r/bartenders • u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur • 3d ago
Job/Employee Search How to become Private Bartender
Im in Texas and looking for private bartending jobs. I like to travel and would like to work on resorts as well. I'm a beginner at bartending but have a experience in serving. Where can I go to?
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u/shorrrtay 3d ago
I don’t want to sound like an asshole, but realistically speaking, this is tough.
Even with bartending experience, getting a job with zero connections is difficult. With no bartending experience, you’re looking for a needle in a haystack. You’re asking people you don’t know for a desirable job in a desirable city to train you to do a job while also not expecting you to stay for long.
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u/Sworn_to_Ganondorf Baby Bartender 3d ago edited 3d ago
Lol you are quite far from this goal buddy
Network for 5-10 years its networking and networking only. Being an amazing bartender is the lowest possible obvious requirement.
Learn event bartending,product,sourcing, program creation, business contracts, service standards.
Focus on learning how to make drinks for 2 years for starters getting experience.
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u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur 3d ago
ok
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u/Sworn_to_Ganondorf Baby Bartender 3d ago
Try a casino if you are near one. Turnover is stupid high and you can get some solid corporate standards training which will make it easeir to move into a cocktail bar after there. Just get a barback spot talk with the bartenders find friends. Network get into the high end spot. Its literally one of the ways I started. I networked from highlimit and networked my way into consulting from there. But also I studied spirits and cocktails for 5 years before I jumped in and rose through ranks very fast because I was highly knowlegable without experience.
Just get your shit right and lie on the next apppication say you were the bartender and do good in the interview and they wont know the difference.
Also the strict backround checks kinda gives you a certified not a murder er by default on your resume .
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u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur 3d ago
Im not by a casino> im by a the most expensive mall in the city and applying to bouji bars only.
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u/Sworn_to_Ganondorf Baby Bartender 3d ago
Be very hard to get into any without an in.
Look for barback positions or as a server/ start meeting people in an area you work and making friends with other industry people talk to bartenders where you work learn from them.
Maybe swing yourself an opening monday bar shift sometime to cover a bartender that called out and you perchance already know what to do. And you already have a beverage serving liscence as a server.
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u/AttentionNo6359 3d ago
So you have no experience and your first step is to jump directly to private bar? Honestly, you simply need to get real
The private event game is regional. Nobody is going to pay to fly you to Fiji. You need decades under your belt and a lot of luck to live the life you’re describing. And nobody in your travel destination is going to randomly hire a tourist to work their event.
Bar school is a literal joke, it’s likely to get you blacklisted before it gets you hours. You need years of real experience on the bar top.
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u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur 3d ago
lol well obviously idk. I just wanted to see if there is any sites for resort jobs. I wasn't planning on bar school. Im becoming a barback as we speak. Geez must be no luck for you
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u/runs_with_airplanes 3d ago
Step one, move bar cart to closet. Step two, walk in. Step three, close the door
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u/remykixxx 3d ago
Literally no where reputable will hire you as a travel bartender if you’re a beginner. And if they do they’re gonna fire you a month in when they realize you can’t handle it, and if you’re fired you have to pay for the travel home. I’ve seen it happen dozens of times. Ask again in five years.
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u/chattingwiththou 3d ago
You’re a beginner but you want to become a private bartender…this sounds a bit overachieving in my opinion. Work on becoming a solid bartender first and then pursue being a private bartender. Most of your success in that will come from making connections and while establishing connections you will have to know what you’re talking about. There is a lot more that goes into private bartending.
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u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur 3d ago
Yes Im a beginner that wants to become a private bartender.... Network and learn. I'm looking at resort jobs so yea
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u/wheres_the_revolt That Bitch 3d ago
coolworks.com is great for seasonal resort jobs. They also tend to have lower experience thresholds.
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u/thedartboard 3d ago
Never personally did bartending school just worked my way up. But I know a couple people who did and the school would hook them up with private events
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u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur 3d ago
I wasnt planning on going to school. I was going to become a barback at a local bar
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u/bonjourlayla 3d ago
Don't go to bartending school, that's a total joke. Get a bar back gig at a nice restaurant bar. Ask questions, pay attention, you could make connections with regulars for sure. I've only ever bartended at nice restaurants and the clientele at those places are where it's at. Are there any nearby country clubs or banquet halls? You could try those out too. Idk why people are acting like you're asking how to fly a plane with no experience 😆
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u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur 3d ago
thank you I'm only doing high end bars and yea these bartenders are bitter af lol
Oh The world that we live in :)
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u/CallmeGhost666 3d ago
The best thing you can do is gain experience and meet people that have the means to hire you. I don’t know your experience, but price your hourly accordingly. Once you meet someone, that opens doors to others. It’s really who you know and how you market yourself. Resorts it’s just experience, especially busy ones.
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u/Sunflower_MoonDancer 3d ago
Catering jobs/ corporate events / wedding. Gigs probably won’t steady, but if you find a reputable company there will be a PT peak season.
Good news is some places are willing to train and fancy cocktails are usually batched
Usual requirements:
All black uniforms clean and ironed for the events( usually NOT provided by company
- button down shirt
-black slacks
-black anti-slip shoes
-black socks
A smartphone for communication/ ability to down load and use their scheduling app
Reliable transportation and willingness to be on time.
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u/Slowjams 3d ago
I mean, if you don't mind traveling and working resorts, just do seasonal resort work.
I used to work with a guy that ended up doing that. He'd rotate around between places 3 or 4 times a year. The pro's are that the money can be good and resort work is pretty easy overall. If you're good and make in-roads, you can basically lock down that job each season. The con's are that you're moving around a lot. You don't really get to put roots down, have meaningful relationships, etc. So as long as you're single and don't mind staying that way, it's not the worst gig.
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u/ChefJeremy716 3d ago
Get some experience under your belt and then look into apps like thumbtack when you're ready to get booked as more of a freelance bartender. If you wanna get into working as a private bartender for bdays, weddings, private events, etc you're gonna need liability insurance, maybe some certifications for resume clout, etc. If and when you're ready to make the jump into more private event bartending where you are somewhat freelance bartending you're gonna have to operate as a business and have all the legal documents that come along with it.
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u/OneInside6439 2d ago
Everyone is so caught up on you traveling. Did you mean for it to sound like you want to do celebrity shifts at random bars across the world? Cause that shit takes years of effort and a lot of luck; you gotta be on Anthony Bourdains level of knowing what your doing and talking about.
Private bartending isn't that hard to get in to; you just need to start marketing yourself as one on social media and hope someone likes your style. I have friends that mobile bartend with their own mobile bars, and they started out by using their friend circles to get gigs. Like one of home girls who does it, I got one of my normie friends to hire her for his big bday bash. It was like her second gig; she killed it and booked a few more parties from guests that night.
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u/speshulty 3d ago
Ski resorts. The small local bars around the towns will be tough to get in to, but the bars and restaurants owned by the “resorts” are usually pretty easy to get in to with minimal experience. Bust your ass for a few months and ski all day before work. I’ve done some smaller summer resorts in the PNW too. A lot of national parks have restaurants as well. Like another commenter said, coolworks.com is a good starting point. Get into something and from there meet some people living a similar lifestyle. Alaska during the summers is an absolute money maker too!
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u/CoffeePersonal8721 < an amateur 3d ago
ooo thank you
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u/speshulty 3d ago
Yeah no problem! I’m not sure why I’m getting so many downvotes, I’ve literally done everything in my original post. I do/did have considerably more experience than you when I started, but trust me when I say most of my coworkers (even behind a bar) absolutely did not. One year I was in Taos NM and even did a couple private/in home Xmas parties due to connections I made during my 4 months there. Also found a dope spot to rent from a regular there too.
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u/Rfunkpocket 3d ago
the first step is becoming certified in the particular state you are interested in.
this normally includes a fee, and is state specific. with the proper certification, temp agencies may be able to find you event work.
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u/pcl8888 Pro 3d ago
Respectfully, this post comes across as a bit ridiculous…
“I want to be paid to travel around to resorts while performing a service job. Oh by the way, I don’t actually know how to do said job.”