What is a bar staff?
Bar staff, also referred to as bartenders, are mainly employed to serve drinks at pubs, restaurants and other establishments which are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages.
As a bar staff, they are responsible for maintaining the supplies and inventory for the bar and confirming that customers meet the legal drinking age requirements before serving them alcoholic beverages.
How to become a bar staff?
You can take a college course to learn some of the skills and knowledge needed in this job, which will help you find work in the industry. Courses include:
- Level 1 Award in Introduction to Employment in the Hospitality Industry
- Level 1 Award in Professional Food and Beverage Service Skills
- Level 2 Certificate in Professional Food and Beverage Service
You could do an intermediate apprenticeship as a hospitality team member.
This will usually take 1 year to complete. You’ll do on-the-job training and spend time with a college or training provider.
Bar staff duties
Bar staff duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Greet customers, inform them about daily specials, and give them menus
- Mixing beverages using an extensive range of ingredients including liquor, bitters, soda, water, sugar, and fruits
- Check identification of customers to ensure they are of legal drinking age
- Taking beverage orders from customers or wait staff and serving drinks as requested, paying extreme attention to detail
- Manage bar operation and order and maintain liquor and bar supplies
- Manage bar operation and order and maintain liquor and bar supplies
- Slicing, pitting, and preparing fruit garnishes for drinks
Bar staff skills
To be an effective bar staff, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Communication and listening
- Extensive Knowledge of Drink Mixing and Garnishing
- Discretion and honesty
- Friendly personality and the ability to make conversation with new people
- Flexibility and diplomacy
- Clean and neat
- Handling drunk clients
How to find a bar staff job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the bar staff jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for bar staff jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
Bar Staff Job Titles
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the bar staff jobs near you, you need to:
- Bartender
- Barkeep
- Barman
- Mixologist
What does a bar staff do?
The job of a bar staff varies depending on the job role and the company you’re working for. Check the duties and responsibilities of bar staff job advertisements to find jobs that best suit your skills and experience.
The day-to-day tasks of a bar staff include;
- Greet customers and create a welcoming atmosphere
- Use a till to take orders and payments
- Handle cash
- Serve drinks at the bar or at the table
- Keep the bar clean and well stocked
- Give advice on drinks to suit customers’ tastes
- Collect glasses and wash up