Here’s a portion of an email I received from a student today that I thought I should feature here as it’s a topic I see come up often.

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Hey Jeremy

I just graduated from a bartending school and went in for an interview today, so hopefully I will be employed at the holiday inn but I still want to work at a nightclub with benifits and I don’t want to start off as a waitress. The school I went to was really good, the only bad thing I have to say is that she keeps sending me to restuarants that are slow and lounges and I specifically told her that I wanted to work at a nightclub or hotel close to the airport in GA so we willl see.

-Cheneal
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MY RESPONSE >>>

Hi Cheneal,

One thing I always advise my students to do is take what job offers are provided to them, even though they may not be the “ideal” bartending job for you at the time. Nightclubs are generally harder to get into because those high paying jobs are in higher demand. So by getting a bartending job in restaurant or lounge, you are at least getting your foot in the door and gaining experience.

I am not suggesting you take the job and “settle”, by all means continue to search for your ideal bartending position. When it shows up, then you simply let your current job go.

The bottom line is, bartending somewhere is better than bartending nowhere.

This advice applies to getting a barback/busser position at a busy nightclub as well. Sometimes that’s all these places have available or offer as entry level positions. Get in as a barback with the intent to eventually bartend. If after sometime they are not showing interest in promoting you, then let it go. But at least you’re playing the cards dealt to you and getting yourself out there.

All the best,

Jeremy