Jobs Magazine October 3 – October 9, 2014

JOBS RESOURCES Ready to become a BARTENDER? If you’ve been thinking about becoming a bartender, here’s the good news: you don’t need a license or any kind of certification. What you will need is stamina, an amiable personality, adaptability, and the willingness to start at the bottom. An online search of bartending schools will yield dozens of listings of schools offering training and certificates. Despite the advertising claims of most of these schools, currently there is no licensing or certification requirement to become a bartender. If you have the time and money to take a course however, attending a school will provide some basic information. They will teach you mixology, basic customer service skills, interviewing techniques, and what to expect when you get the job. Much of this information can be researched on the web, and as far as training, by and large, once a bar owner hires you, he will usually provide the necessary training. Many people get into the profession by working as waitstaff at a restaurant, catering company or hotel. Or, you might start as a barback, which is the person who works as a bartender’s assistant. The barback sets up the bar, organizing or washing glasses, preparing garnishes, just about everything a bartender would do, except serve drinks. B MP

Jobs Magazine October 3 – October 9, 2014 | Page 8