DayShift / Job descriptions / Bartender

Bartender job description: what you'll do and what to write on your resume

Applying for bartender at a bar, hotel or restaurant? Copy the duties below into your resume, then read what the interview asks.

Duties to write on your resume

Start each line with what you did. Keep the ones you've really done.

• Mixed and served cocktails, mocktails and other drinks following standard recipes
• Took drink orders from guests at the bar and entered them in the point of sale system
• Poured beer, wine and spirits in correct measures and checked guests' age
• Handled cash and card payments and kept the bar tab records accurate
• Cleaned and set up the bar, glassware, ice and garnishes before each shift
• Restocked bottles, kegs, mixers and supplies and reported low stock to the manager
• Followed food safety, hygiene and responsible alcohol service rules
• Talked with guests, handled complaints politely and closed the bar at the end of the night

No bar experience yet? Use the same lines for a family event, a school party or a food stall, and say where.

A resume objective you can adapt

Hospitality graduate looking for a bartender job, ready to work evening and weekend shifts and keep every guest served quickly and politely.

Skills employers ask for

• Mixing drinks from standard recipes
• Working fast without mixing up orders
• Talking to guests politely, in English and Filipino
• Handling cash correctly
• Staying calm during a busy night

What the interview asks

1. Why do you want to work as a bartender? Name something real, like enjoying fast service, meeting people or learning drink making.
2. Can you work nights, weekends and holidays? Answer honestly, because bars are busiest when others are off.
3. What would you do if a guest had too much to drink? Stay calm and polite, stop serving alcohol and tell your manager or security.
4. How do you handle a busy bar with many orders at once? Say you work one order at a time, keep talking to guests and ask teammates for help.

The questions every interview asks, with sample answers

How to get hired

1. Most posts ask for at least a senior high school diploma and that you're 18 or older.
2. Bring a resume, a valid ID, and your government numbers such as SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and TIN.
3. Bartending NC II is a TESDA national certificate for this work, and some employers prefer it.
4. Apply in person or online. Hotels, restaurants and bars list openings on their own pages and often hold walk-in hiring days.
5. Expect an interview and sometimes a short drink-making test.

Licence or certificate

• TESDA offers a national certificate for this work: Bartending NC II. Source

What the work is like

You're on your feet for the whole shift, and most work happens at night, on weekends and on holidays. The hard part is busy hours, when many guests order at once and you still stay friendly.

Questions

Do I need experience to work as a bartender?

Not always. Many bars hire helpers or trainees first, and you learn the recipes on the job.

Do I need to finish a course to be a bartender?

Not always, but a short bartending course can help. TESDA offers Bartending NC II.

Is bartending part-time work?

Both. Some venues hire part-time for events and weekends, others hire full-time for rotating shifts.

Similar jobs

• Waiter and food server
• Barista
• Service crew
• Restaurant manager
• Cashier

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