Bartending Mock Interview

Master 30 Bartending interview questions covering drink knowledge, customer service, and high-volume service.

WRITTEN BY RACHELLE ENNS
QUESTION 1 OF 30

Tell me about your previous bartending experience.

Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Entry Level

"I have not worked as a bartender in the past; however, I have worked as a bar assistant for the past nine months. My duties as a bar assistant include ensuring the bar is fully stocked, running for ice, replenishing the garnishes, and general clean up. I am ready for this next step in my bar career."

Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Experienced

"I have worked as a bartender for the past four years. Two years I spent in a local Irish pub, and two at a nightclub. It's been an incredibly lucrative career path for me, and I look forward to continuing this path at your establishment."

Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
How to Answer

The interviewer is not asking for you to list your past jobs in chronological order with all of your responsibilities. They are only interested in a brief history, highlighting the relevant work you have done.

If you don't think you've done any work that is relevant to bartending, take some time to review your work history. Think about those transferable skills that you acquired from a job in customer service, for instance.

Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Example Answer

"I have three years' experience bartending at the competing pub, across the street from your establishment. I started as a bar assistant, then a backup bartender and now I am a senior bartender."

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30 Bartending Interview Questions & Answers

Jump to any question in the set.

01 Tell me about your previous bartending experience. ~BARTENDING 02 How do you make a White Russian? ~COMPETENCY 03 Why did you leave your last bartending job? ~BARTENDING 04 How do you feel about serving drinks in a heavy volume environment? ~COMPETENCY 05 How do you make a Cosmopolitan Martini? ~COMPETENCY 06 What techniques do you use to upsell? ~BARTENDING 07 If you see a fight start across the bar, do you act or do you wait until the bouncers take care of it? ~BARTENDING 08 Your drawer is $44.21 short, how would you explain this? What would you do to correct something like this in the future? ~BARTENDING 09 This is a coveted bartending gig. Why should we hire you? ~BARTENDING 10 If your car broke down on the way to work, what would you do? ~BARTENDING 11 How do you make a Washington Apple? ~COMPETENCY 12 How do you make an Irish Car Bomb? ~COMPETENCY 13 How do you avoid serving to minors? ~COMPETENCY 14 How do you make a Whiskey Sour? ~COMPETENCY 15 Are you flexible to work any shift? ~BARTENDING 16 How do you use your time on a slow shift? ~COMPETENCY 17 Explain the differences between a wheat beer, a pale ale and an IPA? ~BARTENDING 18 What is your favorite drink with vodka? ~BARTENDING 19 When you go above and beyond for a customer and they don't tip well, how do you handle it? ~BARTENDING 20 How do you decide which customers to serve first when the bar is packed? ~COMPETENCY 21 How do you make a Dirty Martini? ~COMPETENCY 22 How do you make a Johnny Vegas drink? ~COMPETENCY 23 How do you treat customers on special occasions, like birthdays and bachelorette parties? ~COMPETENCY 24 How do you garnish a Manhattan? ~COMPETENCY 25 How do you engage with customers while making and serving drinks? ~COMPETENCY 26 Explain to me how you properly stir a cocktail. ~BARTENDING 27 Do you have any flaring techniques? ~BARTENDING 28 Tell me about the garnishes you enjoy using for various cocktails. ~BARTENDING 29 Besides making drinks, what roles do you think bartenders serve? ~BARTENDING 30 Do you enjoy socializing with strangers? ~BARTENDING
Rachelle Enns
Written by Rachelle Enns
30 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS · BARTENDING
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