I hope that writing is bringing you good fortune,

Happy New Year

I’m in the UK, female, getting close to 35 but forging a career path within beverage service. I am doing a 2 year Wine Business course which incorporates the Wines Spirits and Education Trust WSET Diploma (Level 4) I’ve got distinctions already in Levels 2 and 3.

I’ve worked in pubs (called brewhouses in the US?)for many years on and off and currently in a big country pub for over a year but this does not provide any cocktail worl. I want to get into professional bartending and a Global Bartending Certificate is offered by a local Mixology School run by one of the country’s top mixologists. We dont have the plethora of scheister courses in the UK but they are all twice the price.

Even so, is undertaking such a course a good thing with intentions as I have to get into cruise ship work and 5*hotel bars? I am meeting with the school to discuss plan but it would be interesting to hear from you. I was told being female, with an English accent and massive passion for beverage service and despite my not as young as some age can and will go far in this world.

Thank you.

I’m unemployed and looking for a bar back job, and I can’t go in to 1-3 bars a week and order whiskey (i don’t do beer) and make small talk…

The small talk I can do, no problem, but I’m monna need a job to try to find a job.

Depressing.

so, here’s another way to get experience after bartending school, i.e. catering/events business.

in the process of a career change, from horrifically boring and suicide inducing work in a cubicle, (i am NOT a cubicle/office person by any stretch), i was already a massage therapist on the side, but wanted to add bartending to my bag of tricks…so having no luck getting even a barback position, i bit the bullet and went to bartending school, cause i knew i’d kick some serious butt at it, (and i do ;)

i was lucky enough to make a good connection with one of the instructors, who, upon discussion of job placement, (which they offer aid in the form of job listing), i found out the school also hires out bartenders for private events, and was grateful when she offered me a place on the list of event bartenders…that was about a year ago, and since then i have grown and become more and more comfortable with my bartending skills, and am applying to other catering/event businesses to gain more experience and confidence…hopefully within the next year i will have enough experience to be attractive to a prospective employer…cuz i would love me a good/popular dive bar :)

also, i wanted to thank you SO much for the resume tips and the above tips, i will put those in my bag of tricks for the future.

keep up the awesome blogging!
*raises a glass*

Here is my dilemma. I am 18 almost 19. I’ve shuffled around from fast food, to hard labor, to commissioned sales jobs. Trying to hold something down until I decide I am ready to enlist in the Army.

There other day I quit the sales job as I decided that is not for me. My plan is to enlist when I am 20 (the Job i want in there require 20 yrs old+)

After quiting, I sat around ALL DAY, thinking of what in the hell do I do now? I narrowed down Bartending sounds like the only thing fun and strikes an interest to me. I have NO IDEA how long I will still in the Army. My original plan was a career. But I am not at that stage of life where I don’t know what I want to do until I retire. I could see my self spending the rest of my life in war, or a bar. Haha.
I have other passions but nothing I would want to do day after day.

I came across the Minnesota School Of Bartending. It has an A+ BBB rating. (Not accredited though). They same legitmate to me even after all the NEGATIVE stuff I have heard about Bartending schooling.

My problem is I don’t have 5 years to spend as a busboy or waiter or barback. (not to mention i’ve heard worse than good about barbacks actually getting in as a bartender).
I only have 1 year to support my bills and to have fun with my friends and girl until I leave.

But I have highly considered this as something to come back to if I get wounded or decide not make a career out of it. This school offers lifetime free refresher courses. Should I take this route? or just not even bother with bartending for the time being.

Please don’t beat around the bush with your reply. I’d rather you be blunt and honest. you won’t hurt my feelings. Haha.

I’m impressed.
Although not sure if I’m impressed with you and how well rounded and spot on your views and/or experiences are or if impressed with myself for sharing those almost identical brilliant views and/or experiences.
HA
Please continue to blog – I have enjoyed your writing for years now and look forward to more.

Thanx,
Eemia

-Mike

Thanks!

I am a 23 year old student in california and I would really like to land a barbacking or bartending gig… my question is in regards to my limited experience which was as a bartender in Sweden last year for nearly 10 months and roughly 4 nights/week… it was at the busiest student pub in the 4th largest city in Sweden… is international experience credible experience? i did have to speak Swedish (which i am fluent in but does me little good in california) the majority of the time.

what do u suppose my chances are with that sort of experience? in fact, is it even more interesting than if it were in the states? im not entirely confident in the matter…

thanks!

tristan

As a fresh http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com user i only wanted to say hi to everyone else who uses this forum 8-)

As far as slowly working my way into the industry, I’m not 100% sure that’s something I’d be capable of doing. Say I followed your general guide and worked late nights while keeping my 40 hours with my current employer. The big day comes and my new boss says, “hey, blablabla called off, we need you to fill in for her tomorrow afternoon.”

Obviously the new boss would probably already know I work full time elsewhere and probably wouldn’t offer such a shift to me to begin with, but I guess my point is, even if it was offered, what could I do? Call off sick from my main job to get a random Tuesday lunch shift?

This is where I was looking to bartending school. What I want is a good contact list, a little training, and an ice breaker in an interview. I don’t wanna work Friday nights to start, but eventually, sure. Something like a rung in my ladder when I talk to a manager and see if they know of anyone who has an open night of the week I could start would be what I’m looking for.

I guess what my view of this “debate” is…Is that bartending school is not for everyone, but surely it’s for someone. Reading the posted opinions here, do you think it’s something that may be for me? If not…what’s a guy to do to supplement his life with a decent part time gig as a bartender? Or am I maybe barking up the wrong tree?