The Summer- doing a girl out of a job

Bright Smile

I know this mightnt be the correct forum but a personal decision is based on it and i need help asap! free to relocate as deemed appropriate.

I want to work in one pub in particular after the leaving for the summer. Its a really special place, lots of history/major music going on there and Ive always wanted the job. I know this girl in my year has already applied for a place there and she getting a trial day in April. She has no bar experience, neither do I.
I know Id be well suited for the job even though my parents keep talking me out of it, saying bar work is awful, late nights etc.

Im an extremely hardworker with 2.5 yrs experience in a local shop, which I was able to open and close by myself and take charge of all money matters when needed.
Im outgoing, smiley, good fashion sense and am quick to learn.I know the bar owner to say hello to.

Now...
1) Are my parents correct in saying that barwork is rediculously tough and that Id be better off to get a day job rather than killing myself for the summer?
2)How do I KNOCK THE OWNERS SOCKS OFF, make sure i get the job instead of this other girl??Ive only ever gotten a job locally, I was never out looking for a job, i was always asked to work in places.

Sangre

You will lose your social night in a bar working every friday/satuday.
Very poor call for a summer job imo, good for college because nobody goes out weekends.

leggo

1) Not neccessarily. Bar work is only as hard as you make it. If you let it stress you, it will but if you take it easy, smile and enjoy yourself then the work will be a dawdle. Plus the tips are always nice. (BTW, I say this from multiple reports from friends who've worked in busy bars, not actual personal experience. Just so you know)

2) Do you know anyone who's close with the owner or any senior barmen etc.? A family member or friend perhaps? They could always put a good word for you. If not, you'll have to go the same route as every job: apply, if you get an interview prepare yourself and ensure that you make yourself the right person in the employer's eyes, if you don't get an interview wait a little while and apply again. Make sure you apply at the right times too. The end of May is a hotspot for employment, with the college years ending. September is another, with college starting and a lot of the summer staff quitting or reducing their hours to go back to school. Then there's the Christmas break. It's all a matter of timing, luck and preparation.

Third_Echelon

Bright Smile wrote:

<snip>
Now...
1) Are my parents correct in saying that barwork is rediculously tough and that Id be better off to get a day job rather than killing myself for the summer?
2)How do I KNOCK THE OWNERS SOCKS OFF, make sure i get the job instead of this other girl??Ive only ever gotten a job locally, I was never out looking for a job, i was always asked to work in places.

1) i worked in a bar/nightclub/hotel for about 4 years through school and college. Hotel barwork is slightly different in that in one night you could be working early in the bar serving pints of guinness to 2 old guys, then to serving in a wedding and then onto throwing out pints in a nightclub, so in that sense hotel work is very varied and the hours are longer.

Working in a regular bar is a lot easier. The hours are less. Pubs shut at the very latest 1ish, with an hour or so clean up time.

It'll take you a few weeks to gain any type of speed and accuracy in remembering drinks orders and working out how to work the till. After that it should be grand. Its really as tough as you make it.

The social aspect of barwork is great. You'll meet a lot of people and YOU'LL GET LAID a lot more than actually going out in a bar

2) Be yourself and be enthusiastic about wanting to work there. Speak up and talk and answer any questions they have well. Be honest.

If they ask you if you have ever pulled a pint of guinness or made an irish coffee and you haven't, say no, because they could ask you there and then to make one...

If you dont know how to do something they will show you.. Thats really all the advice i can give you.

Go for it.. If you get it.. Work hard and have a good time...

Victor

You won't be doing someone out of a job. Staff turnover in shops, restaurants and bars is always high.

How happy will you be with serving lecherous drunks at 1am?

BobTheBeat

It might be nice for a change. Ive heard the work can wreck your head,but like so many other ppl have said here already,it will be how you make it!
I worked in shops myself for 7 years, through school and college and often longed for a change.But the truth is,with the retail positions,you'll be guaranteed to be home by 10/11 at your latest nights. The pay is ok,the conditions ok,the ppl often ****e seeing as you have to deal with shoppers!
The pub is a different story I would imagine.You'll probably have to do nasty things like clean toilets,mop up puke/blood etc.Dealing with drunk and irate ppl will be guaranteed.You will not get paid well also,thats probably a given before you even start.
I would advise something different.Get a job in a factory,on a building site,or whatever. All these types of work will stand to you,. you might even learn something!

Bottle_of_Smoke

There's a good chance if you've never worked in a bar you might have to start out working the lounge collecting glasses and bringing drinks to people, less money usually but more tips.

Third_Echelon

bobmeaney wrote:

<snip>
I would advise something different.Get a job in a factory,on a building site,or whatever. All these types of work will stand to you,. you might even learn something!

Bar work will stand by you, just as good as any other job in this pay bracket. Once you've worked in a bar, you can work in any bar as you have the skills. It comes in handy if you are taking 'the year out' type of scenario in oz or somewhere like that... its always another option for a job if you ever went travelling like that.

I could imagine a factory job being boring as hell to be honest. Especially on a hot summers day, when you could be outside sunning yourself in the park.. you have your days off most likely...

Its a great job for building up your 'people skills' as you are dealing with people every minute in your job in a very up close face to face way. You will get drunken gobsh1tes annoying the hell out of you... that comes with the territory.

Its a great job for building your personal confidence with regards to dealing with people in the workplace. Well i found it beneficial for me anyway...

simu

Barwork is hell if the place gets busy in any way. Could you handle remembering the orders of shouty swarms of drunk people while music blasts around you?

As for tips, this is Ireland - most people don't tip in bars.

Esel

Third_Echelon wrote:

...The social aspect of barwork is great. You'll meet a lot of people and YOU'LL GET LAID a lot more than actually going out in a bar ....

The impression I got is that the OP is *female*?

aidan_walsh

esel wrote:

The impression I got is that the OP is *female*?

Your point being? Having worked in a few bars, it works both ways...

ykt0di9url7bc3

My Joys of Barwork

So after a good few years in the trade I find myself working weekend nights at a nightclub\theater pulling €45+ depending how many nights I work, I have a fulltime job during the week (the 9 – 5 shìte but I also enjoy its work). My awe of comments such as “omfg 2 jobs!!!!... Are yu0 crazy??!?1” steam to the fact that I chill out with my barwork, I enjoy myself and I socialise. I'd like to think that I'm good enough at it now but I still have fun and its not wrong for me to do so as I take great pride and effort which in turn can become very rewarding and can pay well.

Oh some nights hit hard with the army of five hundred strong (who are dieing of thirst by the way) are here for the long haul, you look around and the draught lines are fùcking up and no one can nail the problem, the ice machine decides to have an early night while it seems all your fellow coleagues\inmates are caught like lost deer in the headlights of a fleet of artic trucks but the drink flows on and after an age, after the bouncers scream and even after the gardai bellow you still wish that Moses hurry up and take his fùcking flock the fùck out of here.

Those nights can be quite fun and rehashed for years
“We were murdered!... It was brutal.... We were kicked... SAVAGE!”
Such are the echoes when barstaff share the alloted horrors during an after hours pint with tales of “The Night of Hell!”, “The Demons with hollow legs!”, the Terrifying night of “The Pogues live” and worst of all - the unmentionable “Fleadh Ceoil”. Horror storys they may be but they are not the true pains of barwork. Its the little things they say, the lack of respect from some customers verging on the point of war crimes, the stupidity of a drunk, the blind ignorance of some sober, the price heckling, the quiet night that drags deep into some souls, the every so often "never ending night of hard grinding slog" on anotherwise easy night, an angry & uncooperative chef, the feel of lemon juice cleverly finding open tissue and worst of all is the unjustified complaint that can tear the soul from a young heart... to name but a few...

These happen often and can make for trying times for a young worker but sometimes truly awful circumstances will work against you. You are told to flash the bar lights for last orders and a poor soul starts an epileptic fit... being rushed off your feet all afternoon trying desperately to get to a table of six who have been waiting patiantly for your efforts for ten minutes but alas untouchable due to the other demanding customers, you just cant seem to get to them, its ok though, a nice apology combined with quick service of good food and drink will bury that memory, admit that you have been busy and say that you have been a bit "retarded" in not getting to them sooner... to look up and see six mental handicapped and lovely old couple... you can hear the devil laughing at the details.

Where's the joy, well I'm still here and doing what I can do well. My service is quick, polite and prompt, a bit of craic and I'll joke, smile and I'll smile, wink suggestively and I might just take your number... I don't like generating waste drink, I take due caution with the till, I clean as I go, and I stock up the shelves whenever I get a free moment... naturally I rarely have to sign my name in the waste book, I rarely have to scribble a short story onto a OverRing, I know whats to be done when the bar is to be clean and reset... everything runs in a nice clockwork kind of way....

That may look like work but its easy and its fast...and usually gets good respect from your fellow breed of inmates (which can turn into great life long friends and other such). Why I can remember when I would chase any new fancy barmaid whether I was working in the same pub or not, recent events have been very kind to me. Moving on I still miss the “Local” work where every Christmas was a bonanza if you put in a great year, I miss catching the weirdest of tales and the funniest of moments from customers that can seem larger than life. I still miss the food service where Americans were the VIPs and you got salutations at weddings, christenings, birthdays and so on....

Working in a few other countries gives a harsh view on barwork life in Ireland but I wont touch on that subject here. All I have to say is that barwork can be taken all around the world and I believe that if you can make it well here then you have a nice trade to anywhere you want, a trade that doesn't take to long to learn, is easy to get into, a good start for putting money in your pocket, be it part time for college or just getting a start in the real world.

Third_Echelon

^^^ nicely put...

Metallicababe

a good fashion sense?????????

WhiteWashMan

Bright Smile wrote:

I know this mightnt be the correct forum but a personal decision is based on it and i need help asap! free to relocate as deemed appropriate.

I want to work in one pub in particular after the leaving for the summer. Its a really special place, lots of history/major music going on there and Ive always wanted the job. I know this girl in my year has already applied for a place there and she getting a trial day in April. She has no bar experience, neither do I.
I know Id be well suited for the job even though my parents keep talking me out of it, saying bar work is awful, late nights etc.

Im an extremely hardworker with 2.5 yrs experience in a local shop, which I was able to open and close by myself and take charge of all money matters when needed.
Im outgoing, smiley, good fashion sense and am quick to learn.I know the bar owner to say hello to.

Now...
1) Are my parents correct in saying that barwork is rediculously tough and that Id be better off to get a day job rather than killing myself for the summer?
2)How do I KNOCK THE OWNERS SOCKS OFF, make sure i get the job instead of this other girl??Ive only ever gotten a job locally, I was never out looking for a job, i was always asked to work in places.

would you not be better off trying to get something that would be more along the lines of what you are applying for in college?

Bright Smile

Female, ya, thats mise! just put in the "fashion sense" becuase I was trying to describe myself in a "barmaid" kinda way, sorry.
I so badly want this job that Im just going to go for it methinks!Thanks a million for all the advice, I've looked at the good and bad points and I just know that the good outweigh all possible negatives...
Theres one major problem! If they do give me a trial day (which they tend to do for potential employees) I'll be left there absolutely clueless. While I completely understand the concept of actaully asking when I dont know how to do something(like ye said), Id still love to be able to pull a pint, or look someway competent in opening a drink...Is there anyone out there in the Cork region willing to give me a couple of hours experience in a bar on a quiet morning sometime? Id really appreciate it if anyone has the time!

Third_Echelon

If you can, just go into a bar and watch a barman/maid do their work. Observation will give you a lot of tips.

When opening a bottle of beer for example, dont do it too quickly as it could go bloody everywhere. Dont do it too slow though...

gsand

A small, casual, queit place or a hotel is ok

but if we are talking city centre/templebar style, it is chaos, i did it for a summer and i had bartened for years before and years after but it was simply chaos day after day after day, payed a lot and huge tips but a merciless position...tbh i quite hated it...