How to Understand the Negatives of Becoming a Bartender

Member

By KathleenRoberts
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (12 Ratings)

Batending isn't always fun.

Like any job, bartending isn't a bed of roses all the time. There are a few negatives of becoming a bartender that you need to be aware of.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Understand the working conditions. Can you handle the schedule required? Can you stand on your feet for long hours? Can you deal with noise? You'll need to do all this and more. You can learn more about the working conditions by visiting the Hospitality Guild in the Resources section below.
Step 2

When you're thinking of the negatives of being a bartender, realize that you're dealing with drunk people. While this may be obvious, it is still important to think about. You will be spending your working hours dealing with lots of drunk people. Many times drunk people are not very nice. They can be violent or just plain rude. So go into it with your eyes open.
Step 3

You're working for tips. You will be making minimum wage so your real income is from tips. In some cases, this can be great. Often though, it isn't. Depending on the place you work or the town you live in, tips can be pretty pathetic. According to Miss Charming, it is typical to get $1 per drink. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for a bartender is about $9.49 per hour.
Step 4

One of the biggest negatives of becoming a bartender is that it can be very stressful. On one side you have lots of customers wanting to be served immediately; on the other side you have the boss who wants you to bring in lots of money. You have to tell customers that they have had enough--even if they don't agree. You have to remember what everyone wants and how to make it. And then there is always the worry of underage drinkers. You need to be able to handle it all with style.
Step 5

Some of the job responsibilities are not fun. There is more to being a bartender than just clocking in and mixing drinks. You also have to wash glasses and keep the bar well stocked. You will likely be responsible for cleaning once the bar closes as well. This may not be one of the big negatives of becoming a bartender, but you should still keep these things in mind.

Comments

lighthouse1958 said

Flag This Comment

on 9/20/2009 Alot of work for being a bartender. 5*

rayjsm said

on 3/3/2009 Great article. Most bartenders I know agree that the people and money are both the best and worst things about the job. They can both be great or absolutely horrible. 5* and rec