How do I be a bartender Is it enough to live on I want the

>>18267125
not sure
yes

that is the sign of a shitty bar and all your money is in tips so you don't want that anyway

>>18267155
I'm sorry

>>18267125
>How do I be a bartender

Enroll in a bartending school. Not legally required in many areas but it will show you have at least some experience. Find a reputable school that has great hook-ups for after you finish. If you're in the DC area there's one school that has a 95% hire rate for their students. The average price is around 500.

>Is it enough to live on
Depends on where you work. High-end bars with a wealthy clientele and great tips, probably depending on the city. The average dive bar? No, most of those people do it for extra cash flow.

>I want the idealized version where you're never swamped busy but not doing horribly and it's empty, a good trickle in a non partybar

There are some really high-end bars built into things like restaurants and clubs here in D.C. that cater to the elite. They aren't busy and the pay/tips are very high, but you have to be extremely experienced to work there. One or two fuck-ups and you're gone.

You also have to realize that you can't work a slow bar and expect to live off it. You either work a busy bar and get a decent amount of tip or you work a slow bar and take home your hourly and don't complain.

>>18267235
I was joking with the idealized stuff

So school is best option ? How long does school last?

I just got out of a 4 year bachelor's

>>18267283
Around 40-50 hour depending on the school.

I had a bartender friend and he was very against the schools and thought they were nothing but cash grabs.

The real skill of a bartender has nothing to do with drinks, from what he tells me. It's all about sales. Can you attract a good crowd? Are you fun and personable?

He had said "If you can't bullshit your way into a bartending job, you don't have the skills to do the job".