Many people want to know how to become a bartender and what skills you need to possess before deciding to look for a bartending job. Also, one of the most frequently asked questions is whether you should go to a bartending school or take an online course.

The truth is that many online resources, even those designed to help aspiring bartenders, often provide incorrect information. As a result, many myths circulate on the Internet about the correct procedure to become a bartender.

I will focus on the requirements to become a bartender and show that it may not be as difficult as you think.

Minimum age requirements

To be a bartender, you must meet the minimum age requirements. In certain states, you must be at least 18 years old to bartend, while many states require you to be at least 21 years old to serve, serve, mix, and sell alcoholic beverages.

Age requirements by state (including the District of Columbia) are:

Alabama: 21, Alaska: 21, Arizona: 19, Arkansas: 18, California: 21, Colorado: 18, Connecticut: 18, Delaware: 21, District of Columbia: 21, Florida: 18, Georgia: 18, Hawaii: 18, Idaho: 19, Illinois: 18 (some cities 21), Indiana: 21, Iowa: 18, Kansas: 21, Kentucky: 20, Louisiana: 18, Maine: 18, Maryland: 18 (some cities 21), Massachusetts: 18, Michigan: 18, Minnesota: 18, Mississippi: 18, Missouri: 21, Montana: 21, Nebraska: 19, Nevada: 21, New Hampshire: 18, New Jersey: 18, New Mexico: 21, New York: 18, North Carolina North: 21, North Dakota: 21, Ohio: 21, Oklahoma: 21, Oregon: 21, Pennsylvania: 18, Rhode Island: 18, South Carolina: 21, South Dakota: 18, Tennessee: 18, Texas: 18 , Utah: 21, Vermont: 18, Virginia: 21, Washington: 21, West Virginia: 18, Wisconsin: 18, Wyoming: 21.

In addition to meeting the age requirement, aspiring bartenders must have a clean criminal record. In other words, you must have no prior felony convictions.

Social skills

Working behind a bar means that you will be dealing with people. Fun people, less fun people and intoxicated people. A bartender is able to communicate easily, understands how to interact with many types of people, makes small talk on any topic, and engages with his customers. Bartenders are often seen as social creatures with many friends, a large network of acquaintances, and connections throughout their community.

While these qualities can be enhanced through experience, it will definitely come in handy if you are comfortable with people, love to interact and entertain, and be in the center of everyone’s attention. Being shy, introverted, or uncomfortable when engaging in conversations with others will be a disadvantage in this profession.

good manners

A bartender’s income largely depends on the tips he receives from customers. It goes without saying that a good bartender will treat each and every customer with great respect and demonstrate good manners when interacting with customers. This can make or break your income, as satisfied customers show their gratitude by tipping the waiter.

Being courteous when serving customers, and being courteous even when a customer is not, is a quality that every well-trained bartender must develop. At the same time, knowing when to demand respect from others is just as important as treating them with respect.

Be aware that there will be days when things will not work out. You may have a bad day, feel depressed, tired, or have something bad happening at home. Good bartenders understand that these things shouldn’t affect their performance or the way they treat their guests. Being able to put the negatives aside is what will make or break your bartending career.

Patience

Serving alcoholic beverages to customers includes dealing with customers who are overly intoxicated. Many times, the bartender will have to stop serving customers who get too drunk. And don’t expect them to take it lightly. Too many times, you will have to explain your decision to someone who can barely stand.

These types of clients will test your patience on more than one occasion. It is your job as a bartender to understand that your judgment is affected and to be patient at all times.

Good condition

The bartending profession is not for you, if you are looking for a job where you can sit back and relax. Working a busy shift means being on your feet for several hours and running around to restock your bar. It is quite common for beginning bartenders to experience a numb sensation in their legs after working a busy shift.

Working as a bartender has some amazing benefits. You can sleep late and wake up whenever you want. At the same time, working night shifts has some downsides that may or may not affect you. Risks include insomnia, problems with the digestive system, depression, and even heart attack.

Anyone who works as a bartender must take care of his body and mind. Understand the risks of your profession, eat healthy, get enough rest and exercise regularly. Only then will you be able to enjoy your long-term career.

Great sense of humor

Everyone knows that waiters have a great sense of humor. They are fun, outgoing people who are there to entertain the crowd. Having a positive attitude, smiling, sharing laughter with people, and being optimistic is what is expected of any bartender.

Keep in mind that having a great sense of humor means that you should also be able to laugh on your own. During your career as a bartender, situations will arise in which you will be the clown. You can slip on a wet floor and land on your back, you can clumsily break glasses or say something stupid. Having a great attitude about it and using these situations to entertain your guests would be the best way to go.

Honesty

The bartenders handle a lot of money, as most customers pay in cash while at the bar. This means that you will have a great responsibility towards your boss and the establishment where you work. Being professional and honest are just basic requirements expected of any bartender.

A known dishonest practice is serving drinks, charging customers, but never calling for drinks. Bartenders who rely on these kinds of short-term tactics for more income can count on immediate termination of their employment. Not to mention, they display a complete lack of integrity, which can prove disastrous in this profession.

Bartender skills

One of the biggest myths about becoming a bartender has to do with education. Many resources state that you need to go to a bartending school or take an online course to become a bartender. This is not true.

To start working as a bartender, you will need to meet the age requirement and be able to get a bartending job. It is not necessary to acquire certifications or licenses. You will need a basic understanding of bartending terms and methods and a basic understanding of the most popular drink recipes.

Going to a bartending school or taking an online bartending course can help you, for sure. However, this is not mandatory. You are free to develop these skills on your own, which means that you can learn and practice at home. In this case, the Internet will be your best friend, since whatever information you need is already online.