> where is a good
> place to start working?? Any thoughts. I begin my bartending classes
> next week but I'd like to get a head start.
I've been behind a bar off and on full time and part time for over twenty
years.
I've worked in neighhood beer bars,topless bars,cruise ships,4 star
restarutrants ,chain/franchise restarurants,a 24 hour biker bar,Private
lubs,after hour bars,ski resorts,county clubs,banquet companies,a hotel,even a
resort in Mexico and some absolute gin mills.
I would personaly like to ge a gig as a regular shift bartender at fancy
hotel somewhere like A Ritz Carlton.
Take the first job you are offered but don't stop looking something else will
always come along. The easiest place to get a job is at banquet companies but
they usally only have temporary gigs.You don't need to be personable or fancy
just a understanding of basic drinks and the ablitiy to work rapidly.Tips are
not great (some places don't allow it)and the pay scale is generaly 50-100 a
gig
and you'll probably be treated with an attitude that says they know you are
temporary.
Cruise lines,country club,hotels all have the advantage of health insurance
plans and such but most corporate ventures you have to put up with a certain
kind of bs not seen in the private bars.
There are a lot of gigs as a bartender that are not worth taking and the great
jobs as bartender are almost never vacant.Ask why an opening exists if there
is a high turnover rate there's a reason for it.If you can find a new place
that's opening you can make into a great job by builing clinentele.
That's about all my mind can come up with right now.If you have a specific
question about a type a place i'll what i can do in answering.
Hope this helps
Dennis