How to Write a Resume for a Bartender Job

The job of a bartender usually requires a great deal more than the ability to mix drinks. Write your resume to show that you have the skills, experience and personality to handle all of the responsibilities that go with the position in a specific establishment, including supervising or dealing with wait staff, communicating well with customers, supervisors and colleagues, handling food orders in the bar and dealing decisively with problem customers and emergencies.

Instructions

1. Begin your resume by displaying your name, address, telephone and email address in a boldfaced font at the head of the page.

2. Organize all information so that you impress your prospective employer with the things that will get you the job--the fact that you mix a great drink and work well with customers and colleagues--presented in a single page, with headings that include "Objective," "Qualifications," "Professional Experience" or "Employment History," "Education and Training" and a tagline at the bottom that says "References available upon request."

3. Make your "Objective" a brief one-line sentence that tracks the exact language used by your prospective employer and, if appropriate, describes the type of establishment in which you wish to work, such as a hotel.

4. Include a professional description of your relevant interpersonal skills under the "Qualifications" heading, with attention to your ability to communicate, follow orders and directions and handle multiple priorities simultaneously.

5. Summarize your specific relevant professional experience under "Qualifications," for example, "12 years commercial experience as bartender in Greater Seattle hotels, bars and restaurants."

6. Create a bulleted list of the last 3 or 4 specific jobs that you have held as a bartender or in related positions under the "Professional Experience" or "Employment History" heading in reverse chronological order, with a brief description of any special responsibilities in each position.

7. Specify your high school and/or college education with any honors and distinctions you have earned under "Education and Training."

8. Supplement your academic education details with any courses, certificates or training you have received in mixology, hospitality services, CPR or emergency response.

Tips & Warnings

• Write a strong single-page cover letter that shows you have the communication skills and personable but professional manner to handle the job you are seeking. Reference something in your resume that you want to emphasize, and make a point of telling your employer about your stellar reliability and work attendance record.

• Bar and restaurant owners must ensure that they are well-equipped to handle problem customer issues sensitively, decisively and professionally to prevent liability concerns around alcoholic beverage consumption and inappropriate behavior. Without going into unnecessary detail, be sure that your resume or cover letter provides evidence that you are qualified and skilled in dealing with these problems proactively.