How to Get Started as an Independent Bartender
Bartenders are often at the center of most events. When the party is going on and people are asking for drinks, the services of a bartender will then matter the most. Whether it was a corporate event or a social one, the way it will end fall back to the bartender. This is why if you wish to get bartending jobs in events such as weddings, you need to come prepared. There are so many of them coming up, but mostly for those ready.
One major thing you will need before you can begin your bartending career is to know how to bartend with proficiency. This is best managed when you have some form of bartending training, as well as the experience in the same. You can only get some experience once you have the training. And without the experience, no one will hire you. There is heavy praise for experience in this industry, but it is something you will only acquire if you are trained. You, therefore, need to have gone through a bartending school. The training you receive there should teach you consistency and adherence to quality service when producing the drinks ordered. You will also have to get your tools of the trade. There are bartending kits each bartender prefers and proceeds to buy and keep in good condition. You can check out this collection.
When you get a wedding event job, you will have to give your estimate. Some bartenders go with a flat rate per hour for their services. Others prefer to charge as per the season, and the kind of event they are serving. You should make a point of doing some research first into the market in the area before settling on one price You can even ask other bartenders how much they normally charge, to position yourself strategically. It is important that you not sell yourself short. The idea may be to get more work, but the result will be a cheap and desperate brand image. Those who charge higher always come across as uncompromising professionals, who end up with more of the jobs on offer.
You will also enjoy other benefits for opting to get into this line of work. For one, it is a flexible career to get into. You can get to gigs you are ready to work through, as opposed to formal employment where you have to be present no matter your disposition. This is also a way for you to make more money. You are being paid by the hour, as opposed to a monthly salary. There is also a greater degree of joy from this, unlike the formal employment, since you get to serve in different events and different locations with different settings each time. This is also how you launch your own business and keep that sense of independence.