Bartender


Bartender

Bartender

A bartender works in the hospitality industry and tends to customers who order for various types of alcoholic drinks (such as whiskey, vodka, and rum), cocktails (alcoholic beverages) as well as mocktails (non-alcoholic beverages). Cocktails are drinks that are made with mixing one or more types of alcohol such as whiskey, rum, gin and vodka with “mixers” such as canned fruit juices, syrups and aerated drinks (Pepsi, Coca Cola, etc.). Some popular cocktails are Whiskey Sour, Long Island Iced Tea, Vodka Martini and Margaritas.

Mocktails, on the other hand, are drinks with mixes of fruit juices (cranberry, apple, and lemon juice, etc.) and aerated drinks (Sprite, Coca Cola, etc.) without any alcohol. They can also have the same mixtures as cocktails but without the liquor and have the word “virgin” before the name of the drink, for example, a virgin Margarita, virgin Mojito (also known as Nojito) and virgin Pina Colada. Another example is a Bloody Mary (cocktail) and a Virgin Mary (mocktail).

A bartender works with various types of liquors and must have a good understanding of what combinations taste best and what amount of it should be added to the cocktails. You should know which drinks are to be served strong (high alcohol content) and which ones are meant to be mild (low alcohol content).

You will work in establishments such as 5 star and other types of hotels, restaurants, bars and luxury cruises and other beverage service establishments.

Depending on the employment agreement, a bartender can either follow a set of standard recipes to make beverages or exercise his/her set of skills through experimenting with recipes and mixes. Original ideas could also be added to the existing bar menu at your workplace.

Important Tasks & Duties

As a bartender, your basic responsibilities in the trade include:

  • Setting up the bar before opening time, by cleaning and organizing the bar counter, displaying glasses as per the aesthetics of your workplace.
  • Ensuring there is enough stock of ice, snacks, liquors (like gin, rum, brandy and tequila) and mixers (like tonic water, ginger ale, peach nectar, red bull and other commonly available fruit juices and aerated drinks) for serving the expected number of customers and preparing garnishes for drinks such as slicing, peeling and pitting fruits.
  • Greeting all customers with pleasantries and making them feel welcomed.
  • Handing them the menu, informing the customers about any promotional or discount offers before taking down their orders.
  • Knowing which drinks are to be served in which type of glass and being aware of commonly used bartending terms such as “neat” and “on the rocks” when preparing orders.
  • Checking identification proof of customers and ensuring they meet the legal drinking age before serving them any alcoholic beverages such as beer, whiskey, rum, etc. Serving alcohol to underage customers may lead to losing your workplace’s liquor license.
  • Remembering faces and orders of your regular customers to make them feel cherished and encourage customer loyalty.
  • Remembering recipes and preparing orders as per the customer’s instructions in a timeefficient manner.
  • Working with equipment such as beverage dispensers, ice shavers and cocktail shakers.
  • Knowing how to work the cashier and accepting cash as well as card payments without any difficulty.
  • Handling rude and over-intoxicated customers professionally and politely and informing the manager of the situation.
  • Coordinating and working in sync with the rest of the staff members for preparing and serving the correct orders to the customers.
  • Ensuring the business is being operated within the health and safety measures.
  • Cleaning up the bar area after closing time and keeping track of the sales and inventory of liquors and other bar supplies.

Specialization

Assisting and caring for people: Assisting people in availing of services; taking care of people in different situations; offering help and services to others.

Communicating with co-workers and others: Communicating with people in writing, verbally or otherwise inside your workplace and various other people who have professional relationships with your place of work including vendors, government officials, etc. or with people at large.

Communicating with customers: Communicating with potential and existing customers of your organisation in writing, verbally or otherwise.

Developing and maintaining inter-personal relationships: Developing professional relationships with co-workers and others outside organisations and maintaining good relationships.

Getting Information and learning: Observing, hearing, reading, using computers, or otherwise obtaining information and learning from it.

Organising, planning and prioritising tasks: Planning and organising tasks in order to achieve work goals; prioritising tasks to achieve goals and making the best use of the time available.

Performing physical activities: Performing physical activities that require use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Updating and using relevant knowledge: Keeping updated with the latest knowledge relevant to your fields of work and use of the relevant knowledge in getting things done.

SPECIALISATION TRACKS IN THIS CAREER

Barman / Barmaid

As a bartender/barman/barmaid, the focus is more on the guests than preparing the drinks. You will serve various types of liquors to customers. You will receive the orders, select the right kind of glasses as per the drink to serve (such as tumblers, wine glasses, shot glasses, flute glasses, etc.), pour thedrink in right proportion as per the order, pour water, soda or any other juices into the drink as perorder and place ice cubes if required into the glasses. You will directly serve the customer sitting at the bar counters or give the orders to the stewards.

Mixologist / Cocktail Chef

A mixologist is someone who thoroughly studies the concept of cocktails and the science behind mixing alcohol and other beverages. As a mixologist/cocktail chef, you must have a good understanding of market trends and general customer preferences to make new recipes. You must use your knowledge to create new and interesting cocktails and offer new flavours to your customers.

Sommelier

A Sommelier is a knowledgeable and well-trained wine professional who is responsible for all aspects of wine services, including pairing wine with different types of foods at a restaurant. There are also other different types of sommeliers such as Sake sommelier, Whiskey sommelier and Beer sommelier (also known as Cicerone). As a Sommelier, you will be in charge of training the kitchen staff as well as working closely with the chef to gain a good understanding of the food menu. This process will also involve a lot of food and wine tasting for you to make the best recommendations to your customers. When customers arrive, you must interact with them and get a sense of what food they will be ordering as well as what they’re spending budget might be. This will help you make the most suitable wine recommendations to them.

Career Track By Pathway

Class 10 with any subjects - Diploma in Food Production/ Food & Beverage Services - Work experience in a bar - Opportunity as a Bartender.


Once you’ve completed your secondary level of education, you can do a Diploma course in Food Production/ Food & Beverage Services. You can gain some work experience in a bar, following which you can get an opportunity to work as a Bartender.

Class 10 with any subjects - Class 11-12 in any stream - Bachelor degree in Hotel Management / Hospitality & Hotel Management / Culinary Arts / Hotel Management & Catering Administration / similar course with specialisation in Food & Beverages - Work experience in a bar - Opportunity as a Bartender / Mixologist.

After completing your secondary and higher secondary education in any stream (Arts, Science, Commerce), you can get a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management / Hospitality & Hotel Management / Culinary Arts / Hotel Management & Catering Administration or similar course with specialisation in Food & Beverages. Once you’ve completed this level of education, you can get some work experience in a bar, after which you can get an opportunity to work as a Bartender / Mixologist.

Class 10 with any subjects - Class 11-12 in any stream - Bachelor degree in Hotel Management / Hospitality & Hotel Management / Culinary Arts / Hotel Management & Catering Administration / similar course with specialisation in Food & Beverages - Work experience in a bar - A professional training in Bartending or Mixology - Opportunity as a Bartender / Mixologist.

After completing your secondary level studies, you can pursue your higher secondary studies in any stream (Arts, Science, Commerce). You can then get a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management /Hospitality & Hotel Management / Culinary Arts / Hotel Management & Catering Administration or similar course with specialisation in Food & Beverages. After this, you can gain some work experience in a bar and get professionally trained in Bartending or Mixology. Pursuing this will provide you with an opportunity to work as a Bartender / Mixologist.

Mandatory Qualification

You can do a Bachelor degree or Diploma in any of the following subjects:

  • Food & Beverage Services Operations
  • Food Production
  • Hotel & Restaurant Management
  • Hotel Administration and Management
  • Hotel and Catering Administration & Management
  • Culinary Art & Management
  • Culinary Techniques & Technologies


Following your Bachelor’s degree or Diploma and work experience in the food & beverage services in a hotel, restaurant or other similar establishments, you can take training in:

  • Bartending
Minimum Education Required
Minimum
Maximum Education Required
Maximum
Education Required
Post Higher Secondary
Education Required
Under Graduate
Description
Diploma / Certificate Programs for which the minimum eligibility is a pass in Higher Secondary / Class XII School Leaving examination.
Description
Undergraduate Degree / Honours Diploma / Graduate Diploma (equivalent to a Degree) Programs for which the minimum eligibility is a pass in Higher Secondary / Class XII School Leaving examination.

After pursuing a Diploma or a Bachelor’s degree, you can gain work experience and get hired as an Assistant Barman/ Barmaid/ Bartender. Your job specifications will depend on where you choose to work.

You can find various job opportunities at places such as:

  • Pubs and bars
  • Hotels and restaurants which serve alcoholic beverages
  • Luxury cruise ships
  • Lounges at airports and at other facilities
  • Private and corporate events

Working Climate

As a bartender, you will mostly be working behind the bar counter unless you are catering an event such as at a pool party or a beach bar. When working behind the counter, you will be ensuring that the tables, utensils and glasses are kept clean, the orders are being prepared correctly, and the customers are getting their orders on time.

This job profile is physically intensive as you are required to be on your feet for long hours constantly and may also involve lifting heavy cases of liquor or kegs of beer.

During busy working hours, there is pressure to serve customers efficiently. While this can be stressful and physically tiring, it is also essential to look presentable at all times. Most workplaces will require you to wear a uniform which may typically include ties and aprons.

Bartenders usually work on holidays, weekends and late evenings. There is not much travelling involved in this job unless you are working for a luxury cruise or are a personal bartender for a celebrity/artist/businessman.

Essential Skills

Interests

Enterprising: You should have interests for Enterprising Occupations. Enterprising occupations involve taking initiatives, initiating actions, and planning to achieve goals, often business goals. These involve gathering resources and leading people to get things done. These require decision making, risk-taking, and action orientation. 


Conventional: You should have interests for Conventional Occupations. Conventional occupations involve repetitive and routine tasks as well as fixed processes or procedures for getting things done. These occupations involve working more with data, systems, and procedures and less with ideas or creativity.

Social: You should have interests for Social Occupations. Social occupations involve helping or assisting others; these involve working with and communicating with people toprovide various services; these may involve educating and advising others.

Abilities

Emotional Intelligence: The ability to understand your own and others' emotions and feelings; empathy for others; adjusting your behaviour or self-control and self-regulation according to others' emptions and situations.

Inter-Personal: The ability to build and maintain good relationships with others at workplaces and elsewhere.

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Physical Stamina: The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a long period of time without being distracted.

Verbal Reasoning: The ability to think and reason with words; the ability to reason out ideas expressed in words.

Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Knowledge

Customer Service: Knowledge about how to provide customer services. This includes understanding customer needs, helping customers to use products and services, answering customer queries, handling customer complaints and grievances, and evaluating customer satisfaction.

Food Preparation: Knowledge of various processes, methods, techniques and tools forpreparing food dishes and serving.

Hospitality Services: Knowledge of various principles, processes, tools and equipment for offering hospitality services to customers. This includes offering various services at hotels, resorts, guest houses, restaurants and tourist destinations as well as assisting people tobook accommodation, book tickets for transportation, travel to places, get recreation, etc.

Skills

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, understanding the points being made by others, asking questions, etc. 

Communication in English: Skills in communicating effectively in writing as well as verbally with others in English language or Communication in Foreign Languages: Skills in communicating effectively in writing as well as verbally with others in a foreign language such as French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, etc. or Communication in Vernacular Languages: Skills in communicating effectively in writing as well as verbally with others in a local or indigenous language such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, etc.

Vernacular Languages: Skills in communicating effectively in writing as well as verbally with others in a local or indigenous language such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Assamese, etc.

Judgment and Decision Making: Skills in considering pros and cons of various decision alternatives; considering costs and benefits; taking appropriate and suitable decisions.

Reading Comprehension: Skills in understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Service Orientation: Skills in or keen interest to help and assist people.

Personality

  • You are always or mostly organised in your day-to-day life and activities.
  •  You are always or mostly a soft-hearted person.
  • You always or mostly trust others.
  • You are always or mostly helpful to others.
  • You are somewhat disciplined in your action and behaviour.
  • You prefer to experience new things and have new experiences sometimes.
  • You are friendly and outgoing sometimes, but not always. You prefer company of people sometimes but not always.
  • You are caring, supportive, sympathetic and kind to others sometimes.

Industrial Payout

At an entry level job as an assistant or a junior Barman, you can earn Rs. 30,000 - Rs. 50,000 per month.
At a mid-level position depending on the scale of business of your workplace, your salary can range from Rs. 40,000 - Rs. 1,50,000 per month.
At a senior level after years of experience, you can earn a salary of Rs. 60,000 - Rs. 2,00,000 per month.

Career Graph

As a fresher, you can start working as an Assistant Barman/Barmaid/Bartender at various restaurants and bars such as on luxury cruises, corporate and industrial events, music festivals and even local pubs.
Once you gain 2-4 years of experience, you can work as a Bartender or a Mixologist for a particular category of cocktails and other mixed drinks.
After a few more years of experience in preparing orders, managing inventory and supervising staff, you can get promoted to the Head Bartender.

Future Prospects

In India, pubs, bars, cafés and lounges constitute a major share of the food and beverage industry. The growing disposable incomes across the country has led to an increasing indulgence of consumers in leisure activities and a rising preference for alcoholic beverages.

Moreover, brands are increasingly focusing on factors such as varied food offerings, ambience, and customer engagement to ensure the longevity and strength of their businesses and create a niche for this segment.

In the future, the India pub bar café lounge market (PBCM) is expected to reach a value of approximately US$ 3.5 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of around 9% during 2019-2024.

For Specially Abled Persons

People with the following special abilities may pursue this career:

  • Mild Physical Disability
  • Low Vision
  • Hard of hearing
  • Dyslexia
  • Specific Learning Disabilities










Course for Bartender Profession

Professional
Vocational

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