Why Bartenders Should Get Certified
What is Bartending Certification?
A bartending license is a state certification that proves that a person has taken part in a course that teaches the law about alcohol. Possession of such certificate is required in almost all states in the United States. Some states require you to have a license before starting of work while others can give a grace period after starting the job for you to get a bartending license. You should know that a bartending license has an expiration date that ranges one to five years depending on the state in question. This is basically to keep alcohol servers aware of changes in rules and laws regarding booze.
Reasons why you need to be certified
-Having a bartending license might be mandatory where you live which makes it the first and most obvious reason why you should get certified. Of course there might be bar managers who are willing to look the other, this may only grant you a short term solution, you might want to start thinking about the long term benefits of getting certified. Even if a bar manager decides to look the other way, if an inspector happens to visit your bar, you and the bar will be facing potential fines. Not having a license puts you at risk of unnecessary bounced checks, firing without any apparent reason and making your job much more difficult than necessary.
-The second reason in no particular order for getting a bartending license is the fact that you will have an experienced bartender or professional bartending give you a couple of tips when you arrive newly. As a new bartender, you will have that opportunity and luxury of learning a few things from someone who is experienced. You may be wondering why this is necessary, here is why, it is because they tend to teach you some amazing tricks from the trade that will benefit you in the long run. These professionals teach you some things such as how to know a fake ID, how to cut someone off once they have had so many drinks, how to know is a customer is drunk and a couple of other important an interesting tricks.
These tricks and lessons are what will keep your night annoying, it will keep people from been killed in a bar fight, drunk customers from going hay wire and kids from becoming drunk due to fake ID’s. This is very important because it doesn’t matter if the kid used a fake ID, if you serve and underage alcohol or they get into trouble and the authorities find out, you as a bartender will be held legally responsible. The first class during your certification comes with a load of information that will help you in your career as a bartender and so will recertification help you too once its due.
-Another very obvious reason why you need to get a state certification as a bartender is the fact that it will help you land a job easier than one who doesn’t have one. You stand a better chance of getting a job before any other person in a state that has grace period. Most job ads will tell you that the bar is looking for a bartender with certification which is a reason for you to get certified before venturing into the world of booze.
Having a license saves the manager time to chase you around after the grace period to get certified so they would rather choose or employ someone who already has a certificate. Even if you are applying to a job where the manager doesn’t require you to have a bartending certificate, it is still better to be on the safe side and get certified so you don’t find yourself running around once inspectors visit the bar. Getting the license is a huge step towards becoming better at what you, differentiating you from amateurs. It shows you are dedicated to landing and keeping your job. Obtaining your license and getting certified just shows a bar manager you are dedicated and enthusiastic about the job and he would rather take a chance on you.
-The last and of course in no particular order of the reasons why you need to get certified as a bartender is the fact that it helps you keep your job. Having a certificate or license ensures you won’t be fired when the going gets tough. Your manager isn’t going to wake up one day and realize that he has an uncertified bartender that may cost him his job or establishment. Being a certified bartender gives you job security and confidence just like an office worker who needs a degree or series of degrees to land a job. Don’t be that person who is always worried that after the grace period you might end up fired and start all over again looking for a new job.
It is sometimes hard to get into a certification course towards the end of your grace period. Some states have these course just once a month with limited amount of spots which gets filled up easily, you may not get the opportunity to get into a course and when that happens, you become at risk of losing your job.
Tips to help you get certified
It can be hard to get into certification courses for bartenders so to make it easier, make sure you are always up to speed with information regarding it. A simple internet search is usually the easiest method of finding information about a Brooklyn bartending course schedule. Getting your license in advance presents you with a number of benefits in the bartending world. Getting certified helps you sharpen your skills and turn them into steady income, work in a comfortable and professional environment such as cruise ships and big nightclubs. There are courses that will take you just two weeks which are very effective, fast and affordable. You can learn all what you need to be the best bartender you can be.
