Being a bartender isn’t as glamorous as you might think. Sure, there’s the great environment, people, dancing and drinks. But bartending also means servicing a lot of individuals at the same time, working at nights, and dealing with rude people. All this while keeping perfect manners and maintaining a cool front for your boss, clients and business. But if you manage to master the 4 top bartending skills, then you might just pull the shift off without feeling too stressed and bring home more than your usual fare.

Great Memory

All bartenders must have a great memory. Have you ever seen a bartender use cheat sheets to mix and serve drinks? If you did, then it’s doubtful that bartender stayed in the job. Memorization is crucial for bartenders. They can’t come to them empty handed, can’t give them the wrong drink and can’t ever say they don’t know how to make that drink. That would mean losing a client, and even losing your job.

There is no going around memorizing the many liquors and recipes that bartenders should know. But there are many aids to improve your memory. Schools can teach methods to help you memorize drinks and recipes and eventually to become a bartender.

Ability to Multitask

Multitasking is at the heart of servicing your clients. There is no queue when clients order drinks, they just come up to the bar and expect the bartender to return with their drinks after a few minutes. A good memory is important when orders stack up and you have to service multiple people at the same time. Bartenders can never give the wrong drink to their client. Schools may offer demonstrations to simulate servicing in real bars. You can also enter as a bar back to get the feel of juggling tasks. If you think you can take on a busy night, apply as an assistant to man the bar.

Consistent Speed

To manage all the orders, bartenders must move fast without making mistakes and certainly without crashing into people or spilling drinks. But what’s more important is that they keep this level of speed throughout their shift, a very difficult thing to do than most people believe. Bartenders are up on their feet the majority of their shift. Exhaustion can be seen by clients, so it is important to maintain a good appearance despite the hours.

Speed can be trained in bartending schools or by apprenticing under bartenders. Taking assisting jobs first before manning the bar can develop speed and accuracy.

Personality

Not a lot of would-be bartenders notice that personality is crucial to the success of a bartender, and this is not something that can easily be taught. An optimistic personality is helpful to keep up energy during long bartending shifts. How you interact with clients who hang out in the bar is also integral to how much you earn by tips. A lot of bars are known because of the personality of their bartenders. This, above all, will earn you a name in the local scene.