Summary

The article outlines the financial and personal development benefits of working as a bartender, emphasizing its potential as a lucrative side job and a source of valuable customer service experience.

Abstract

The author, with over a year of experience in part-time and full-time bartending, shares the advantages of the profession. The primary benefit is the significant financial gain, with the potential to earn substantial amounts in a short period, complementing a regular nine-to-five job. This income has been instrumental for the author in paying off student loans and building an emergency fund. Additionally, bartending provides a structured schedule, particularly on weekends, which can deter unnecessary spending. The role also hones customer service skills, fostering resilience and confidence in handling difficult situations. The job's dynamic nature, requiring both physical and mental agility, is seen as a positive challenge that keeps the work engaging and fresh.

Opinions

Bartending is financially rewarding, offering the possibility of earning up to $600 in a single night.
It serves as an effective second source of income, aiding in debt repayment and financial security.
The job keeps one occupied during weekends, potentially reducing frivolous spending.
Interacting with a diverse clientele builds robust customer service skills and tough skin.
The author values the confidence and ability to handle criticism gained from the role.
The demanding yet engaging nature of bartending is viewed as a pro, as it keeps the job interesting and tests one's multitasking abilities.

The Perks of Working as a Bartender

These will vary from place to place. But overall, bartending can be a great side job.

I’ve been working mostly part-time as a bartender for over a year.

It was funny how I got into the industry, but I’m thankful for it — I will share that story in another blog.

Back to the point…..

Since a good amount of time has passed, and I’m now working full-time in the industry, I figured I would share some of the pros.

Side note — I’ll be fair and write another blog about the cons.

The biggest perk of bartending is, of course, the money.

It is a pretty lucrative part-time or side job to have.

For starters, it’s convenient because it can be done outside of work hours. You don’t necessarily need to sacrifice one source of income for another.

I’ve met people who have a nine-to-five and still bartend on the weekends.

If it’s a second source of income, it can help boost your finances significantly.

When I got the offer to bartend, it was a no-brainer to give it a try.

I was making payments towards my student loans (the only large debt I have), trying to bring down the principal I owed as much as possible, as well as building a cushy emergency fund since I had spent a good amount of my savings back then.

It keeps you busy, most likely on weekends, which means you’ll be working instead of spending money you shouldn’t.

To give you an idea, I’ve made up to $600 in one single night. This was on top of the money I was making from the nine-to-five I had at the time.

It’s crazy to me that I made this amount of money in one night when in other jobs, it took me a whole week to earn this much.

And, like I said, having my weekends booked with work made it much easier to say no to other things that would have taken money out of my pocket.

Another perk of bartending is the customer service experience.

I’ve met all kinds of people bartending. I mean ALL of them.

Working in this industry has helped me build tough skin.

You will deal with difficult people, and having the skill set to be able to handle a difficult person is a huge plus!

This has also helped me gain confidence which has impacted other areas of my life — I can deal with any difficult situation and put myself (and my work) out there without being afraid of negative feedback or criticism.

It’s a challenging job that keeps you on your toes.

Depending on your perspective, this could be a con, but I think it’s a pro.

As a bartender, you have to learn not just the basics of bartending and typical cocktails. You also need to memorize the signature cocktails or specials a restaurant or bar may have.

It is both a physical and mental challenge since you need to keep the bar clean and organized and make drinks at the same time while offering good customer service.

When I work, there’s never a dull moment. Every day is different, which helps keep things fresh.

So here are the pros of bartending, in my humble opinion.

I’ve only been in this industry for a little over a year, but I’m sure many bartenders would agree with some of these points.

If any of you are interested in how to start bartending or are just curious about mixology and would like to learn how to make cocktails feel free to ask questions in the comments.