Should I go to bartending school since I have no restaurant/bar experience?

I'm 24 yrs old, right now I live in upstate NY I plan on moving out of state within the year. So the question is...Should I spend 300 bucks on bartending school here in upstate NY? I have no restaurant/hospitality experience at all. Just customer service/retail, and some office work. I'd probably have a little better chance of becoming even a barback if I plan to relocate somewhere like Hawaii or CA? Just any suggestions would be appreciated. I know these days are not only what you know but WHO you know. lol.Should I go to bartending school since I have no restaurant/bar experience?
Short answer: Probably not.



Long answer: Bartending school is an excellent way to learn how to pour precise measures of alcohol and learn the most popular drinks. However, there's nothing that they can teach you that you wouldn't be able to learn at home with a few good recipe books and a bottle of water with a pour spout.



In addition, a certificate from a bartending school just isn't likely to translate to a bartending job. Almost anybody can learn how to pour drinks. Bar managers are looking for reliability and personality above all else.



It would probably be a good idea to get yourself TIPS certified, if you're able to afford it. A lot of bars won't even consider you unless you have that certification. It's easy to get and doesn't require any knowledge of drinks, but having it will make you a lot more marketable as an employee.



http://www.gettips.com



In most cases, barbacking is an excellent introduction to bartending, and most barbacks will eventually go on to become bartenders. However, and I hate to say this, most places simply will not hire a woman as a barback. It's not a sexist thing, honestly. Barbacks often have the most physically demanding job in the restaurant. Full kegs can weigh up to 160 pounds and buckets of ice can easily weigh 50 or 60. As a barback, you'll be expected to lift both of these, and most women just don't have the kind of strength to do that for a 8+ hour shift.



Even after six years of working as a bartrender, I still cannot move a full keg. I will probably never be able to.



I will give you a bit of advice, though. When I decided that I wanted to start working as a bartender, I too had no experience in the service industry. I started asking server friends of mine which restaurants were most likely to promote bartenders from within and found myself a job as a server. In my experience, chain restaurants [ugh] are the most likely to have a clear-cut path to promotion and once you have bartending experience there, you'll be much more marketable to hipper places.



Restaurants are more likely to hire a server with no experience because that job is much easier to train for. If you make it clear during your interview that you're interested in learning how to bartend, they'll likely keep that in mind in the future. Just make sure to be an excellent and professional server and you'll be at the top of the list when a bartending job opens up.



I worked my a** off waiting on tables and went from absolutely no restaurant experience to full-time bartender in about six months. It's not that difficult if you prove yourself to be a valuable employee.Should I go to bartending school since I have no restaurant/bar experience?
If you can afford the $300 and the school has a history of placing people, it should be a good investment.



But check them out by asking bar owners what they think of the school.Should I go to bartending school since I have no restaurant/bar experience?
Well there is a website that is offering free online courses. Maybe you can check that out first before spending $300 on a bartending school. The website is here http://tinyurl.com/4ksg6rb



http://tinyurl.com/4ksg6rbShould I go to bartending school since I have no restaurant/bar experience?
I saw an article regarding bartending school stating "Bartending Schools Are A Joke"

you can check it out.