Bar staff – also referred to as bartenders – are mainly employed to serve drinks at pubs, restaurants and other establishments which are licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. The main duties of a bar worker is to attend the customer’s needs, by either serving them drinks at the bar or with table service. The bar worker must also keep a clean and comfortable environment at the place of work
Bar staff should be able to interact with people well and be good listeners. They need to be warm, friendly and welcoming. It is important to possess some knowledge of alcoholic drinks. They also need to be a team player and able to work well under pressure
To work behind a bar, you must be 18 or over. Qualifications are not generally required and training is usually provided. However, depending on the bar, experience of previous bar work could be an advantage
The average annual salary for a bartender in the UK is £13,389. However, wages can vary and the more exsclusive the establishment, - a top restaurant or hotel – the higher the salary normally is. The industry also offers the chance of tips, meaning excellent service can be rewarded with a better income.

• Accuracy and professionalism
• Being observant and practical
• Communication and listening
• Discretion and honesty
• Flexibility and diplomacy
• Handling drunk clients
• Having a sense of humour
• Memorisation and handling money
• Organisation and preparation
• Stress management and drinking

Skills are more valued than qualification as a Bar Staff. The ability to interact with clients, being hospitable and friendly is a definite advantage. Having other qualifications would be beneficial if an individual intends to move up to higher management positions within the industry. Therefore the following qualifications would be beneficial:
•    Food and Drink Service
•    National Certificate for Personal Licence Holders
•    Multi-skilled Hospitality Service
•    Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) specialist courses
•    Customer and Drinks Service
•    Responsible Alcohol Retailing
•    Beer and Cellar Quality
•    Hospitality Supervision