Does this place suck or is it just me?

[HighRoller]

So I've been hitting the bricks pretty hard for the last 3 weeks trying to find a bartending job and haven't even received a single call back. I've been courteous and gone to places during their slowest time and the manager is never there. I've gone back to places numerous times and tried to prove to people I'm ready, willing and eager to work. Still no luck. Today was the topper. I go in to talk to the owner of this place, and he's on the phone with an ex-employee. She worked for him for 10 years, then got pissed off and quit 2 years ago. Since then she's been sitting on her ass collecting unemployment but it ran out so now she's wanting her job back. This focker is practically breaking her arm asking her to come in and talk to him and I can tell she's being wishy-washy, telling him about other places she might go. WTF? He basically tells me that IF she comes in he'll hire her, so now he has no openings. But he thanks me for coming in! Gee, it's no wonder you can't find decent employees you loser. I guess there's some top secret bartender's handshake I'm not privy to.

[91nordic29]

for some reason, i thought you were a truck driver.(??):confused:

[Sleek-Jet]

I heard all the good bartending jobs are being shipped off shore to India. :D
J/K that sucks that the guy would pull a stunt like that, maybe you really don't want to work for a place like that.

[Essex502]

Get a real job like a UFCW gig at a local grocer!

[HighRoller]

91Nordic, I was a truck driver until I sold the truck. Now I'm looking for a flexible gig that will allow me to finish my degree while working part time and make full time money. Keep in mind, up here full time money is like 500 a week. Wages up here are a joke.

[clownpuncher]

Hang in there High Roller. As a restaurant/bar owner I can tell give you a couple of pointers.
1 - Realize that many owners/managers are a little leary about hiring someone right out of "mixology" school. In my bar I HAVE to have experienced people working. Way too busy to train someone on the job. Yes you know how to mix drinks, but, there's a whole lot more to bartending then doing a good 4-count.
2 - An alternative to getting right into bartending? Start off as a bar back. You get to learn the moves, learn the register/computer, customers names, location of all the liqour. Bar backs at places near me will make 150.00 a night in tips. All they do is assist the bartender. When an opening comes available, the bar backs are usually transitioned right over. Piece of cake.
3 - When is "high season" in your area? In my area it starts off in October/November. We start hiring in Aug/Sept to get the good people. You might want to check towards the middle or end of your high season.
Good luck to ya. Don't worry, something will open up. Let the owner/manager see your personality during the interview, or when you greet them. They need to know that "high Roller" will be good for customers and start drawing a crowd becasue of his personality. In a lot of places, personality is more important than initial bartending skills.

[clownpuncher]

One other helpful hint.
Make friends with a good bartender. Not saying you don't already know a few, but, hang out and let the bartender get to know you. Show him/her your selling personality, let em know you wanna work. Ask em who's hiring, who's opening a new place etc. Bartenders hear a lot and might be able to give you some insight before the general public hears it.. Good luck BARKEEP!!! :D

[Waldo]

When I worked in the food industry I started as a bus, server, then bartender. Trained at the restaurant and bartended for 9/10 years after that at other establishments. I found it hard to go to restaurants and ask for the tending jobs....most of them like to hire up from within. Keep on truckin', I did get a couple tending jobs off the bat but those places are no longer in bus.

[HighRoller]

Sleek-Jet, if that guy called me back I'd take the job but continue passing out resumes and networking like hell. Then when a really good gig came up I'd dump his ass. What goes around comes around. I'm looking to work my way up to the top level bars and I know it will take a while but I'll get there. CP, I appreciate an owner's point of view and understand the concerns you must have. It just seems like everyone is so caught up on the word "experienced" that they never take any other factors into account. I've watched a lot of these "experienced" bartenders and wasn't too impressed. Especially after a lady with 9 years experience grabbed my glass with her fingers all inside it! Just goes to show you that "experience" might mean learning bad habits too.

[HighRoller]

Tell the next manager that your a very "experienced, accomplished & widely recognized expert on the field of drinking" So in other words, tell them RD sent me. Shit, I'm about ready to call up the bars in Parker and see what they have shakin'!!

[HighRoller]

Yeah, I could imagine that being the case. But that won't matter when I open my own bar down there. I'll have locations in Laughlin, Havasu and Parker and I'll own the river:D :D