Author: Joe Bruno

If you’ve ever thought about becoming a bartender, there are many different ways to enter this potentially high paying and interesting field. The least expensive and hardest is find someone to train you for free because most places don’t have the time or a knowledgeable trainer.

Your second choice is buy a drink recipe book and start memorizing hundreds of recipes. Not a good idea because you may be memorizing hundreds of recipes that aren’t popular. The easiest way and most expensive is to go to a bartender school. Although there are articles on the internet from so called “experts” trashing bartending schools and calling them scams. None of them claim to have attended a bartending school or even visited one. It appears their misinformation comes from a few bartenders or bar owners and not graduates. Some bar owners won’t hire a graduate and that’s their choice. Usually, it’s because the establishment has extremely high volume and the graduate doesn’t have enough speed to handle the bar customers and servers. For every establishment like this, there are many others where a graduates skills are more than adequate to do the job.

You’ll seldom hear a negative comment about a bartending school from a bartender who has graduated from a state licensed accredited bartending school. The negative comments come from insecure non-graduates who are threatened because the graduates are more knowledgeable and better trained. Where else can you get trained for a good paying job in only 1 or 2 weeks. Especially when you and earn back your investment in a few days of bartending Not all bartending schools are equal. There are many that call themselves bartending schools but who are scams.

These are things one should consider choosing a school. Is the school state licensed? State licensed bartending schools have to meet curriculum requirements, be financially secure, have proper training facilities, and approved instructors. Can you watch a class in progress? This will allow you to talk to current students to find out they like the bartending school Does the school have a real bar and full working bar equipment and tools? How long is the training program? Beware of schools with short 1 or 2 day classes. There is no way you can learn to be a professional mixologist in less than 32 hours of hands on training. Does the school have a real job placement department and can they show you a list of current job lead? How long has the school in business? If it’s only been open a short time they could be here today and gone tomorrow.

Don’t make a decision on price alone. A cheap short bartending course may save you a few dollars but won’t give you enough practice time behind the bar to build your speed and confidence.   Be a smart consumer. Don’t make a decision on a phone call or a website. If you’re serious about working as a bartender, put in the time and effort to make sure you’re going to get what you pay for. Make sure that the school can show you a license from the state department of education?

There are many good schools that can start you on the right path..  Of course, we think that American Bartending School is one of the best.  We have been training bartenders for over 42 years.  We have thousands of contacts in the food and beverage business and helped thousands of graduates find good paying full and part time bartending jobs.

Top 10 Bartending Job Hunting Mistakes

Review the following 10 job hunting mistakes when seeking a bartending job. Correct what you can, clean up, and you will improve your chances of landing a good bartending job.

1.  Not having the proper experience or knowledge for the position you’re applying for. Just because you may know how to make a few drinks, doesn’t make you a work ready bartender. Without proper training from a state licensed bartending school or actual bartending experience you’re probably wasting your time.
2.  Don’t show up at breakfast, lunch, or at dinner time and expect to get an interview, this is the wrong time.  Go before or after these meals for best results.
3.  Don’t give your resume to a perspective employer without first checking for spelling and grammar errors; giving incomplete
information with regard to education and work experience will always raise questions.
4.  Dress appropriate for the job interview, go on a job interview looking successful.
5.  Don’t have bad breath.  Remember, you are face to face with the hiring manager.
6.  Bathe or shower before your interview, don’t overdo it with deodorant, after-shave lotion or perfume.
7.  Always smile in the interview.  Remember, bartending is a face to face business.
8.  Job seekers should give a 24 hour phone number for call backs.
9. Turn off your cell phone before going in for an interview, left on; it gives the impression that you’re not serious about being in the interview.
10. If you want to work as a bartender and don’t have any experience invest in a forty hour state licensed bartending school.  Being school trained gives an individual at least six months of work experience.  It’s an added bonus; managers will always hire professionally trained bartenders, it’s the on the job experience that you get from school that counts.

Skinny Cocktails

Here at American Bartending School we are now teaching our bartender school students how to make low cal cocktails.  Like to have a drink and not worry about the extra calories, think about ordering a skinny cocktail for a change.

We teach our future bartenders how to make their own drink mixes using sugar substitutes like Splenda to cut the calories in half of drinks that use a lemon or lime mixer.  In the old days of bartending, one of the first things that bartending schools taught students was how to make non-alcoholic mixes.  One of the original recipes consisted of fresh lemon or lime juice, sugar and egg white.  The egg white when shaken with other ingredients produces a foamy head on the drink.

With America’s bulging waistlines, some of the large chain restaurants are coming up with unique ways to make their customers favorite cocktails more slimming.  Many of these low calorie delights are less than 200 calories.  My first experience with of these slimming lavations was a Skinny Margarita.  It consisted of tequila and fresh lime juice.  Since the sugar was left out, it was a little on the tart side to say the least.

Most cocktails like martinis and margaritas have around 300 calories in them.  A couple of these before or during dinner can have as many calories as some of the low fat entrees.  The success of light beers has shown that many consumers are interested in reducing their calories, while still enjoying their favorite alcoholic beverage.

Skinny cocktails particularly appeal to women and to older consumers.  However, by the second or third cocktail, I don’t think anyone is still worrying about calories.

The Cheesecake Factory, known for its extra-large portions, now offers a full array of low calorie cocktails.  The Ram Restaurant Chain and Bakery in 5 states sell 80 calorie, Skinny Lime Bite Coolers made with Captain Morgan Lime Bite Rum and diet Coke with a lime garnish. A local Austin chain Z’Tejas  Southwestern Grill has a “Naturally Skinny” cocktail menu with six drinks under 250 calories.  They use fresh juices, spirits and natural sweeteners.

So, if you want to shed a few pounds after letting loose after the holidays, think about going on a diet of skinny cocktails every now and then.

1. You always have cash in your pocket from tips from customers. Customers on an average tip a dollar a drink. This can add up quickly on a busy shift.
2. People like you and want to become your friend because you’re at the center of the action
3. Knowing bartending is like having a job insurance policy. No matter what the economic times people like to have a drink
4. Flexible work schedule-bartending jobs are available either full or part time. Day, evening and weekend jobs.
5. It’s fast paced and seldom boring-bartending combines both physical and mental abilities
6. You can be creative-new liquors and mixes are always coming out, combine them in a unique way and invent a world famous cocktail
7. Meet interesting people-one of the great things I always liked about bartending is I met people from all walks of life and from different parts of the world
8. Upward mobility-when you’re a bartender you’re in the spotlight. Do a good job and you have a great opportunity to be promoted to management
9. Networking-have a side business that you would like to promote? Every day you’ll meet new people who may be prospects for your product or service. It sure beats cold calling.
10. The world always needs good bartenders.

The food and beverage business is one of the fastest growing in the United States. There are thousands of restaurants, hotels, night clubs and sport bars that use full and part time bartenders nationwide Travel any major street and you’ll see new places opening. It’s not hard to become a bartender. In only 2 weeks you can learn the basics to get you started right here at American Bartenders School.