Bartending belongs to what is known as the hospitality industry. The hospitality industry includes restaurants, bars, hotels and even things like theme parks. It’s a broad category of fields within the service industry. Bartenders work in a variety of establishments so long as these are licensed to sell alcohol. Beside the obvious bars and taverns, bartenders can be found in hotels, casinos, catering and party planning companies.
Bartenders may also be serving food in some situations and be setting up tables. Busy establishments will have a bartending assistant called a “barback”. The bartender may also be responsible for doing inventory and ordering alcohol and supplies.
To be a bartender you not only need to know the mechanics of making and serving drinks, but you also need to be a friendly, upbeat, social person who can provide excellent customer service. You need to be organized and able to serve many customers at once. You may or may not have to wear a uniform. Many bartenders are very creative people who are passionate about the industry and create unique cocktails and beverages of their own design. Sometimes these cocktails become famous and are then copied by others in the industry, or the bar becomes known as “the place” to go to get these special drinks.
Being a good bartender allows you to have many career options since alcohol is found all around the globe. This job will allow you to work in many countries so you are not limited to living in your country of origin if this is your chosen career. You can work in any bar including ones on tropical resorts. According to careertrend.com: “Employment of bartenders is projected to grow 10 percent from 2014-2024, faster than the average for all occupations. High turnover is expected to result in very good job opportunities. Strong competition is expected in popular restaurants and fine-dining establishments, where tips are highest.”