Bartender Resume Example

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for bartenders over the next decade is quite promising. Between 2014-2024, the employment opportunities are expected to grow by at least 10%.

When it comes to salary, it’s hard to calculate an estimate of what bartenders actually make because tips are not always accurately reported. With that being said, the average salary can fall anywhere between $45,000-$73,000.

At the most lucrative places for bartenders, such as fine-dining restaurants, cocktail bars, and high-end resorts, you can certainly earn more. However, getting hired for a bartending position at one of these establishments can be fiercely competitive. That’s why it’s important to have a resume that is tailored for the bar industry.

Follow our tips below to ensure that your resume has all the right ingredients.

1. Emphasize your Alcohol Server Certification

Although bartenders do not need to get a diploma from a bartending school, depending on their state or employer, they may need to obtain an Alcohol Server Certification. Currently, there are 30 states that regulate alcohol server training. Some of these states make server certifications mandatory, while others offer incentives – like reduced administrative penalties – for getting certified.

If your state or employer does require an Alcohol Server Certification, then it’s crucial that you include your certification early on in your resume. Other than your contact info, your certification is the second most important piece of information on your resume. The first thing a bar owner wants to know is whether or not you are even qualified for the job, so the first thing they will look for is your certification.

Important information such as this should be included in your resume introduction. For example, the candidate in the sample resume above mentions that they possess a “license certified by the District of Columbia” in the first sentence of their career objective. Doing this helps save the employer time sifting through your resume and piques their interest in what qualities you might possess.

2. Address the Needs of the Bar

Job descriptions are useful tools when it comes to filling in your professional experience section. Many job seekers get caught up on this section because they aren’t sure what to write. They overlook the fact that job descriptions usually provide all the juicy clues they need.

Take a look at a piece of an actual bartender job description:

The job description above is littered with keywords that the employer is looking for. All you have to do is include them in the bullet points of your resume. Now this doesn’t mean that you should just copy “Helping guests be aware of and choose menu items” in your professional experience section. Instead, a candidate for this position should address that key phrase like this:

• Took food orders from guests at the bar and recommended beverage pairings to go with their meals, which boosted spending by an average of $10 per customer

This bullet point is great because it not only addresses the key phrase, “Helping guests be aware of and choose menu items,” it also adds a simple, yet measurable stat to your experience (boosted spending by an average of $10 per customer). Being able to add numbers to your resume gives employers results to help them gauge your experience. If you need tips on how to add numbers and stats to your resume, click here.

3. Add Bartender Action Verbs

Below is a list of common action verbs for a bartender resume:

Advertise Allocate Coordinate Create Engage Entertain Greet

Memorize Monitor Mix Order Prepare Reduce Up sell

Follow the tips above and you will have a bartender resume that is better than 99% of the competition. If you have any specific questions on formatting or content, feel free to ask below!