Bartending

[WVU alpha phi]

I'm graduating in May and will be living at home for the summer, but want to move down south by September or October. I don't want to look for a "real" job just for the summer since I plan on moving, and that isn't fair to my employer. I've considered bartending at school for about a year now, but I've always had one excuse or another not to do it. The thing is, I want to bartend at home over the summer and the places I'd want to bartend (college clubs/bars, not restaurants), I'm pretty sure I'd need experience before they'd hire me. I wouldn't mind bartending my second semester, and I think it wouldn't be too difficult to get a job at one of the college bars- and the majority of the time, they train you. The thing that worries me though is that I have several friends who have bartended at these places for a couple years now, and they all told me the same thing: they were basically thrown into the job and just kinda "picked it up", no formal training really. I'm worried that at a busy college bar where everyone is drunk and impatiently waiting for drinks, the pressure is going to get to me when I'm new and still unsure of exactly what I'm doing. Does anyone have any advice on how easy bartending is to pick up, or basically just ANYTHING related to bartending in general? It's something I've been giving some serious thought to so any opinions are appreciated!

I've heard of individuals who paid hundreds of dollars for bartending school and have a tough time getting a job once they're done.

I bartended for 3 1/2 years but I started as a server, then a barback, until it was time for me to finally get my ass behind there. This took less than a year. All my training took place on "off" nights where it wasn't too busy. You definitely don't want to start off at a college bar with a rep of being rowdy and crazy. Think Violet Sanford in Coyote Ugly.

I stayed away from working at the bars near the school because I hated the college scene. Do you really want to work at a college bar? College kids are shitty tippers because they have no money. From my experience, the best tippers have been my customers in the military.

I could have easily stayed there and made hundreds a night like I used to, but after a while, if you don't get out...you'll never get out. It's not a glamorous job at all, and while it was fun while it lasted, I'm glad I'm no longer doing it.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by OTW

I stayed away from working at the bars near the school because I hated the college scene. Do you really want to work at a college bar? College kids are shitty tippers because they have no money. From my experience, the best tippers have been my customers in the military.

Small sample size, sport - it was probably exactly the opposite where I went to school.

[SoCalGirl]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Small sample size, sport - it was probably exactly the opposite where I went to school.

I think the important difference that would explain this is that you are not a hot Asian girl like OTW is!

[_Lisa_]

When I worked as a server at a local sportsbar, the only way to become a bartender was to start as a server & work your way up the chain, just like OTW said. And after seeing all the shit the bartenders put up with, I was much happier to be a server instead. Have you considered serving-try local places that aren't corporate because they are more likely to hire you without experience than say...Applebees.

[33girl]

I know this doesn't sound too exciting, but is there a chance you could maybe bartend at a VFW or something like that? I don't know if you mean you're actually living in Morgantown over the summer, but NWIH would I want to jump into bartending at the college bars there with no experience.

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

I think the important difference that would explain this is that you are not a hot Asian girl like OTW is!

Your check is in the mail.

[Symbal]

Have you tried in the Fairmont bars? I'm not sure how busy they are, but their school isn't as big as ours. Most of the most of the bars on High are very willing to train, but for some reason only want girls. (Boyfriend tried to get a position and they brushed him off and told him to apply as a bouncer instead. Lol) Pick up a book to get the basics.

For the record, a friend of mine got a job at Shooters as a bartender, and she's only a freshman. No experience. Training took about a week or so. Shooters has a high tender rollover from what I understand. Same with Z.

[WVU alpha phi]

Originally Posted by Symbal

Have you tried in the Fairmont bars? I'm not sure how busy they are, but their school isn't as big as ours. Most of the most of the bars on High are very willing to train, but for some reason only want girls. (Boyfriend tried to get a position and they brushed him off and told him to apply as a bouncer instead. Lol) Pick up a book to get the basics.

For the record, a friend of mine got a job at Shooters as a bartender, and she's only a freshman. No experience. Training took about a week or so. Shooters has a high tender rollover from what I understand. Same with Z.

Haven't checked out any Fairmont bars, I didn't even think of that. That's something I could look into, even though I'm not crazy about the half hour drive alone at 3 AM.. but it's worth checking out. I know pretty much every bar on High Street wants to hire girls, and I'm friends with the owner of Lizard and think he would hire me.. I'm just scared! I know Lizard trains its bartenders for two weeks before they start making tips and everything. I wouldn't want to try Shooters or Z though.. I've been there and seen firsthand the freshmen who don't believe in tipping.
33girl, I have considered the possibility of a "less popular" bar and might try that out. We have a couple smaller bars around Morgantown that aren't wild, college places. I don't remember who said it, but the Violent Sanford Coyote Ugly comparison really hit home!

[Symbal]

We really don't have 'little bars' that train or serve something other than beer. It seems to me that the people frequent Z/Shooters/Chasers/Lizard/Envy/etc are looking for liquor or anything better than Natty. Though Club Z is abominable, and I'd rather never go there again if I could help it.

[AchtungBaby80]

As others have mentioned, most bartenders I know (and there are quite a few since practically all of my friends work in restaurants/bars) started as servers and then sort of worked their way up to bartender. You might run up on some non-chain place that will hire and train you specifically to bartend--actually, they did that at the little mom-and-pop restaurant I used to work in--but most of the corporate places make you start out waiting tables.

Whatever you do, stay away from bartending school...everyone I know who's been says it's a waste of time and money. You can learn the same things just working in a restaurant or bar.

[DeltAlum]

When I was "living" at the Millenium UN Plaza Hotel in New York a couple summers ago, I got to know the bartender there and asked him if bartending school was worthwhile.

He said that he hadn't gone to bartending school -- but his father had owned a bar.

Hmmm...

Nothing like a little on the job training.

My opinion is that there is a huge difference in bartenders. I love to find a real "mixologist" who really knows how to make all of the traditional drinks -- not just pour a shot and add something fizzy -- or know what this years "in" college bar drinks are. Like, what the hell is a Jelloshot?

I strongly suspect (with no personal experience) that the mixologist type in a high class hotel or restaurant could do pretty well -- but that person would really have to know how to mix -- and what glass to use and how to prepare the glass, etc.

To me, those folks are impressive.

Like my former pal at the UN Plaza.