By now everyone knows that the standard tip is one dollar per drink so in order for someone to tip above and beyond the normal one drink = one dollar you’re going to have to offer a bit more as a bartender.

One of the best opportunities for boosting your tips is when guests come to the bar looking to do a few shots. For starters, no one likes to do shots alone so they’ll probably have a few friends with them. Now even though most people come to the bar knowing exactly which shot they want to take, everyone is open to what the bartender recommends. This is where the magic of dirty named drinks come in, I have always had 2-3 dirty (really dirty) named shots memorized and ready to suggest. I simply tell the group that “they have to try my “speciality” and once the guest hears the name of the shot (the dirty named shot) and the laughter dies down, everyone is in on it.

You can then take it one step further by creating some “special” way in which everyone has to take the shot. For example, I have a shot called “Kiss my ass” and right before everyone takes the shot each person has to yell out someone’s name. This draws a lot of attention to the group and they usually want to do another one. It’s this kind of creativity that generates more than the average one dollar tip so put that dirty mind of yours to use and create a few dirty shots of your own!

This is a quick article is to all those female bartenders out there. I have recently been hearing about male guests staying until closing hours and then waiting to “talk” to female bartenders in the parking lot. This may seem quite harmless or just a crush, but there is no telling what these guys are capable of. The majority of these types of gentlemen come into the bar by themselves (around happy hour) and try to keep engaging the female bartenders in really shallow small talk. They are not pushy and are actually quite friendly, but will stay until closing hours. These are the “quite ones” that everyone talks about.

A friend of mine who is a female bartender at a large popular chain told me about particular guest the other night. After pouring last call for everyone she then closed her drawer, cleaned her station and headed out the door to get in her car. She was then approached in the parking lot by a guest who had been talking to her at the bar all night. He asked her to walk with him to his car so he could “show her something” and when she refused he became angry. Luckily one of the busboys came out of the restaurant which startled the guy who then took off. When she told me about this she said the scariest part was that he “seemed so nice” during the entire evening while she was speaking with him. With that in mind I recommend being walked to your car ladies….it’s not worth the risk! Stay safe out there.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Alaniz

After endless weekends of hitting the bars and clubs in Los Angeles the idea has finally hit you, “I want to bartend!” It’s obvious that there is a lot of money to be made, but how does someone get started? And is it even possible to break in with no experience?

The first thing to remember is that bartending is more than simply memorizing drink recipes. This is a sales job which means you have to be good with people and think quickly on your feet. Now mix this together with some basic bartending knowledge and you’ll have a better idea of what it takes to be a bartender.

People tend to fall into two categories in Los Angeles, either they have no experience and want to break in or they have moved to LA with experience bartending, but can’t find a job.

For those of you that have little or no experience let me give you two pieces of advice. First, don’t go to bartending school! Save your money and time. Most bars, clubs and restaurants in LA don’t view bartending school with much respect. It’s not that you didn’t learn anything there, but it is not real experience. Ask any bartender working in an LA hot spot and the last thing you’ll hear is that they got there because of bartending school. Your goal should be to get experience any way you can, whether its through a catering company, or bartending for family and friends. You need to get some experience on your resume and learn the basics.

Second, don’t lose hope. You can break into the LA bar scene with little or no experience. As mentioned before this is a sales job, not a contest to see who can memorize the most drinks. This means that you first need to begin by learning the basics and then put yourself out there and begin interviewing. Just remember, every bartender working today was once a beginner with no experience, but unless you take responsibility to find an opportunity it will probably never happen for you. (All of this is outlined in detail in the Behind The Bar training course)

#1 Get a plan

Now for those of you that do have experience bartending the first thing you need to do is get a plan and stick to it. Los Angeles is one of the most competitive places to land a job bartnding, but it can be done.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever heard a bartender say was “you have to treat your job hunt like a job.” One way you can do this is by setting a goal of how many bars you will approach each week and stick to it. Keep track of the bar managers names and contact numbers that way you can keep checking back in. Finding a great bartending job is all about timing and things change fast in this industry, this means that a place which is fully staffed one week could need someone the next.

#2 Scout Locations

Now that you’ve set a goal of how many places you plan to approach each week it’s time to find these places. First, make your dream list of places you would like to bartend and apply to these places first. As mentioned before there is alot of turnover in this industry so it can’t hurt to stay in touch.

Second, decide how far you are willing travel and then begin driving around these areas to see what you find. There are always new bars and restaurants opening in Los Angeles so you will probably find a few places you’ve never seen before. Also keep in mind that most restaurants/clubs have certain days/times when they interview people so its important to ask when these times are so you can come back.

#3 Put the Word Out

One of the best things you can do it to begin telling all of your friends and family that your looking for a bartending job and to keep their eyes open. I would recommend taking this one step further by making a list of friends and family members. Call each of them and ask if they can remember you when ever they go out to a bar or restaurant to ask if they are hiring. You’d be surprised how productive this can be.

#4 Presentation! Presentation!

Remember that a bar is hiring you because they believe you can make them money, represent the vibe of their place and can be trusted handling money. With that in mind always remember to look your best and act professional! Your style should match the place your trying to work for and always carry yourself like someone who is confident, outgoing and trustworthy. You’d also be surprised how far a good smile and handshake go when you meet the bar manager.

#5 Follow Up

This is the most important point to remember. Let’s say you decide to apply at 5 bars a week. The first thing you want to do is tell the bar manager that you are eager to break in and that you’ll be checking in with him/her from time to time to see if anything comes available.

Next, I would recommend following up 2 weeks later in person to see if anything has changed. If not thank them for their time and remind them to keep you in mind, then 3 weeks after that follow up with a phone call (that is if you haven’t found a job already).

This kind of follow up will show your persistence and reliability. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for the job each time you check in. If they are overstaffed you can propose that they hire you for one day a week or as a backup bartender. Showing that you are willing to do what it takes to break in goes a long way in this industry.

Now go get started!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Alaniz

Finding a new job can be a frustrating process and any server or bartender that has been through understands the pains of trying to find and start a new job at a new bar or restaurant. Here are 5 tips to make your next bartending job search easier and help you find that next job faster.

Tip #1

Start looking before you get fired or quit. It is always good to have a few resumes floating around at other bars or restaurants. After all if you interviewed for a new bartending job and it was going to make you more money, you would likely take the job and quit your current job. This will also give you an idea of what is out there as well.

Tip #2

Use a resume to look more professional. There is nothing worse that looking like a bartender when you are trying to get a bartending job. Bar and restaurant managers and owners know that there are a lot of shady bartenders out there and they want to hire the best of the best, if possible. They have, most likely, fired someone for stealing, had someone that just did not cut it behind the bar, and had someone that did not show up for work. Using a resume is one thing you can do to set yourself apart from those that just turn in an application.

Tip #3

Dress professionally when applying for a bartending job. When you are applying for a bartending job, as a guy, you should be wearing a tie, as a girl you should look professional, like you are interviewing for a position at a law firm. This will give you a better chance of landing an interview right away and will give you a leg up on your competition that decided to show up in jeans and a t-shirt.

Tip #4

Apply to every restaurant and bar that you can find. Just because there is not an ad in the newspaper does not mean that the bar or restaurant is not hiring. Most places have stacks of applications and are always looking for more. They don’t want to spend the money to place an ad in the paper so they count on walk in applicants. Make sure you always apply in person, never call ahead, and fill out the application right there with your own pen.

Tip #5

The last tips is very important because it will make the difference between getting hired and not getting hired. Always make sure to talk to a manager before you leave when applying and ask for an interview. They may be reluctant or might tell you no, but if you ask you have a better chance of getting an interview right on the spot.

Using all of these tips together can land you a bartending job within a week. I have done it and so have many of my friends who have worked as bartenders. Make your next bartending job search shorter by combining all of these tips with a smile and a positive attitude.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benjamin_Robert_Ehinger

I have been in the restaurant and bar business for over 12 years. The question I am asked the most, by a landslide, is “how do I become a bartender?” I have been asked this question by people already in the restaurant business and people with no experience just looking to make some extra money. I give them all the same answer, “Decide that you want to become a bartender and resolve yourself to doing it.”

Becoming a bartender is just a matter of convincing a bar manager that you would be good at the job. Some people have advocated that this requires lying your way into a job. DO NOT do that. Not only is it unnecessary but your lies will be discovered and your job will be at risk. If you want to know how to become a bartender simply look at your current job and life experiences and think about how your skill set can be applied to bartending. To show you what I mean I will walk you through a case study on how a student of mine became a bartender and doubled his take home income, with no previous bartending experience.

The first thing we did was write out all the skills that he had learned and mastered at previous jobs that could relate to bartending. These skills included conflict resolution, customer service, inventory management, upselling, etc. We then wrote a resume, geared specifically for bartending jobs, that featured these skills.

The resume did not include unrelated skills that you often see thrown onto resumes like I can type 65 word a minute or I am proficient in excell. These skills are often put onto a resume as an afterthought or to take up space. What you are telling the resume reader is that you couldn’t come up with enough job related skills to fill ONE page of type. Leave these unrelated skills off your resume if you want to become a bartender. They are irrelavant and insult the intelligence of the resume reader.

Second, we created a dynamic and interesting cover letter to accompany the resume. The cover letter told a story about how the student had handled a difficult situation with a customer. Bartenders deal with difficult and/or drunk people. This story showed how to effectively and professionally handle a potentially volatile situation. The story showed my client’s professionalism and personality. Bartenders are expected to show their personality behind the bar. You need to have your personality come across in your cover letter and put it on full display during your interview.

Next we sent the cover letter and resume to 2 banquet staffing agencies in town. *Please note that after hiring dozens of bartenders and hundreds of restaurant employees I know that this cover letter and resume would have gotten him a job as a bartender in a regular restaurant or bar. He, however, wanted to start at a staffing agency, so he could gain some on-the-job experience in a low stress environment. You need to do what is comfortable for you.*

He was offered temp jobs by both staffing agencies and took shifts for both. After 2 weeks he realized the money was better at one and eliminated the other agency. After another 2 weeks he was being requested by one establishment on a regular basis.

My student took his job seriously and used his time at the staffing agency to sharpen his drink making skills. Do not believe the myth that bartenders need to know hundreds of recipes. Once you become a bartender you will be absolutely amazed at how often you make the same drinks. You will need to know about 20-40 drinks, but they are all so similar they are very easy to remember. So he didn’t concentrate on recipes but on technique and efficiency.

After another 2 weeks the establishment that was requesting him so often offered him a part-time job. He now works 2 nights a week and brings home anywhere from $300-$500 working just those 2 nights. He works on Tuesday and Sunday which aren’t your prime time shifts and is still able to double his take home income.

Let’s review. My student had no previous bartending experience. We wrote industry specific cover letters and a resume. He worked a temp job for 6 weeks and now has a part-time job, 2 nights a week, that matches his 40 hour a week full-time job.

He has opted, for now, to keep his full-time job because he gets health care for his family and they have a tuition reimbursement program. So he has one job that provides him with the necessities of life, including college tuition, and another that allows him to have fun, drive a better car and go on vacation.

Do not overestimate your competition or the difficulty in learning how to become a bartender. It really is as easy as deciding that you want to do it and taking the steps to achieve your goal. For a more detailed plan and to sign up for my free newsletter “How to Get a Bartending Job,” go to my website www.getabartendingjob.com

You can do this, just believe in yourself and take action.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=B.J._Williams

One POWERFUL and SIMPLE technique that will GUARANTEE to get you the Bartender Job of your dreams!

When I decided to finally quit my bartending job and pursue a career as a full-time Mobile Bartender, I sat and reminisced with my manager who was sad to see me leave.

“Do you know why I hired you James?” She asked.

Her reason was astonishing yet very simple.

9 months prior, when I had applying for this bartending job, I had very little experience and was coming straight in off the street. The three other potential candidates for this bartending position were already employees of the restaurant who had been there for quite some time.

I still feel a little dumbfounded at the fact that I was chosen on such a whim and thrown right behind the bar to be given so much responsibility in so quickly. Needless to say, I LOVED my bartender job at this restaurant and it was definitely hard to pull myself away from the exciting nightlife and crazy tips I received!

So why me? Why did my manager choose me over these other well-qualified employees?

It was my resume! On it I conveyed my experience as a “Freelance Bartender” with two years of bartending experience! She was so impressed to see that I was a driven, responsible entrepreneur that she just could not pass up this opportunity to hire me! She never regretted her decision for a second.

So, want to land the bartender job of your dreams?

Add “Freelance Bartender” or “Mobile Bartender” to your resume! Its that simple! It gives you added experience while establishing you as a professional and responsible business owner.

Now, I am not asking that you lie! Go out and do it! Bartend at private events! It is fun, VERY lucrative and very easy!! If you are fresh out of bartending school, or you haven’t been behind the bar in a while, Mobile Bartending is the best way to “get back in the swing of things!”

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Wedmore

Lots of people want to get a bartending job but don’t know how to go about doing it. This article will expose some of the myths of bartending jobs and show you the steps to getting your first bartending job.

The first step in getting a bartending job is getting an interview. Without putting yourself in front of the people who do the hiring you can’t get a bartending job. This step seems simple enough but many would-be bartenders get caught up in the myth of “they won’t hire me without any experience.” Please don’t misunderstand me – some bartending jobs require experience, but most do not. Experience is required at high volume, super fast paced establishments. For these bartending jobs you must be extremely efficient at making drinks and serving customers – there is just no time to learn on the job. But most establishments are not high volume and super fast paced. So why are you still hearing that they want experience?

Employers often use the “no experience” reason for not hiring as a polite way to end the conversation. The truth is that in most establishments your Attitude is way more important than your experience. Experience breeds bad habits. Many owners and managers would rather hire a “blank slate” and train them properly. But this “blank slate” must have a phenomenal attitude. It is your duty to not only develop this phenomenal attitude but to make sure it shines through during the application process so that you can put it on full display during your interview.

Here are two tools that will make sure your great attitude is conveyed during your job search. Write a cover letter and a resume. Many bartending jobs will only require that you fill out their application. If you want to be included with the group of people applying for the job and don’t want to stand out – then by all means, fill out the application. If you want to elevate yourself above the crowd – then have a really great cover letter and resume than separates you from the pack.

In order to have a great cover letter and resume you must design it specifically for getting a bartending job. Do not be generic. To write a compelling cover letter you need to tell a compelling story. Remember all the challenging situations you have been in. Try to remember even the smallest details. Is the story about how you handled an aggravated customer? Is about some obstacle you overcame? Does it show how you are a great team player and employee? Your cover letter must show -not tell- that you are a great hire. The employer needs a reason to hire you; you must give them that reason by showing how you will be an asset to their organization.

After you have told a compelling story in your cover letter you must back it up with a solid resume. This resume doesn’t have to have bartending experience on it, but it must be tailored to bartending. It should never have irrelevant information (i.e. type 90 words a minute; proficient in excell; etc.) You would be amazed at how many resumes get thrown in the garbage because the applicant doesn’t bother to even list relevant information. Examples of relevant information and experience could include: used upselling techniques to increase sales per customer visit, learned customer satisfaction is exceeding – not meeting – customer expectations, voted “easiest to talk to” in my high school yearbook. Notice that none of these bullet points requires bartending experience. You need to tailor your previous experience, no matter what it was, to fit the skill sets of bartending.

Once you have gained an interview for a bartending job by using the above mentioned tools you must then ace the bartending job interview. Interviews for bartending jobs are very different then interviews for traditional jobs. Bartending requires that you put your personality on display and you must do this in the interview. The tools that you created to get your bartending job interview will come in very handy in preparation for the interview. Since you have created a compelling cover letter and resume all you need to do to prepare for the interview is review them. Have stories ready. Be able to speak intelligently about your experiences and how they relate to bartending. And most importantly, get the interviewer to like you. If they feel like you are likeable and have a positive attitude they will think that their customers will like you and spend more money. Also, people want to work with people they like. Make it your priority in your interview to make the interview feel more like a conversation. Don’t give one word answers, put your opinions and personality on display. Talk to the interviewer about bartending and topics most likely to interest them. If you seem more like a friend then like an applicant you will get the job.

In conclusion, bartending jobs are not as hard to get as it seems. Aspiring bartenders just don’t usually know where to start. This article lays the foundation for beginning your bartending job search.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=B.J._Williams