David Artsmith  -  Being a bartender is a lot harder than most people realize. It is rather simi9lar to being a cook, you have a variety of elements that you can mix and match, all in the pusuit of something surprising and refreshing to the majority of your customers. All of this is performed live, in front of the customer, as they wait patient or not to be served. Based on your performance under this high pressure situation, you will be tipped, or not, depending on the patrons whims.

However bartending is about so much more than just serving up drinks. It is a social profession, where you will be judged more by popularity than by skill, although the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The following are a couple of important tips that anyone seeking to join this profession should know.

First of all, you have to understand the art of conversation. You want to make friends with everyone that enters the establishment. However these are not buddies that you can just say whatever you like to. There are certain topics of conversation that should be expressly forbidden. These include politics, religion, and personal conditions. Instead you should seek to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and engaged in an unthreatening environment.

Another important aspect of bartending is keeping the environment itself clean. Every drink should be served with a beverage coaster, and you should make sure to wipe down the bar after every serving.

One overlooked aspect of this profession is the actual serving. When handing a glass to someone, most people pick it up by the rim and slog it over. However as a bartender you have to be aware that people might not want to put their lips somewhere where your hand just was. Instead you should hold the glass by its base or stem, and slide it gently to the customer.

Bartending is a challenging profession. You have to worry about more than just the drinks, as a bartender it is your responsibility to attend to the ambiance of the entire bar, ensuring that it is cleana nd comfortable for your patrons. It takes some practice to get used to the various roles a bartender must play, but if you are up to the challenge it can be an exciting and rewarding profession.