The Role of Bar Staff
Bar staff support the bar manager. They are often the first people a customer sees, so they need to make a good impression.
Bar staff:
- Receive small deliveries
- Undertake some light cellar work, such as fetching crates of drinks
- Keep the bar area clean
- Collect empty glasses for washing and wipe down tables
- Be the welcoming face of the business
- Advise customers about the different drinks available, including special promotions and guest beers
- Serve drinks and handle cash
- Interact with customers in a helpful and friendly manner
Skills, Experience and Personality Needed
Bar staff need to:
- Be over 18 years of age to serve alcohol
- Be flexible and reliable
- Be honest and trustworthy
- Have a smart appearance and be polite
- Have a friendly, outgoing and approachable personality
- Be able to chat to people from all walks of life
- Have a mature, ‘Can do’ attitude
- Have a sense of humour
- Be happy to work alone and as part of the team
- Be enthusiastic and willing to learn
- Be calm and able to work at a fast pace when the bar is busy
Benefits and Considerations
- There is usually some flexibility to hours and so it’s a great option for students, parents of young children as well as those that prefer working in the gig economy
- Tips can be generous
- It’s generally a fun environment and there’s a great opportunity to meet a wide range of people
- Meet people
- May be offered discounted or free food and drink
- Evening and weekend working is the norm
- Can be busy and stressful
- Some manual lifting