Cocktail Slave NYC

We all know and love the Big Apple and for those of us who are lucky enough to try our hand at living there once in our life, finding a job would be an obvious part of this move. The streets are paved with gold and everybody is an Actor, Writer, Model...

But the reality is, you have got to pay the rent! This is also a very expensive part of living in New York. Whether it be Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem, Manhattan or The Bronx, there is always work for a good bartender. Or so it would seem...

The style of bar-tending in New York is like none i have ever seen. The jobs advertised usually require 'New York Experience'. This to me was a huge roadblock. I did not really understand why or what difference this 'New York Experience' would make to a highly skilled and confident bartender. The truth is, it was about having clientele to come visit you in the bar.

For you see, i had never heard of such methods of gaining a customer base until i reached NYC. Sure i've had regulars and the usual crew but in the big city it is different. You could be working in Soho and have customers from Queens, Long island or The Upper East Side, come to Soho specifically to be greeted, served and have conversations with you, the bartender.

When working in a bar in New York, you are on stage, on show and a part of the entertainment in the establishment you work. Customers don't just go to a bar because it is close or the beer is cold. The beer should be cold in every bar, but it is the person serving that makes the evening.

I worked in Soho and on 2nd Ave and i won't lie, it was not an easy task to find work. I marched around Manhattan for 6weeks walking into every bar looking for a position but without the necessary New York Experience, it was tough.

The money a bartender can make in New York is sometimes more than that of an accountant or bar manager. $1000-$3000 per week is common if you are in a busy, lively bar with a good customer base.

All in all, it is worth it when you find a good job but beware, you must be more than just a cocktail servant in New York City...