Becoming a bartender in Santa Clarita, CA is now easier than ever. Local bartending schools are now becoming more prominent than ever, offering individuals an alternative way to seek employment in the mixology field.
Bartenders enjoy their work and usually make a decent living when it’s all said in done. Like any profession, however, there are barriers to entry one must take part in before serving to the public.
Becoming a Bartender – The Requirements
To become a bartender in California, the most basic of requirements is that you be at-least 21 years of age. Anyone younger must wait until they meet the California state age requirements. Anyone 21 and older is considered eligible to become a California bartender.
From here, it will be a matter of doing the necessary work and diligence. If one is unable to learn how to make a variety of drinks, for example, it’s difficult to imagine them being behind a bar.
Bartending Training
It requires training to become a functional bartender. Training, however, now comes in a variety of different forms. The traditional method of becoming a bartender included putting months or even years in at some sort of restaurant establishment. The traditional means meant working up the restaurant employment ladder, from waiter to bar-back to an eventual bartender. This process, as many came to realize, was not quick. Luckily there’s a new, streamlined, version of this process.
Enter bartending school & training centers. With bartending schools now growing in popularity, many individuals are finding work as a bartender quicker than ever. With a bartender school and training center, people are given a controlled environment where they can be trained to serve drinks, as well as practice as much as they want.
To start, bartending students can apply to a local bartending school in their area. Once admitted, they will begin a series of courses and training sessions which will expedite and enhance the mixology learning process. Once all necessary training and testing is complete, bartending students must pass a final test to become certified. After a bartending student earns their official bartending certification, it is likely they will be eligible to work behind any bar. It is because of this expedited process that job-seekers are turning to bartending school at a high rate, among other benefits.
Related: How much does it cost to rent or hire a bartender?
Benefits of a Bartending School and Training Center
As mentioned, bartending schools and training centers can be a much faster way of snatching that behind-the-bar job than traditional methods. Given, there are additional benefits to attending a bartending school and training center, including;
- Hands on training from experienced bartenders
- The ability to practice in a staged bar environment
- Being free of deadlines and time constraints in the early stages of learning
- Learning alongside fellow trainees, providing a team-like environment
- All the practice time you may need
Many bartending students like to take their time while learning a variety of new drinks. Bartending schools make it easy to do so, without feeling the pressure of learning infant of customers while on the job.
Upon finishing your bartending certification program, you’re ready to become an official bartender! The progress, however, doesn’t stop after finishing a bartending school.
Becoming a Great Bartender
Once you’ve fulfilled all necessary requirements, you’re eligible to becoming a bartender. What’s next is becoming a GREAT bartender. Being an above average bartender is the difference between a regular job and a lucrative career. Here’s some tips to stand out from the rest:
Being Personable
Not a shocker! Bartending large quantities of customers requires strong social skills. You’ll be expected to not only to make good drinks, but to show people a good time. A great bartender loves to be around people and is comfortable sparking up conversations with strangers.
Memory
Bartenders are required to remember hundreds of drink variations to properly do their job. Furthermore, an above average bartender also remembers what his previous customers ordered.
A bartender than can remember one’s drink before they even ask for another one is sure to please the customer and have them coming back with a smile.
Comfortable Under Pressure
Bartenders are sure to handle pressure at some point in their serving career. With a bar full of people looking to get their drinks quick, it is expected that the person behind the bar will deliver what’s necessary in a quick and poised manner.
A great bartender handles the pressure with ease, and is comfortable handling a variety of different tasks at once. After all, the more you can handle, the more you can make.
Do you meet the criteria to become a California state bartender? Think you have what it takes to be a great one too? Take the first steps by contacting the Santa Clarita bartending school today!