bartending (3)

Part time Night Jobs–They help you get ahead

October 3rd, 2008

We just got this call from Eddie.  Eddie took our bartending classes in 2006.  Shortly afterwards he picked up first one and then a second bartending job.  His first was in a restaurant that was more restaurant than bar.  Lot of service bartending with just a little bartending at the bar.  The second was in a long time very active bar/restaurant/sports bar.  He got some excellent gigs there.

But its been two years.  Eddie is 28 and just bought his first house.  Congrats Eddie.  He wants to bartend again to make that extra money to get him over the hump of higher house payments.  He has  steady job.  He has gotten promotions.  He is definitely moving ahead.

Eddie is scheduling to come in and take a free refresher class.  Hey, anyone can pour beer.  Eddie wants to get his mixed drinks down again.  A couple of sessions in our realistic bar set-up, a refresher with regard to our methods that help him remember the recipes, and some practise again at being an effective two handed bartender, and Eddie can be out there making that good night and weekend extra money.

Its a coup.  Eddie took our program once.  He can come back for free refresher classes and get up dated job leads.  We have over 25 hard active job leads in the Pittsburgh region right now.

Oh….and by the way….Eddie got a good deal on the house.  Its below 2005  prices. 

Good work Eddie.  We look forward to seeing you again. 

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Can Bartenders Contribute to Pittsburgh

September 29th, 2008

In small and larger ways bartenders contribute to the fabric of a community.  Pittsburgh bartenders are like all others.  We have our part in making Pittsburgh a better city.  This blog is an effort to (okay–we gotta be transparent)  promote our school;  describe the job of bartending, focus on bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. within the region, and reveal job opportunities for grads and potential students.  Beyond that there is a rich world in which bartenders make their contributions. 

In terms of doing this we are going to mention some of the blogs that enrich the Burgh scene.  They describe uniquely Pittsburgh activities, Burgh folks, quirks and funny aspects of our way of life, and neat events around town.  Some of them are very personal and could be written from anywhere but intertwine their perspectives with life here, and others focus on Pittsburgh.  We’ll be adding some of these and others to a blog roll that will include local blogs of interest, bartending sites, restaurant/food beverage/club/and alcohol sites, and finally an eclectic mix of other interesting sites.

So here are some of the local blogs that have caught our eye:

Have a good sandwichby one of the co founders of the Pittsburgh bloggers (of which we are members). If you want to find out about different perspectives in Pittsburgh you should start here, and you might as well include the founder’s blog.

I’m not sure what a the perspective of a a Pittsburgh mom and her baby have to do with bartending….but we think its fun to read!

A must read for locals is The burgh blog by Pittgirl. She and her blog have been around for a while and they get around. Its good reading.

If you want to get a feel from some people engrossed in the business of promoting Pittsburgh and its businesses spend time at I heart Pgh. Great reading.

It appears we will be losing a lot of activity from Pittsblog. This writer will be winding down activity on this blog while busy elsewhere…but for a review of several years from Burgh perspectives, it can’t be beat.

Hopefully we will be enriching the scene with comments by and about local and other bartenders.

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Nude Bartender Gets Arrested–She didn’t learn that here!!

September 26th, 2008

Earlier this week, Janet Brannon was arrested at the Cabin Tavern in Delhi, Illinois.  She was serving stiff drinks in the buff in this small bar in Southern Illinois.  Police walked in for a standard check…..and bingo….they were pretty surprised to say the least.  Check out the story here.

She got out of jail on $8,000 bail. A few days later the bar was shut down for 30 days, fined $500, and lost its liquor license. Duhhh!!!!!!

We definitely don’t teach that in our customer service classes.

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How to Become a Great Bartender

September 25th, 2008

We aren’t going to lie to you and suggest that bartending school will turn you into a great bartender overnight.  That doesn’t happen at this school.   It doesn’t happen at colleges, doesn’t happen when you go to school to learn auto mechanics, and doesn’t happen after you get out of Harvard Medical School.  I deffo wouldn’t want a new grad from Harvard Med school to perform brain surgery on me….no matter how much I may need it.

Experience really works.  Watch others.  Trade stories with other bartenders.  Ask other bartenders how they would handle situations.  Practice, practice, practice.

We also know there is a world of great information out there.  Its especially available throughout the web.  Our goal is to collect as much great information as possible and pass most of it on to our students and a large part of it on to readers.

We’re starting a blog roll with sites that offer excellent tips and insights into the industry.  Here is one we found that offers the insights from someone with decades of experience in the food and beverage industry.  We’ve been reading through posts and comments.  Its getting a lot of commentary from others with lots of experience.  Try out                     http://waiterextraordinaire.blogspot.com/ .  The author, Steve Nicolle has over 25 years in the industry, has worked throughout the front of the house, teaches bartending, and describes the ins and outs of great customer service.  It applys equally well behind the bar, serving tables, or for being the manager.

Evolving from a bartender to a great bartender takes years of work, as with any work or profession.  Lots of luck ….and make those tips!!!!! 

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Hospitality Jobs in Pittsburgh–Start with Bartending

September 23rd, 2008

We just spoke with Meghan, a former grad, who developed from bartender to manager, to employer of bartenders.  Now she has a new exciting career in the hospitality industry.  Fortunately for us and for our grads she still hires graduates of the Pittsburgh Bartender School.

Meghan has a great career story and a neat profession.  We have seen this kind of career development again and again over many years.  It is always rewarding.

A few years ago she enrolled in the school looking to develop a skill and get work.  Immediately upon graduating she picked up a job directly off our job leads list in the Pittsburgh area.  She definitely made the most of it.

She took a job bartending at an American Legion Hall.  Yah.  We know.  Not many of you might think about this as an exciting bartending job.  But wait a second.  See how Meghan made the most of it.

Within a very short period Meghan’s skills and talents became apparent.  She started managing the American Legion Hall and became responsible for the many events they threw.  Not only was she bartending and managing, she was hiring bartenders to staff big parties.

Meghan found something she enjoyed and was talented at.  After a couple of years she enrolled in college level courses at the  Pittsburgh Technical School. She majored in business and hospitality. Within 2 years she had an Associates Degree.

While there she picked up a working internship. It turned out to be with one of Pittsburgh’s conference and event centers. Boy did she do well.

Meghan is now the operations manager. What a great job. They run events on a regular basis. It could be a corporate training session. It could be a wedding or a party. Meghan has to handle a myriad of details to get everything running for a wide variety of clients and needs. She hires caterers. Yup. She still hires bartenders. She has to oversee the set up and breakdown of the facility on a regular basis. When she is doing her job…..she turns satisfied customers into repeat users of the facility.  She is definitely winning a lot of friends and admirers.

A few years ago Meghan was trying to figure out what to do and how to get there. She took our bartending program. In a short 40 hours of hands on training she learned a myriad of drinks, customer service, and how to work her way through the big hospitality industry. Now she is a pro.

Congratulations Meghan.

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Catering/Bartending Jobs–the ideal part time job

July 10th, 2008

Are you looking for that occasional part time job?  You know… something that isn’t regular or scheduled…but fits your needs when you need them.  Something that can be fun and profitable, and it might require hard work….but it pays off really well.

Catering /bartending at special events, parties, at hotels, receptions, etc. is a terrific part-time opportunity.  You’ll be surprised at how much money you can earn….how easy it is to master, the number of opportunities……and did we mention…..how much money you can earn!!

Just two quick examples to give you a feel.  One of the grads from our Pittsburgh  school recently earned……(drum roll)…..get this…..$60/hour catering for a large party.  She is experienced,  can work fast,  presents well, customers like her;  so she gets a lot of requests……and it is absolutely a terrific way to make great money.  The party didn’t take that long;  she had an assistant help her when things got busy.  She handled a very large crowd very efficiently during the event.  The size of the party was larger than she was told, but she took control and handled it well.   After all was said and done the party only lasted about 4-5 hours….and she still had plenty of time for the rest of the weekend.  Do you want to learn something else……many of these catering jobs are straight cash.   Its a coup!!!!

Meanwhile a new graduate from one of our other schools, with no prior experience, hooked up with a multi day event for a major caterer in a different city .   After 4 days of long work he averaged about $25-30/hour.   He was slammed at certain short intervals, but was more than trained.  He had the speed and efficiency and sufficient practice to be able to perform well.

The caterer loved him and has assigned him to two other immediate jobs.  They want him for major events when the season gets hotter.  And he enjoys it.  He had no job before he started class, had just returned after years in Europe, and is looking to get into bartending for a while. 

We have given him more leads to capitalize on catering opportunities, which he really enjoys.

By the way…that very first catering job more than doubled the price of the school.  It was a very fast payback.

Catering/bartending is easier than regular bartending…but does require a lot of flexibility.  Different settings will require you to adjust how you operate.  The bartending tools and equipment at your disposal will vary.  Set ups can be very diverse.  On the other hand you generally pour a limited inventory of drinks.  That makes it easy.  When the hosts and guests like you….you will be amazed at how many referrals you pick up.

We have a lot of catering opportunities through the school.  If you are interested in the classes and the opportunities give us a call at (412) 921 9227.

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Graduates getting jobs–Very Fast Success Stories

June 28th, 2008

Two graduates had almost immediate success in finding jobs after finishing our program this June.

Mara graduated from the 40 hour program on June 27 and started a bartending job on June 28.  That is fast!  Brad graduated in mid June and by late June had 2 bartending jobs, both off our job leads list.  He might be sticking with both….he may move from one and work full time for the second job.  That is up to Brad.

Both of these students were looking for full time jobs.  Mara recently finished her military duty and was looking for new full time work.  Not only did she start her bartending gig the day after she graduated but its located in Penn Hills, not far from where she lives.  Fast and convenient, Mara.  Congratulations.

Brad had moved back to Pittsburgh after living elsewhere.  He also was very interested in finding work.  In fact he was very eager.  He really worked our system and leads to find a fast job.  Not only did he connect with a job virtually immediately after we received the lead from an employer, but he continued to work our bartender job placement process.  Now he has two opportunities.  Its a great way to pick up a skill in only 40 hours, and put it to immediate work.  

And a bit more good news.  On Thursday this week we had 23 job leads in total with some additional on call opportunities….and as of Friday we had 27 full and part time bartending opportunities plus the on call job leads.   We are adding job leads and helping grads find bartending jobs…both full time and part time.  If you are looking for bartending jobs or part-time or full time work, give us a call.  We will be happy to try and help you. 

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Bartending Jobs in Pittsburgh–23 New Job leads in June

June 26th, 2008

We have added 23 bartending job leads in Pittsburgh and the surrounding towns in the month of June.  They are exclusively available for our graduates.  On top of that we have a great list of part time and on call bartender positions.  These additional jobs are great part-time opportunities.

Its not just Pittsburgh, though.  Our lists include bartender jobs in all directions and throughout the region.  Our bartending school has obtained job leads in a variety of nearby towns including, Butler, Coraopolis, Penn Hills, Finleyville, Cranberry, Oakdale, and Mckeesport.   Some are full time and others are part-time.  In fact in one case the hiring manager is a graduate of the school.

More good bartending job news.  One of our sister schools has established a relationship with a bartending employer that hires periodically around the nation.  They are actually one of the major employers for events all during the year.  This means our network of contacts with bar employers nationwide is dramatically strengthened as we will be coordinating hiring bartenders in metropolitan areas nationwide.

If you want to see this list simply call the school at (412) 921-9227 and arrange a day and time to visit.

Serve em up with a smile!!!!!   

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Pittsburgh Bartending Job Leads

June 3rd, 2008

The bartending schools we have owned and managed have always focused on one element that is surprisingly different from many other bartending schools around the nation.  We generate actual hard bartending job leads exclusively for our graduates.  We are doing this in Pittsburgh.

We develop and contact thousands of bars throughout the market.  Its typically every kind of employer.  It could be neighborhood bars, the hottest clubs, or the fanciest establishments in the region.  We contact these employers regularly over the course of the year to generate hard and specific job leads specifically for our grads.

The employers know its a free service for them.  They don’t need to advertise, spend money on web or newspaper ad placement, and specifically know that our graduates come trained with basic bartending skills.  These graduates have a fall back source at our school to come back and practice, ask questions and get on-going help even as they start their initial jobs.

Our leads come directly from responses from the employers.  We don’t copy leads or scrape data from the web.  Sometimes those job leads reflect employers who might want people with experience and specifically don’t hire new bartending school grads.  Our leads could be the same as job opportunities published elsewhere, but you will know that if it came from the school it was specifically given to our staff.  Those employers will specifically hire grads from the school.

…..and then we do more.

Along with these leads we present possibly the most complete manual on how to land a bartending job.  We have developed this over many years.  It reflects our own experience in the industry as former barowners, managers and bartenders.  We have done the hiring and firing and we have been hired and fired.  Still it is more than that.  It reflects all we have learned from interacting with employers over decades of effort.  We’ve reviewed this manual against the best advice we’ve seen on the web….and our system is more thorough.

Having said all that, we can’t guarantee jobs.  At any place, at any time, a bar owner might not find a grad as the perfect candidate or might have other candidates he or she prefers.  That is why we subscribe to the idea of the largest possible bartender job search using our hard leads and our advice.

In any case, if you want to find specific hard job leads give us a call or arrange to visit to see all we can do to help you develop bartending job skills and find a job. 

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Hey Bartenders What do Pittsburgh Penguin Fans Like to Drink?

May 21st, 2008

Of course like everyone else in the region we’ll do whatever it takes to help the Penguins take the Stanley Cup this year.  Sports writers and some hockey followers believe that the outcome of the game is decided solely by what happens on the ice.  We know differently.  We KNOW that if we the fans take all the right actions, think all the right thoughts, and cross our fingers our Penguins will kick @ss over that Detroit team. 

So we were trying to figure out how we could help.  We know mostly about bars, and bartenders and drinks  so we thought if we could just figure out or learn what most Penguin fans drink in most bars….and if all the bars in the region knew it….and all the Penguin fans got served faster and better…..then our Pittsburgh karma would be sooooo much better.  Then all those drunk happy fans would take the Penguins over the top.

So we started looking through the web with all sorts of searches for all sorts of phrases for combinations of Penguins and Penguin fans, and drinking and getting drunk, and favorite drinks…etc.   Couldn’t find anything. 

We looked up the same thing for hockey fans and found this blog from a Canucks fan who plays hockey, likes to drink….and wrote about his 10 favorite drinks here.

But come on….this guy does not sound like a Penguins fan. He likes Mojitos and Margaritas, Pina Colladas and…..come on now…..Bellini’s. Okay….the guy drinks beer too…..but Bellini’s.

We know Penguin fans don’t drink like this guy. What do they drink, bartenders? And how can we serve the fans better, keep em happier, create better karma that the Penquins take their first Stanley Cup since what seems like forever!!!!

So….if you can tell us what Penguin fans drink….you’ll be helping the Penguins kick butt!!!!!!!!

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