- 1). Attend a Washington State Liquor Control Board certified liquor license class. Bartenders are required to be at least 21 years old and carry a Class 12 Mixologist Permit, which allows them to pour and mix drinks. The permit costs around $30 and includes a mandatory three-hour training class.
- 2). Attend a food worker training session and obtain a food worker card. Bartenders handle ice, lemons, limes, and other garnishes that are served ready to eat. To legally be able to dispense these items to the public, bartenders must complete a three-hour training class and pay $10 for the food worker card.
- 3). Build your resume, highlighting experience and qualities that employers look for in a bartender. Bartending is all about personality, multi-tasking, and creativity. Focus on work or life experience that deals with these traits.
- 4). Study cocktail recipes, beer and wine information. Some employers may quiz you in an interview to see how much you know, and how well you can relate that information to potential customers. If the place you are applying to has a specialty, like Italian wines, then spend extra time studying that information.
- 5). Look the part. While you might fit into a dive bar wearing a stained t-shirt, a week-old beard it won't work in most establishments. Be well groomed and well dressed to show your potential employer that you're a professional.
- 6). Practice your interview. Have a friend or a relative hold a mock interview, asking you questions about your experience and capabilities. Showing confidence in a real interview will demonstrate to your potential employer that you're at ease talking to new people, like customers.
- 7). Search for jobs in the industry and apply to those that interest you. Local newspaper classifieds and Internet posting websites like Craigslist.com are the most commonly used outlets to find jobs in the bar industry.
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