Bartending Careers

Inherent within most bar atmospheres is a sense of excitement. People visit nightclubs, bars, and other venues that serve alcohol to be social, enjoy themselves, and lift their spirits, and bartending careers allow you to be a part of that. Not to mention the fact that bartending careers have been called "recession-proof," seeing as how the state of the economy really has no bearing on the public's desire to get out and enjoy some nightlife.

Bartending schools are the quickest route to getting bartending careers flowing. "Any kind of bartending school is essentially a shortcut," says Ori Geshury, enrollment counselor for Philadelphia, PA-based Mixology Wine Institute. "You could spend time working your way up the ladder by hosting, serving, bussing tables, and learning about the how things work that way. But a bartending school will get you there much quicker."

For example, at Mixology Wine Institute, students take 40 hours of bartending classes that teach them everything from how to make drinks, flip bottles, and recommend wines to money management and understanding liabilities. The coursework results in a certification that will give most job applicants a leg up on the competition when it comes to finding work. "You can't just be good at one thing," explains Geshury. "That's what separates a professional from an amateur. Someone who has all this knowledge and can also connect with their clientele -- these are the people that develop a following."

Additional bartending classes are offered for those who want to continue their education and perfect their bartending careers. "We're about to launch a course in bar awareness," says Geshury. "It will cover all the different obstacles bartenders can potentially run into, and how to spot trouble and deal with it before it gets worse."

Bartending careers can be extremely lucrative -- but you get out what you put in. Your bartending classes will teach you the information you need to know, but you're ability to communicate and make people feel good is what leads to your prime source of income -- tips. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of the income generated by many bartending careers is from tips alone. However, with the right combination of place of employment, bartending classes, and natural skill, many bartenders can easily earn a salary that exceeds that of most entry-level college grads.

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