As a barback, one resume challenge you may grapple with is effectively showcasing the diverse skill set required by this role, such as physical stamina, inventory management, and customer service abilities. Our guide provides targeted advice to help you highlight these competencies, using precise language and impactful examples that can set you apart from other candidates.
- The most straightforward and effective resume format, ensuring your barback resume stands out among numerous candidate profiles;
- The significance of the top one-third of your resume, including the header, summary or objective, and skills section, and its impact on recruiters;
- Frameworks and structures used by real barback professionals, offering insights on how to enhance your resume with industry-specific expertise;
- A variety of barback resume sections that bolster your profile, showcasing your comprehensive capabilities and distinctiveness.
Gaining insights from the best has never been easier. Explore more barback resume examples below:
- Food Service Manager Resume Example
- Front of House Manager Resume Example
- Food and Beverage Manager Resume Example
- Dishwasher Resume Example
- Banquet Server Resume Example
- Fine Dining Bartender Resume Example
- Ice Cream Server Resume Example
- Assistant Restaurant Manager Resume Example
- Restaurant Operations Manager Resume Example
- Catering Resume Example
Barback resume format made simple
You don't need to go over the top when it comes to creativity in your barback resume format .
What recruiters care about more is the legibility of your barback resume, alongside the relevancy of your application to the role.
That's why we're presenting you with four simple steps that could help your professional presentation check all the right boxes:
- The reverse-chronological resume format is the one for you, if you happen to have plenty of relevant (and recent) professional experience you'd like to showcase. This format follows a pretty succinct logic and puts the focus on your experience.
- Keep your header simple with your contact details; a headline that details the role you're applying for or your current job; and a link to your portfolio.
- Ensure your resume reaches an up-to-two-page limit, only if you happen to be applying for a more senior role or you have over a decade of relevant experience.
- Save your barback resume as a PDF to retain its structure and presentation.
Different regions expect different formats – Canadian resumes, for example, may look unique.
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Always remember that your barback certifications can be quantified across different resume sections, like your experience, summary, or objective. For example, you could include concise details within the expertise bullets of how the specific certificate has improved your on-the-job performance.
The five (plus) definite sections your resume for a barback job should include are:
- Header with your headline, contact details, and/or a preview of your work
- Summary (or objective) to pinpoint how your success aligns with the role
- Experience with bullets of your most relevant achievements in the field
- Skills to integrate vital job requirements (both technical and personal)
- Your further dedication to the field, showcased via relevant higher education and/or certifications
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Previous experience in a fast-paced bar or restaurant environment
- Knowledge of bar equipment, glassware, and common cocktail ingredients
- Proven ability to quickly and efficiently restock and organize inventory
- Strong physical endurance and lifting ability for handling kegs and heavy supplies
- Excellent team player with strong communication skills for assisting bartenders and serving staff
What is the resume experience section and how to write one for your past roles
The experience section in a barback resume is critical for your profile and overall application. It should not only display your work history, but also highlight your achievements in previous roles.
Many candidates either simply list their duties or provide excessive details about past, irrelevant jobs. A more effective approach involves first examining the job advertisement for keywords - specifically, skills essential for the role. Then, demonstrate these key requirements throughout different parts of your resume, using accomplishments from your roles.
Format each bullet point in your experience section by starting with a strong action verb. Follow this with a description of your role and its impact on the team or organization.
Aim to include three to five bullet points for each role.
Finally, gain insights into how professionals have crafted their barback resume experience sections by exploring some best practice examples.
- Efficiently supported bartenders at a high-volume nightclub, preparing mixers and stocking over 500 bottles of spirits nightly, ensuring seamless bar operations.
- Implemented an inventory management system that reduced waste by 15% through precise tracking of bar supplies and ingredients.
- Cultivated relationships with regular customers by providing exceptional service, contributing to a 20% increase in repeat patronage.
- Assisted in organizing and executing special events hosting over 300 guests, which resulted in a 25% increase in sales compared to regular nights.
- Maintained cleanliness and organization of the bar area during peak hours at a popular downtown sports bar, promoting a professional and inviting atmosphere.
- Collaborated with bar staff to reduce glassware breakages by 40% through improved handling and storage practices.
- Regularly rotated stock and conducted inventory assessments, identifying discrepancies that led to a 10% improvement in inventory accuracy.
- Provided on-the-job training to new barbacks, enhancing team efficiency by 30% over a six-month period.
- Spearheaded a sustainability initiative to recycle bottles and waste, resulting in the bar achieving a 'Green Business' certification.
- Displayed excellent time-management skills by balancing duties for two bars in a multi-level entertainment complex without compromising service standards.
- Initiated a cocktail ingredient pre-preparation procedure, cutting down bartender service time by 20% during rush hours.
- Hand-selected by management to assist in VIP events, serving high-profile clients and ensuring strict confidentiality.
- Collaborated with bartenders to design a streamlined back bar layout, reducing the average time to locate and retrieve items by 25%.
- Introduced a cross-training program with bartending staff, enhancing team versatility and providing coverage during staff shortages.
- Managed beverage restocking procedures for special events and promotions, supporting a record number of sales during seasonal festivals.
- Consistently exceeded daily setup goals by preparing the bar area and equipment 30 minutes before opening time, leading to an immediate service kick-off.
- Played a key role in tasting and sourcing locally produced spirits, contributing to the establishment's reputation for regional support and unique offerings.
- Developed a waste tracking sheet that identified trends in over-ordering, leading to a 12% reduction in unnecessary purchases.
- Championed an initiative to prioritize the use of organic and sustainable garnishments, positively impacting the bar's brand and aligning with customer values.
- Facilitated a smooth workflow by maintaining a meticulously organized back-of-house area, which drastically reduced the time for restock runs.
- Instrumental in negotiating deals with suppliers that led to a consistent 5% cost savings on commonly used bar materials and consumables.
- Enabled a premium guest experience by providing immediate assistance to bartenders, which contributed to the club being rated 'Best Customer Service' by local surveys.
- Streamlined the ice supply process, ensuring that high-demand times were met with a 100% availability rate for cold drinks.
- Assessed and reported daily on inventory needs, maintaining optimal levels of stock without over-purchasing, thus aiding in budget management.
- Effectively reduced turnaround time on drink orders by 15% through superior preparation of garnishes, mixers, and glassware ahead of busy shifts.
- Engaged with management to implement a rotational cleaning schedule that improved overall sanitation scores from the health department by 20%.
- Enhanced the bar's cocktail menu by contributing innovative ideas for seasonal drinks based on inventory and trending customer preferences.
- Provided exceptional assistance during a bar renovation project, minimizing service disruptions and playing a pivotal role in the bar's modernized look.
- Pioneered a new keg storage system that optimized space by 15% and reduced the physical strain on bar staff.
- Contributed towards an initiative to expand the beer selection, using meticulous record-keeping and feedback collection that influenced stocking decisions.
The following content includes information from "O*NET OnLine" by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. The data represents the top responsibilities present on the task lists for barback professionals.
Top Responsibilities for Barback:
- Run cash registers.
- Serve ice water, coffee, rolls, or butter to patrons.
- Scrape and stack dirty dishes and carry dishes and other tableware to kitchens for cleaning.
- Wipe tables or seats with dampened cloths or replace dirty tablecloths.
- Set tables with clean linens, condiments, or other supplies.
- Greet and seat customers.
- Clean up spilled food or drink or broken dishes and remove empty bottles and trash.
- Maintain adequate supplies of items, such as clean linens, silverware, glassware, dishes, or trays.
- Locate items requested by customers.
- Fill beverage or ice dispensers.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Maintained a stock inventory of over 500 beverage items, ensuring a 99% availability for customer orders.
- Supported a team of 10 bartenders during peak hours, reducing wait times by nearly 30%.
- Led the implementation of a waste reduction program that decreased spillage by 25%, saving the bar an estimated $5,000 annually.
- Assisted in the setup and breakdown of the bar area for more than 150 events, increasing operational efficiency by 20%.
- Conducted weekly audits on glassware and equipment, leading to a 50% reduction in losses due to breakages.
- Collaborated with suppliers to streamline deliveries, resulting in a 15% reduction in stock-out incidents.
- Consistently scored over 90% in quarterly customer service feedback surveys by ensuring a well-prepared and organized back-of-bar area.
- Optimized drink preparation time by arranging the bar layout based on usage patterns, leading to a 10% increase in drinks served per hour.
Action verbs for your barback resume
Guide for barback professionals kicking off their career
Who says you can't get that barback job, even though you may not have that much or any experience? Hiring managers have a tendency to hire the out-of-the-blue candidate if they see role alignment. You can show them why you're the best candidate out there by:
- Selecting the functional skill-based or hybrid formats to spotlight your unique value as a professional
- Tailoring your barback resume to always include the most important requirements, found towards the top of the job ad
- Substituting the lack of experience with other relevant sections like achievements, projects, and research
- Pinpoint both achievements and how you see yourself within this specific role in the barback resume objective.
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PRO TIP
Always remember that your barback certifications can be quantified across different resume sections, like your experience, summary, or objective. For example, you could include concise details within the expertise bullets of how the specific certificate has improved your on-the-job performance.
The heart and soul of your barback resume: hard skills and soft skills
If you read between the lines of the barback role you're applying for, you'll discover that all requirements are linked with candidates' hard skills and soft skills.
What do those skills have to do with your application?
Hard or technical skills are the ones that hint at your aptitude with particular technologies. They are easy to quantify via your professional experience or various certifications.
Meanwhile, your soft skills are more difficult to assess as they are personality traits, you've gained thanks to working in different environments/teams/organizations.
Your barback resume skills section is the perfect opportunity to shine a light on both types of skills by:
- Dedicating a technical skills section to list up to six technologies you're apt at.
- Focusing a strengths section on your achievements, thanks to using particular people skills or technologies.
- Including a healthy balance of hard and soft skills in the skills section to answer key job requirements.
- Creating a language skills section with your proficiency level - to hint at an abundance of soft skills you've obtained, thanks to your dedication to learning a particular language.
Within the next section of this guide, stay tuned for some of the most trending hard skills and soft skills across the industry.
Top skills for your barback resume:
Drink Preparation
Inventory Management
Bar Equipment Operation
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Cash Handling
POS Systems
Cocktail Knowledge
Safety Procedures
Glassware Management
Bar Setup and Breakdown
Teamwork
Communication
Time Management
Attention to Detail
Adaptability
Customer Service
Multitasking
Problem-Solving
Work Ethic
Stress Management
Next, you will find information on the top technologies for barback professonals from "O*NET OnLine" by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Top technologies for Barback’s resume:
- Microsoft Excel
- Cafe Cartel Systems
- Plexis Software Plexis POS
- Microsoft Windows
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Listing your relevant degrees or certificates on your barback resume is a win-win situation. Not only does it hint at your technical capabilities in the industry, but an array of soft skills, like perseverance, adaptability, and motivation.
Qualifying your relevant certifications and education on your barback resume
In recent times, employers have started to favor more and more candidates who have the "right" skill alignment, instead of the "right" education.
But this doesn't mean that recruiters don't care about your certifications .
Dedicate some space on your resume to list degrees and certificates by:
- Including start and end dates to show your time dedication to the industry
- Adding credibility with the institutions' names
- Prioritizing your latest certificates towards the top, hinting at the fact that you're always staying on top of innovations
- If you decide on providing further information, focus on the actual outcomes of your education: the skills you've obtained
If you happen to have a degree or certificate that is irrelevant to the job, you may leave it out.
Some of the most popular certificates for your resume include:
The top 5 certifications for your barback resume:
- TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) - Health Communications, Inc.
- ServSafe Alcohol - National Restaurant Association
- BASSET (Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training) - Illinois Liquor Control Commission
- LEAD (Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs) - California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
- RAMP (Responsible Alcohol Management Program) Certification - Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board
The content below includes information from "O*NET OnLine" by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. The data represents the top associations for barback professionals.
Top US associations for a Barback professional
- National Restaurant Association
- Women Chefs and Restaurateurs
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The more trusted the organization you've attained your certificate (or degree) from, the more credible your skill set would be.
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Best practices to your barback resume summary or objective
To start, how do you know if you should include a resume summary or a resume objective ?
- Resume summaries are ideal for barback professionals with more experience, who'd like to give a quick glimpse of their biggest career achievements in the top one-third of their resumes.
- On the other hand, resume objectives serve as a road map for recruiters. Candidates use the objective to show how their experience aligns with the barback role they're applying for while showcasing the North Star of their career (or where they want to be as a professional in the next couple of years).
The resume summary or resume objective could be the perfect fit for your barback resume. The function of both is to highlight your professionalism succinctly. So, keep your writing specific: include no more than four sentences and target your application to the role. Here's how these specific resume sections help the barback candidates stand out.
Resume summaries for a barback job
- With over three years of dedicated experience as a barback at a high-volume nightclub in Las Vegas, this candidate brings proven skills in inventory management, equipment maintenance, and exceptional customer service. They played a pivotal role in increasing bar efficiency by 20% through innovative stock organization methods.
- Seasoned barback with five years of experience at a renowned jazz bar in New Orleans, offering a track record of supporting bartenders and ensuring seamless bar operations. Known for improving drink preparation time by 15%, their deep knowledge of cocktail ingredients and bar equipment maintenance makes them a valuable team player.
- Transitioning from a successful four-year career as a logistics manager, this eager professional seeks to apply their organizational prowess and team leadership skills to thrive as a barback in a dynamic brewery environment. Their experience optimizing supply chains will translate into efficient stocking and preparation in bustling bar settings.
- A former culinary specialist from the military, armed with four years of rigorous discipline and attention to detail, aims to leverage their exceptional inventory control and cleanliness standards in the fast-paced world of bartending. Desiring to bring a strong work ethic and a quick learning ability to a new avenue in hospitality.
- As a recent graduate with a passion for the hospitality industry and an energetic personality, I am eager to begin my career as a barback. My objective is to gain hands-on experience, refine my skills in customer service, and contribute to a thriving team while learning the intricacies of bar operations firsthand.
- With no prior experience but armed with a diligent work ethic and a keen enthusiasm for mixology, this candidate is determined to excel as a barback. They are committed to learning swiftly, upholding high standards of cleanliness, and supporting a collaborative work environment as they embark on a new career path.
Average salary info by state in the US for barback professionals
Local salary info for Barback.” Source: My Next Move, National Center for O*NET Development. Accessed 10/15/2024
| State | Average Salary (in USD) |
|---|---|
| US National Average | $31,180 |
| California (CA) | $33,890 |
| Texas (TX) | $25,680 |
| Florida (FL) | $28,950 |
| New York (NY) | $35,760 |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | $27,650 |
| Illinois (IL) | $30,110 |
| Ohio (OH) | $25,220 |
| Georgia (GA) | $25,300 |
| North Carolina (NC) | $23,270 |
| Michigan (MI) | $28,890 |
Other relevant sections for your barback resume
Apart from the standard barback resume sections listed in this guide, you have the opportunity to get creative with building your profile. Select additional resume sections that you deem align with the role, department, or company culture. Good choices for your barback resume include:
- Language skills - always ensure that you have qualified each language you speak according to relevant frameworks;
- Hobbies - you could share more about your favorite books, how you spend your time, etc. ;
- Volunteering - to highlight the causes you care about;
- Awards - for your most prominent barback professional accolades and achievements.
Make sure that these sections don't take too much away from your experience, but instead build up your barback professional profile.
Key takeaways
- Your barback resume is formatted professionally and creates an easy-to-read (and -understand) experience for recruiters;
- You have included all pertinent sections (header, summary/objective, experience, skills, certifications) within your barback resume;
- Instead of just listing your responsibilities, you've qualified them with skills and the results of your actions;
- Within your barback resume, you've taken the time to align specific job requirements with your unique expertise, showcasing the value you can provide as a professional;
- Technologies and personal skills are featured across different sections of your barback resume to achieve the perfect balance.
