A resume is one of the most important parts of the job hunt. When you are applying to jobs online, it is vital that you send in a compelling resume.
Most job seekers do not appreciate how important it is to make a first impression. If you send in a resume for a job, and that resume doesn’t immediately impress the person who is reading it, then you are not going to get the job.
For this article, the main topic will be whether or not Bartending looks good on a resume. It’s a common question for people who are looking to transition out of the service industry and find work in a professional setting.
If you are someone who is working as a bartender, and you are looking to put together a resume, then this info is going to be extremely helpful.
Let’s get started by discussing if you should even list bartending on your resume.
Should You Put Bartending on a Resume?
You should only list bartending on your resume if one of two things are true:
- You are applying for a bartending job or a role in a restaurant or bar
- Or
- You have no other work experience.
If either of those two things are true, then you should list bartending on your resume. Here’s the reasons why.
Restaurants and bars will want to hire someone with experience. Bartenders can make quite a lot of money, and there are a lot of people who want to work as bartenders for that reason. When you combine that with the fact that bartenders tend to be paid in cash (and many don’t report that income) it is a highly desirable job. This article found on NPR goes into detail on the trillions (yes, that's a real number) made in the under the table economy.1
On the other hand, most professional offices and corporate institutions do not want to hire people from the service industry. The basic concern is that office work does not have as flexible hours, the environment is totally different, and overall it requires a skill set that is not in alignment with people who work in bars and restaurants.
If you have any sort of work experience that is more in line with a company that has a business like operation and professional setting, then it would be wise to list that.
However, some experience is better than no experience. If you are someone who hasn’t worked besides working as a bartender, then you will need to list it on your resume. If you submit a resume without an experience listed, then you will never hear back from a recruiter or the hiring manager. It is very difficult to get any sort of job, even as an administrative asistant, if you do not have any experience.
How Do You Make Bartending Look Good on a Resume?
There isn’t really any way to pretend that bartending is anything other than what it is. The job is pretty self explanatory.
There are ways that you can make it look more impressive, though. One of the ways to make it look more impressive is to list a number of the skills involved and tasks that you perform besides making drinks.
Many bartenders, for example, are responsible for running budgets and dealing with vendors. These are skill sets that will transfer over to the business world.
What is not advisable is that you try and say you were a Manager or something that won’t stand an employment check.
First, consider where you are applying for a job. Are you sending your resume in to a company that is in the professional field? If that is the case, then it might be very difficult to land an interview with only hospitality experience.
Are you applying for a role as a non-professional such as Nurses or other medical or social work? If yes, then it won’t be a problem to list working as a bartender. Jobs such as Nurses and Social Workers are only concerned with accreditation and licenses. If you have just obtained a Nursing Degree and were working as a bartender, then leave that on your resume. The hospital or medical facility only cares if you have a degree and license. Many nurses have no professional work experience, which does not matter as they are not entering into a professional field.
Would a Bartending Job Help You Get a Office Job?
No. It’s as simple as that. Listing that you have worked as a bartender on your resume is not going to impress anyone hiring for an office role.
The people who find work in an office after working as a bartender tend to find that work through networking. Many corporate roles actually are given to friends and family of people already in the company. I
t’s therefore not unusual to find someone who has no actually experience being hired on as an administrative assistant for a huge hospital network. In this article, we cover some of the challanges of getting a job at a hospital. For instance, it's not simply about having the right qualifications, you will need to have an "in" with someone in the hiring department in most hospitals.
If you are a bartender, and are seeking office work, let your regulars know. Many people who work in offices would happily put a word in for a bartender who they know.
However, if you are simply handing in your resume and expecting to find a job in corporate America, then it’s not going to work most of the time.
You need connections or experience, or preferably both to find a job in the corporate sector.
If you are looking for work in the medical or social services sector, then that’s another story. Those roles do not require people to have experience or demonstrate proficiency in results orientated work, instead you must have the training, licensing, and government paperwork (background checks and clean drug tests).
Should You Apply For a Corporate Job While Working as a Bartender?
When you are searching for work, you need to consider your options. If you are working as a bartender and that pays your bills, then you need to continue doing that job. However, it might not impress people who are reviewing your resume.
In many cases, you will be applying for jobs that you do not have the credentials or qualifications for. Most experts will tell you it's a bad idea to apply for a job you aren't qualifed for. You'll rarely get the interview and never get the job. In some instances it will get your applicatikon flagged and prevent you from making it thorugh future screeners.
However, there is a saying that you won't get what you don't try for. So, if you are working as a bartender and have no other experience, then it can't hurt to apply for corporate jobs. However, you should go in knowing that your odds are very slim. The best approach is to find someone who has an inside track with someone in the hiring office.
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