Bartenders

High School

Because bartenders must be good at calculating tabs, high school math classes are important to take. If you would like to own your own bar someday, consider taking business or accounting classes. You might also take family and consumer science classes to gain exposure to food and beverage measurements and preparation. Communication is a key part of this job. The bartender who can chat with customers, making them feel at home and welcomed, and work well as part of a team will have the most success in this profession. To improve your communication abilities, therefore, take English, speech, and any other classes that offer you the opportunity to work on these skills. Psychology classes will be useful because bartenders may encounter awkward social situations and regular customers sometimes talk with their neighborhood bartender about their problems and life challenges. With American bar and restaurant clientele becoming increasingly diverse, it is a good idea to take a foreign language, such as Spanish.