Bartending is a really old profession that dates back to the 1800’s. People often have this impression of a bartender having a life full of fun; flirting with men/women; working late nights and making so much money on tips, that it put a white-collar job to shame.

However, this is not the case; bartending is a tough life reserved for a select few only. It is generally a 10-12 hour job—depending on your establishment—and will force you into a world of your own. You will have schedules that never end; barely any time off; and will rarely get the time for family and friends. That is off course, if you make a career out of it; which demands a level of understanding about different drinks coupled with a passion to learn and experiment not forgetting a bartending license. You will know when you reach the top; when you’re working for the best, or tossing out your own drinks which only you can get right (and others are trying to catch up).

Most people often take up bartending without having a passion for it and end up making a mockery of the same. It is a full-time job and will require your best skills; it will test your patience. But yes! Eventually a couple of years (at times even a decade) down the line you will find it fun and exciting—once you get used to the lifestyle that it presents. And although you do start off as a bartender, you will end up as a bar manager and own your own bar. Almost everyone who takes up a bartending as career option must have had this thought at least once.

Going from bartender to bar manager isn’t usually easy. You will always…

•  Not always have a warm welcome when you’re the new guy/girl at the establishment
•  Not be the only bartender
•  Be sharing the Tip Jar
•  Be fighting a ‘cold war’ with the rest to get your share of the lot
•  Have to put up a great personality when at the bar

Getting to the level of a bar manager depends on two factors. Firstly, if you don’t mind getting there; and secondly, if only want to get there. Some people prefer staying as bartenders simply because they like the life and the character that their job brings to them. On the other hand, there are some who simply take-up bartending to get better experience; but what they eventually look out for is being a bar manager. They are two very different jobs and both play completely different roles. As a bartender you have a very straight forward job, you come, do your shift and go; whereas in the case of a bar manager, you have to prepare for the entire evening or the whole day (depending on the type of establishment) check for supplies and a lot more.

The requirements for a bartender are simple, if you are in Texas, then you will need a TABC permit or an alcohol license (depending on your county or state). After that, it is all about how much effort you can put on the job that will make all the difference.

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