“How to get a Bartending Job Interview in Three Days or Less”
Four years ago I had no idea how to get started in the bartending business. I went to bartending school like most people hoping to become a bartender fast without having to spend years “working my way up.” If I knew what I know now, I could have saved $2000 in tuition, loan interest, gas, as well as saved a lot of wasted time and effort, and rejection.
On a weekly basis I would read all the colorful ads of fun places to work advertising bartending positions and all the money I could make. “See us in person from 2 – 4pm Tues- Thursday. Hiring all shifts and all positions!” I traveled from restaurant to restaurant, club to club, wine bar to wine bar, across the city with my resume talking to hiring manager after hiring manager, filling out application after application.
All I heard was, “We’ve already filled that position” and “You have to have a few years bar experience to get the job.” Now I know, only 10% of bartending jobs are advertised, and advertised bartending jobs are highly competitive because of the overwhelming demand and how many people see the ad. I didn’t want to waste anytime, and I thought by going to bartending school, I wouldn’t have to.
Many of these “job leads” I was running after came from the bartending school, who basically just took a few listings from popular local newspapers and sent them via email. This was one of their selling points, they would help me find a job after graduation. By “helping” they meant send me advertisements I could find in the local popular entertainment rag.
Some ads that advertise job openings in restaurants are just plain fake to get people in the door and their phone ringing (this may sound crazy, but is true) or to fill their “application pool.” They had never planned on hiring anyone that day or week. How frustrating is that?
I thought I must be missing something and I was. That is when I discovered some secret ways to get high paying bartending gigs without experience or years of waiting tables.