Tourism, Food / Beverage
Bartender
Overview
A bartender is responsible for preparing and serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at bars, restaurants, and other establishments. They may also be responsible for inventory management, customer service, and creating specialty drinks.
Bartenders must have excellent customer service skills, as they interact with customers regularly and are responsible for creating a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. They must also have knowledge of different types of alcohol and be able to create a variety of drinks to meet customer requests. Bartenders must be able to work efficiently and multitask, as they may be responsible for serving multiple customers at once.
To become a bartender, there are typically no formal education requirements, although some employers may prefer candidates with prior experience in the hospitality or food service industry. Bartenders must be at least 21 years of age and have a valid alcohol server certification, which can be obtained through a training program or certification exam. Bartenders may also choose to complete additional training or certifications in mixology or hospitality management to advance their skills and career.
Common tasks
| Task | Related trait(s) |
|---|---|
| Greeting customers | Amiability |
| Taking and serving orders | Activity level Amiability |
| Using equipment such as shakers, jiggers, and strainers to prepare drinks | Activity level |
| Informing customers about menu items and offering recommendations | Activity level Amiability |
| Handling payments | Activity level |
| Engaging in friendly conversations with customers | Emotional Intelligence Extroversion Amiability |
| Monitoring customer behavior and preventing over-intoxication | Emotional Intelligence Assertiveness Amiability |
| Dealing with customer complaints or concerns | Emotional Intelligence Amiability |
| Monitoring inventory levels and restocking supplies as needed | Conscientiousness |
| Following health and safety guidelines and regulations | Conscientiousness |
| Managing the bar area | Conscientiousness |
| Participating in staff hire, training new staff and managing staff schedules | Teamwork |
| Ensuring staff follows rules and procedures | Teamwork |
Soft skills measured by TraitForward
| Trait | No of Questions | Cronbach’s alpha (α) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emotional Intelligence | 9 | 0.82 | |
| Can they understand the customers? | |||
| Extroversion | 6 | 0.83 | |
| Do they understand what makes people tick? | |||
| Teamwork | 9 | 0.73 | |
| Are they good team members? | |||
| Activity level | 5 | 0.67 | |
| Can they multitask? Can they handle demanding workloads? | |||
| Conscientiousness | 10 | 0.79 | |
| Do they have a desirable work ethic? | |||
| Assertiveness | 7 | 0.78 | |
| Are they be able to convince others? | |||
| Amiability | 7 | 0.85 | |
| Are they calm? Do they respect others? | |||
Did you Know?
Source: US Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics
Median wage:
$26,350 / per year
$13 / hour
A relatively low annual wage is $17,870 (10th percentile)
A relatively high salary of the annual wage is $47,710 (90th percentile)
Expected employment growth:
Number of professionals occupied in US in 2021: 514 K
Projected number of professionals occupied in US in 2031: 606 K
Employment percent change: 18%
Find out the psychometric properties for the Bartender Traitforward questionnaire