schools are still best because they offer face-to-face interaction with an expert instructor. The following are some of the best brick and mortar bartending schools today:

• ABC Bartending Schools (New York City): ABC Bartending Schools have a lot of branches in the United States. The founder, Tony Sylvester, has been producing brilliant bartenders since 1977. The ABC branch in New York City is one of the best bartending schools in the whole world. They accept all students 18 years of age or older; and you only have to complete 40 hours of bartending training to become a professional mixologist. The curriculum includes topics on bar equipment, mixing techniques, tipping, and catering.
• American Bartenders School (Palm Desert, California): The American Bartenders School has branches in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, and California. The Palm Desert branch has been operating since the school was founded in 1969. The school has a solid reputation in the bartending industry because of the high-level skill of their graduates. You can become a highly skilled mixologist in just one or two weeks’ worth of bartending training.
• Bartending Academy (Tucson, Arizona): The Bartending Academy in Tucson Arizona is another great place to learn both basic and advanced skills in bartending. Like other bartending schools, the training also usually lasts for two weeks. The Bartending Academy has a website filled with testimonials written by their successful students.

Online Bartending Schools: Bartend at Home

If you don’t have enough time to attend a brick and mortar bartending school, one option you have is to learn through an online bartending school. The primary advantage of an online bartending school over a brick and mortar school is that you can sit back at home and learn everything through e-mail, chat, and videos. The following are some of the best online bartending schools on the Internet:

• The Bartending College: The Bartending College’s online school is almost as good as its original brick and mortar version. The school was established in 1980 and continues to supply the food and beverage industry with highly skilled mixologists. Bartending College Online gives its successful students real certificates of completion that can be presented to employers. It supports its students through phone, chat, e-mail, forum, and videos. It even includes interactive bartending software that helps you understand your work environment from the comfort of your chair.
• Professional Bartending School: The Professional Bartending School is a well-respected online school that gives bartender certification recognized by many hotels and bars. It offers a 30-day refund policy which means you can quit anytime you think their program is not helping you improve. You’ll learn courses through CD-ROMs, DVDs, books, video demonstrations, and exercises. It also has its own bar simulation software that makes learning easier and more interactive.
• Nexgen Bartending School: Nexgen Bartending School exclusively offers online courses. You can save a lot of money by completing their program than going to a brick and mortar school. The school grants access to a job community of bartending students, where you will learn a lot from successful bartenders. Nexgen requires its students to pass its online bartending examination with a mark of 70 percent or higher to receive the Nexgen certification. The great thing about this online school is that you can take as much time as you like to complete the course if you have a busy schedule.

Tuition Costs: How Much Does Bartending Training Cost?

Attending a brick and mortar bartending school is more expensive than going through an online bartending course because the tuition fee includes the cost of the equipment and the expert instructors. A two-week course in a small bartending academy costs about $250. Studying in better bartending schools can cost about $500 to $800.

Courses offered by online bartending schools are much cheaper because all the learning tools are downloadable, such as e-books, videos, and interactive simulation programs. Some online schools even offer classes for less than $50. Be extra careful when choosing online bartending schools though, because some of them are just scams. There are online bartending schools that charge $79, and only ask you to finish an open book test. You will learn nothing from these online frauds, and you’ll just waste your money.

Whether you plan to attend a brick and mortar or an online bartending school, make sure that the school is well-respected in the food and beverage industry before you enroll. Read reviews of the school on the Web to know what other people have to say about it. If it’s a brick and mortar school, visit the place yourself to see their facilities and talk to their instructors. If it’s an online bartending school, e-mail or chat with its current and previous students to gauge its quality.

Don’t apply for a bartending position without anything to show your employer. Start a successful career in bartending with complete bartending training. Show your bartending certification to your employer and get hired immediately.

Some people joke that their favorite food group is beer, but what they don’t realize is that many of the foods they eat are used to make the popular beverage.

So, what’s in your glass? Here are some common ingredients used to make beer:

• Barley
• Yeast
• Rice
• Wheat
• Corn

Honey, fruits, and herbs are often used to create unique and dramatic flavors, too. Microbreweries are now producing many flavors of specialty beers, from pumpkin to chocolate to raspberry.

The next time you eat rice for dinner, or a piece of bread made with wheat and yeast, think of these foods as the close relatives of your preferred beverage: beer.