Career options in bartending – Part II

Ranjan K Baruah *

A bartender is someone who serves beverages behind a licensed bar to paying customers. The bartender mixes and serves drinks, and the majority of drinks a bartender is making contain alcohol, such as beer, wine, liquor, liqueur, coolers and cocktails.

They also serve water, juice, pop and other non-alcoholic beverages for customers who do not wish to drink alcohol such as a designated driver or a non drinker. In some establishments, the bar tender might participate in flair bartending, which contributes to the entertainment in the bar.

Bartenders are expected to be able to mix hundreds of types of drinks to please any paying customer in a quick, accurate and unwasteful fashion. Bartenders with professional experience and graduated from bartending schools gets better employment opportunities due to their ability to handle customers and other required skills.

The best part is there is no specific formal degree or qualification required for this career. However, some of them enter this career after completing a course in Hotel management or a certification course in Bartending. Now due to demand in this field those students in hotel management and hospitality field are taking short term courses in bartending as an add on to their skill.

Job prospects for this career is now much more than earlier in India with the mushrooming of hotels, resorts and night clubs. Bartending jobs are available both as part time and full time. In fact, Bartending is one of the best part-time jobs available to college students.

Strong competition is expected for bartending jobs in popular restaurants and fine-dining establishments. Those who have graduated from bartending schools and those with previous work experience and excellent customer-service skills will have the best job prospects.

Students from hotel management have more scope to join this profession. Any one may try and become a successful bartender. Earnings vary greatly, depending on the type of establishment. Further wages vary from country to country, however in most cases bartender’s tips are higher than wages.

A good bartender with experience is always in demand. Bartending has always been a male-oriented business. This is a fact not only India but abroad as well, though the percentage of female bartenders definitely is much more in the west.

Some students might not like this as they might be against bars and pub culture but the fact is different and it brings opportunity for many young people. With the ‘pub culture’ becoming widely popular across the country, bartending as a career is also gaining wide popularity in India.

There are courses like – Mixology & Flair Bartending, Professional Bartending Course, Advance Bartending Course, Craftsmanship Course in Bartending, Certification Course in Wines & Spirits, Molecular Mixology Course, Basic Flair Bartending, Certification Course in Blair Flair, Exclusive Bartending Course, etc. Most of the institutes offer direct admissions to the certificate and diploma courses in Bartending.

The minimum eligibility criterion for Bartending certificate and diploma courses is 10+2 in any stream. Success depends on motivation, training and required skills. This is something new in the region but as the demand has increased so there would be more demand for individual who have experience in this area.

Update: CDS Exam: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification of Combined Defence Service (CDS). Aspirants willing to apply for CDS Exam 2019 can apply through the official site of UPSC at upsc.gov.in. Individuals would be selected for Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. The last date to apply for the posts is set till 26 November 2018. The examination will be conducted on 3rd February 2019 across the country. The aspirant will have to be a graduate from recognised University/College/Institute to apply for the same.