Shifts – It’s obvious to anyone that’s ever been to a bar that many stay open late, open early and do their best business on holidays. This is great news for people who are looking for a job that can offer them a selection of different or alternative hours. If you choose to work in a bar close to where you live, you have the opportunity to not only work your own hours but also cover shifts for other people. Overtime is likely in bars, so often just because you’re down to work for 10 hours a week doesn’t mean you can’t choose to work far more often.
Social Aspects – There are two main reasons working in a bar is such a social job. Depending on the bar you’ve chosen to work at, you could find that most of your co-workers are around the same age as you and often share the same interests. This doesn’t always happen, but it’s more likely in a bar than an office or department store where a much wider selection of people will be employed. Also, because most bars rely on a much smaller selection of staff than other forms of employment, you’ll get to know people much better.
Customers – You’re guaranteed to get disgruntled, un-talkative or even verbally abusive people in a bar quite often, but you’ll also find there are plenty more that just want to have a conservation. Bar work can be a great way of meeting and talking to people you might never talk to otherwise. Serving customers can be quite stressful at times, but it can also be rewarding – especially when you get tipped!
Skills – What most people don’t realise when they take bar work — especially people who are using it as a part time job during college – is that the skills you learn in a bar can really help you in finding a job in the future. This applies even if you want to do something completely different from bar work in the long term. Skills like time management, customer service and personal reliability all are crucial for just about any job, and working in a bar is a great chance to develop them.
Career – Working in a bar is often a part time endeavour for many people, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be one of the first steps to a well paid career. Top jobs in the hospitality industry include managing hotels or running your own bar or nightclub. Depending on the country these can pay incredibly well and many people at the top have started at bartender level.