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Bartender Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

A Bartender, or a Mixologist, works at a bar, hotel, restaurant, or special event to increase sales and attract customers by offering quality cocktails. They mix and serve drinks, take orders, and help ensure that guests have a fun, relaxing experience.

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What does a Bartender do?

Bartenders serve customers quickly to help businesses run smoothly, and they’re essential for companies that want to offer delicious cocktails. Their duties include taking orders, making drinks, keeping the area around the bar clean, restocking supplies, and talking to customers and fellow staff.

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Bartender Job Description Examples:

Bartender duties and responsibilities

Bartenders need to finish tasks quickly so that businesses can serve more customers. They help ensure that guests are pleased, engage them in conversation, and encourage them to spend more time at, and make additional purchases from, the establishment. Duties and responsibilities for a Bartender may include:

  • Collecting payments from customers
  • Operating point of sale terminals and providing bills to customers
  • Cleaning the bar and the area around it
  • Hiring and training new employees
  • Operating blenders, coffee makers, ice cream makers, and other equipment
  • Washing glassware and bar utensils
  • Monitoring bar inventory and ordering supplies and ingredients when needed
  • Ensuring compliance with federal, provincial or territorial liquor and food safety regulations

Bartender skills and qualifications

Successful Bartenders usually have friendly personalities and the ability to interact with many different types of people. They can be professional while being entertaining and encouraging a fun atmosphere. Bartenders may need to stand for long periods and do physical work like moving heavy boxes. Some establishments require uniforms or specific dress codes for bartenders. Top skills and qualifications for Bartenders include:

  • Outstanding customer service skills
  • Written and verbal communication skills
  • Basic math skills and the ability to keep track of customer tabs
  • Food safety and preparation skills including an understanding of how viruses and bacteria can spread
  • Mixology or the ability to make traditional cocktails and create new ones
  • Familiarity with local liquor laws and the ability to enforce them

Bartender experience requirements

Most Bartender jobs require at least a year of bartending experience or experience as a Server, Host or Hostess, or Front Desk Agent. It is not uncommon for entry-level Bartender jobs without requirements of any prior experience, though.

Bartender education and training requirements

Most Bartender jobs require a secondary school diploma, and some look for applicants who completed bartending school or a bartending course. Many provinces and territories also require a license or certification for Bartenders who serve alcohol. Bartenders who also serve food will need additional food safety certification. It’s common for employers to provide on-the-job training for Bartenders.

Bartender salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Bartender is $14.09 per hour. Individual pay levels vary depending on experience, education levels, the company, and the location of the position.

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Bartender isn’t exactly what your company is looking for, here are some similar job description samples that could satisfy your needs:

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Bartender job description FAQs

How is a Bartender different from a Barista?

Bartenders serve alcohol, check customer identification to prevent underage drinking, and comply with liquor laws. They also become acquainted with regular customers, keep the bar clean, and make sure everyone gets their orders on time. Baristas take care of many of the same tasks, but they don’t serve alcohol. Instead of mixing cocktails, they use espresso machines and other equipment to create many types of coffee drinks. While Bartenders usually work in the evening and at night, Baristas are often busiest in the morning.

Who does a Bartender work with and report to?

A Bartender usually reports to a Manager, Assistant Manager, Bar Manager, or Shift Supervisor. Some Bartenders in smaller establishments report to the owner, and they may spend some of their time working without direct supervision. Bartenders often work with Servers, Cooks, and Hosts or Hostesses, and they sometimes train new employees.

What makes a good Bartender job description?

To write an outstanding job description, include an overview of the company, and its values and culture. Candidates should also know what their responsibilities will be, what a typical day will be like, and the skills, training, and experience levels desired. To help increase applications from suitable candidates, mention any benefits that come with the position. Many establishments offer discounts on food and drinks for staff.

What should you look for in a Bartender resume?

You should look for a Bartender resume that shows experience working at a successful establishment in a similar environment to the position you’re trying to fill. For example, sports bars should look for Bartenders who have a passion for sports. A business that introduces new cocktail selections and menus often will need a Bartender with mixology education or experience.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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