I recently had a series of very disturbing experiences that have made me
really think about how much one's appearance affects one's ability to get a
job as a bartender.
A bit of background- I'm a young (early 20s) female bartender living in
Austin, TX. I have about two years of experience bartending in both a college
town and in the French Quarter of New Orleans. I attended an excellent
bartending school (they do exist!) and passed my exams with flying colors. I
have a whole page of references that will all tell you I'm one of the best
employees they've ever had. I have serving experience as well as bartending
experience. I am fairly attractive I'm told. However, I am five foot four
and I weigh almost 150 Lbs. I'm not obese by any scale and I'm told I wear it
well- most people wouldn't believe I weigh much more than 135. But nobody
would call me skinny either.
After a two month long search, I finally landed a job tending bar full time at
a low-volume hotel bar. I worked there several months before the hotel was
sold, and was hired on by the new company. The F&B manager was not. After he
left, as well as some of the wait staff, my manager told me that he had to
fight to hire me because the F&B manager had wanted to hire Sandy (who was
hired as a waitress and left at the changeover) instead. Sandy was goregeous,
vapid, and had no service industry experience whatsoever. She had only
attended a bartending school a few months prior. (this school has a dodgy
reputation.) The F&B manager had seen my resume, but not seen me in person.
The two fought it out for a week, telling me there was a problem with my
background check, and finally my manager lied and told the F&B manager that I
was prettier than Sandy. I was hired.
I would dismiss this as just one asshat manager, but then...
Last night I went to a poker tournament at one of the bars that never called
me back for a second interview. I had thought it odd, because the manager I
talked to wanted to hire me on the spot, and told me he guaranteed that he
would call me for a second interview. He said they had over 300 applicants
for 15 positions, but that I was at the top of his list. When I walked in, I
found out immediately why I wasn't called. There were probably at least 14
women working there as cocktail waitresses and bartenders. NONE could have
weighed more than 125 Lbs.
I realize that men want to look at beautiful women when they go out drinking,
and that thin women make more money for the bar, but does my experience and
talent mean absolutely nothing compared to the 25 Lbs between me and a size
six? Should I be upset or just accept it as part of the industry? Are there
places where "ugly" women like me can work? Are there bars out there where
good bartending is the most important thing? How do I find them? Has anyone
else out there had similar experience?
I'm looking for work now (the hotel bar gig is not paying the bills). does
anyone have any suggestions? Sorry for the long post, but I'm pretty
frustrated.