What is a bartender?
A bartender is a professional working in the hospitality industry whose duties centre around preparing and serving drinks to guests. They typically serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and can be expected to have a broad knowledge of different beverages and how to prepare and/or serve them, including beer, cider, wine and cocktails. Their duties may also include tracking inventory, keeping the bar or drink-service area clean and hygienic, handling payments, conversing with customers and ensuring local laws are adhered to.
Where do bartenders work?
There are many settings where a bartender could work. Key bartender skills are highly transferable, so we recommend staying open-minded to the possibility of hiring a bartender who does not have previous experience in your particular type of business, so long as they are enthusiastic about learning. Some common settings include:
- Pubs and bars
- Restaurants and cafés
- Nightclubs
- Hotels and other accommodation settings
- Stadiums
- Entertainment venues like theatres, cinemas, galleries and casinos
- Event companies or event-staffing agencies for work at weddings, private parties, corporate events, festivals and more
- Airports
- Private members’ clubs, sports clubs and interest clubs
- Golf courses
- Tourist boats
What are bartender certifications?
To practise as a bartender in the UK, employees are not required to obtain any formal certification or licence. However, a bartender with one or more certificates or speciality courses is likely be a stronger candidate, as this may indicate a higher level of dedication and vocation. It can also be a good way of confirming that candidates possess the hard skills listed on their CV and are fully competent in them. There are various courses bartenders and aspiring bartenders can find across the UK, depending on their needs and interests. Below are a few examples:
1. International Mixology Course and Advanced Mixology Course
Offered by The Spirit Lab London Institute of Bartending, these accredited courses are aimed at beginner and experienced bartenders respectively. Participants work on building confidence behind the bar, product knowledge and cocktail-making over several intensive days.
2. Award in Professional Bartending (Cocktails/Cocktails with Pouring)
The well-known educational institute City & Guilds offers both of these qualifications in cocktail-making. The courses also cover customer-service skills.
3. European Bartender School courses
This organisation is renowned for its globally recognised International Bartender Course that promises participants six months’ worth of bartending experience in just four weeks. It also offers shorter certificates in beginner and advanced bartending, along with courses in specialised skills like flair, mixology and barista basics.
4. Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) awards and diploma
UK-based, internationally recognised WSET offers a comprehensive range of qualifications, enabling bartenders to earn certificates in different alcohol types. The beverages covered include wine (Levels 1–3), spirits (Levels 1–3), sake (Levels 1–3) and beer (Levels 1 and 2). There is also a Level 4 Diploma in Wines, which is an expert-grade certification.
Things to consider when hiring a bartender
- Part time or full time: The needs of your establishment may vary depending on the day, season or events. Many bartenders work part-time on a shift basis, while full-time bartenders are more typically found in businesses like hotels, restaurants, pubs and airports. If you only require a bartender for specific events or periods, you may want to reach out to a staffing agency who can provide you with pre-screened bartenders to meet your needs.
- Experience level: Part-time bartending work can be popular with students and people looking for extra income while perhaps establishing their careers. This does not mean that they are any less dedicated or reliable, but they may not be as experienced as those who have chosen hospitality as their career. Businesses like fine-dining restaurants, hotels and high-end cocktail bars often seek out highly experienced bar staff who may also hold professional qualifications.
- Your legal responsibilities: It is generally recommended to only hire bar staff who are at least 18 years of age. However, 16- and 17-year-olds are authorised to serve alcohol under certain conditions – such as the bar manager or licence holder approving each sale.
Related: How to recruit for the gig economy in the UK
Skills to look out for
A skilled bartender typically possesses attributes that equip them to handle drinks services – even in fast-paced or chaotic environments – helping customers feel looked after and maximising the establishment’s profits. Some key hard and soft skills to look out for when hiring include:
Hard skills
- Ability to pour and mix various drinks, including pulling pints and making cocktails
- Basic wine and beer knowledge
- Knowledge of spirits (and what they may be paired with), soft drinks and brands
- Use of POS (point of sale) system
- Inventory management/stocktaking
- Physical fitness and stamina due to the nature of bar work, with some posts requiring bar staff to carry crates, drinks cases or even beer kegs.
- Knowledge of local licencing laws
- Guidance in handling difficult or unruly customers
- Health and safety knowledge: this can include basic first-aid.
- Basic maths skills: Skills like calculating a bill and giving change may be required at times, especially in less formal settings like parties, where the bar area may not have a POS system.
Soft skills
- Customer service: a key skill for bartenders, involving being friendly, polite and personable, along with other more subtle attributes.
- Attention to detail: going the extra mile without being asked
- Empathy and listening skills: in certain settings, like pubs or hotel bars, bartenders are often expected to offer friendly conversation with patrons who may appreciate a personal touch.
- Sales skills: business owners often rely on their ‘front of house’ staff to boost profits, ‘upsell’, meet sales targets or even promote specific brands or specials.
- Time-management skills and multitasking
- Communication and teamwork skills: Bartenders seldom work alone. Their colleagues can include other bar staff, servers, managers, kitchen staff, cleaners and others, and the ability to work collaboratively and communicate clearly is highly beneficial.
Related: The argument for using a skills-based job description
Servers, sommeliers and mixologists: how do these roles differ from a bartender?
In establishments that serve alcohol, bartenders, servers, sommeliers and mixologists typically all take and deliver drinks orders, but there are several key differences. Let us break these down:
1. Servers
Servers primarily take and deliver orders for food and drinks and ensure that customers are looked after throughout their dining or drinking experience. In larger establishments, they do not typically prepare drinks. In pub settings that do not have table service, servers may only act as a go-between for the kitchen and customer without handling orders. Conversely, in smaller or daytime establishments like cafés without a bartender on staff, servers may also take on basic bar duties.
2. Sommeliers
A sommelier is a wine expert expected to possess a solid knowledge of wine. They are responsible for deciphering an establishment’s wine list for customers and making recommendations that meet their needs, then serving the wines tableside. Sommeliers are typically found in high-end destinations like fine-dining restaurants and hotels, and do not usually take on bar duties outside of wine service.
3. Mixologist
A mixologist is a bartender who has specialised in the art of preparing cocktails and mixed drinks. They are often found at upmarket cocktail bars or private events. They are generally expected to have sound knowledge of classic and contemporary cocktails and custom cocktail creation. Additionally, some mixologists have entertainment skills such as juggling and balancing tricks with bottles, glasses, cocktail shakers and sometimes fire.
Bartenders play an important role in shaping the customer experience in a hospitality setting. Hiring a competent bartender involves more than checking off qualifications – it is about finding candidates who possess both technical expertise and a flair for customer service. Taking the time to assess your specific needs can ensure you attract the right candidates to help your business succeed in a competitive industry.
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