How to Become a Bartender

Choosing the Right Bartending School Brightens Job Prospects

How to become a bartender:   The job of bartender may look easy but learning the tricks of the trade at a professional bartending school can actually help an individual get better job offers. Proving to a prospective employer that you have been professionally trained in all aspects of bartending will make an employer more ready to hire you without years of on the job experience.

There are numerous bartending schools located throughout the country and you can usually find a location of a reputable one that is convenient to your home. Make an appointment with at least two or three schools to take a tour of the facilities and get your questions answered before investing your hard earned money in a bartending course. There are several things to take into consideration in order to choose the Bartending School that is right for you.

What are the qualifications and credentials of the school’s teachers and staff? Find out exactly what topics are covered during the course and if you do an equal amount of classroom study as well as practical applications. Are the facilities modern and up to date and does the bar area where you practice contain the type of equipment found at most restaurant/bar facilities today? Find out if the school’s curriculum includes alcohol awareness training as well as up to date training about both local and state laws and regulations influencing the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

The course you select should last at least a week or two in length because an individual cannot become a competent bartender in just one day or in the space of a weekend. Find out if you are allowed to use the school’s mock cocktail bar facility after hours for practice or how much practice time is allowed per student. A really good bartending school will teach a student at least 200 different cocktail preparations before the course is over. Find out if you can return to the school after graduation for refresher courses.

When touring each bartending school, ask if they provide help in placing students into real jobs after graduation and what type of graduation certificate is received. Although no bartending school can guarantee you employment after graduation, the best schools can promise to help and guide you until you find the right job situation. Check to see that the Bartending School has been in business for quite some time and is accredited as an institution of learning as well as licensed to do business.