Many occupations require specific knowledge and skills that require extensive study to master. While college prepares young minds with the educational foundation for future success, work experience in a variety of environments is extremely beneficial. Bartending provides college students with work related skills that add to their “character resume.”
Improving Work Performance
An article titled, "How to Assess Your Skills to Become a Good Bartender," highlights the traits of a good bartender. Bartending requires a great deal of multitasking to successfully meet the needs of thirsty customers. Making five drinks at the same time is difficult but only gets harder while looking out for new customers, checking the ice, and cleaning glasses. During busy times, these skills allow a bartender to handle dozens of requests while still effectively managing time and energy to ensure happy patrons.
The “rush rush” bar atmosphere prepares college students for any future career. Employers look for potential candidates that are more than one dimensional. Handling a multitude of tasks, while maintaining focus and composure, is critical for any profession. Bartending offers an opportunity to hone these life skills and translate them to a future career.
Decreasing Stress at Work
During busy times, there is very little in a bar that is not stressful. Hundreds of people screaming for drinks, drunks sometimes getting carried away, and a loud atmosphere raise the blood pressure. Maintaining composure in this environment is necessary for success. “Blowing up” at a customer could lead to losing business, bad tips, or maybe getting fired. A bartender must always appear calm and in control, even when a stress levels are high.
Bartending will prepare students for the stressors of the working world. After spending a few years bartending, the chatty office gossip will not lessen a good mood. Extra work loads passed down by bosses are accomplished with greater composure and a positive attitude. Furthermore, when other people are stressed on the job having experience as a bartender will prevent a “reflection” of negativity. This means that while others' stress levels increase because the environment is stressful, someone with bartending experience will remain calm and collective.
Successfully Selling Customers
There are three important considerations to earn more money as a bartender.
- Increase volume of sales per customer
- Increase the number of customers
- Increase percentage of tips
A bartender knows that up selling more expensive alcohol, developing a regular cliental basis, and having a personality and quality of service that increases tip percentage means more money. After a few months of experience, bartenders learn selling techniques that ensure more money for the same number of hours worked.
In all areas of business, selling oneself is critical for success. Sales are a huge component of interviewing, a potential employee selling themselves to get a job. Bartending prepares students with sales skills that propel career opportunity and growth. While bartending, students learn that “how you say it” is just as important as “what you say.” Steady streams of new people force bartenders to quickly adapt to individual preference, a skill that is paramount for success with many businesses or even as an entrepreneur.
Improving People Skills
Bartenders interact with a variety of individuals, all with personalities as unique as the next. Encountering such diversity night after night forces bartenders to adapt to personal preference. Bartenders learn that all people should have equal treatment, but not everyone likes being treated the same way. Some customers are very chatty, others want to “unload” their bad day, and sometimes a few just keep to themselves. Quickly recognizing these individual preferences is necessary for success.
The quick dissection of individual personalities is beneficial for life long career development. As the economy changes, workplaces are adjusting to new trends and businesses are increasing interactions. Developing the skills to quickly assess, identify, and adapt to new environments and people is learned while bartending. In this respect, bartending offers students the chance to always remain a step ahead of the competition.
Gaining Work Experience in College
Bartending is a great opportunity for students to develop skills not learned in the classroom. The work related skills learned in the bartending environment can add to a student's ability to perform after graduation. College is a time of learning but is also a period of preparation for a career. Bartending is an occupation that is flexible around a student's schedule but still allows development of desired work related experience. In a work environment where employers are looking for a strong work background, bartending will add work experience to any college graduate looking for their first job.
Sources
Buzzle.com, "Part-Time Jobs for College Students" (accessed on 4/20/2010).
HowToDoThings.com, "How To Assess Your Skills To Become a Good Bartender" (accessed on 04/20/2010).
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Keith Cronin - Keith is a physical therapist in the St. Louis area and enjoys writing on the topics of health, sports, and education. Keith provides ...
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